Brooklyn's Defensive Struggles a Takeaway As The Nets Get Blown Out By The Pacers

With just a few games left in the 2025-26 season, the Brooklyn Nets (20-60) hosted their final home game against the Indiana Pacers (19-61).

This was another game that mattered a ton in the lottery race, as the Pacers came into the night with the NBA's worst record, a number that Brooklyn was trying to chase. The Nets got a little bit closer to that number following a 123-94 loss to Indiana to close out their home season at the Barclays Center.

Here are the biggest takeaways from the Nets home loss to the Pacers.

1. The Tank Done Right

The Nets messed around and won a game they had no business winning on Tuesday, putting them behind the eight ball in the race for top-three lottery odds. They got back on track with Thursday's result. This loss to the Pacers was the perfect tanking game for the franchise.

Jordi Fernandez shortened the rotation and let some young guys get a chance for big minutes to show what they're capable of. The Nets lost the game; those guys got to put some good things on tape for this offseason, and the odds of landing a top-three pick went up. This is how a team that's accepted its fate should operate late in the season under the current NBA rules.

2. E.J. Liddell Was Great Again

Coming off a then-career-best 21 points in the win over Milwaukee on Tuesday, E.J. Liddell turned in another strong performance on Thursday. The former Buckeye finished with a new career-high 26 points and ten rebounds. It was the first double-double of Liddell's NBA career.

This game continued Liddell's strong late-season push. He's showcased an ability to score at the rim and from behind the arc, as well as on the glass. Some NBA team is going to make a very savvy move when they bring Liddell in this offseason. He's just a solid NBA contributor to have on your bench.

3. Defense Was Laughable

The Nets have played some bad defense throughout this season. But nothing they've done this year compares to what happened in this game. The Pacers were basically running a layup line to the hoop all night long, getting whatever they pleased. Despite going just 8-31 from three-point range, Indiana still shot 52% from the field.

Obi Toppin went for 26 points off the bench, going an uber-efficient 11-14 from the field. Seven Pacers scored in double figures, as everyone who saw the court in a white and yellow jersey had no problem scoring. While the result ended up being just what the Nets needed, it was still shocking to see defense this bad from guys looking to cement NBA roles in the future.