Nets Facing a Crucial Tank Battle Against the Pacers Tonight

Brooklyn will take on Indiana in a game that could be consequential to lottery odds for the 2026 NBA Draft.

Feb 11, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams (1) controls the ball against Indiana Pacers guard Kam Jones (7) during the third quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Through all the criticism regarding the NBA's leniency with tanking, fans of the bottom feeders have still found fun in the lottery race, and it's heating up with four days left in the regular season. The basement of the league has become a contest of its own, and the Brooklyn Nets are near the forefront of that.

At 20-59, the Nets have gone against the grain as of late, riding a two-game winning streak. Victories against Washington Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks had many positive, but the ultimate goal of remaining a bottom three team in the league was not benefited.

Tonight, Brooklyn arguably has its most important game of the season against a fellow lottery dweller in the Indiana Pacers. At 18-61, Indiana is extremely close to sealing its fate with a 14% chance at the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, as well as a 52.1% chance at the top four.

The season series is tied at one win apiece, so tonight will determine the tiebreaker in the standings. But the Nets are playing for a little more than this head-to-head soap opera, because they're just a half-game ahead of the Utah Jazz and Sacramento Kings (21-59) for the highest odds in the draft.

If Brooklyn continues its winning streak, the team is at risk of falling out of the top three in the lottery. The Kings split the season series with the Nets, and with two games left against the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers, four straight losses to close the year is certainly possible.

Meanwhile, the Jazz have even more momentum swinging the other way. They've lost 10 games in a row and have just two left against the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Lakers. Utah and Brooklyn are also even in the season series.

At this point, the Pacers have been playing the end of their bench for quite some time. Key contributors like Pascal Siakama, Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith have not played since late March/early April.

As for the Nets, Michael Porter Jr., Nic Claxton, Day'Ron Sharpe and Egor Dёmin are all out, so they'll also have a chance to even out the minutes in what could be a much-needed loss.

However, a few reserves are the reason for Brooklyn's last two wins. E.J. Liddell, Josh Minott and rookie Ben Saraf are each averaging at least 15 points over their last pair of games.