Pacers-Nets Showdown Carries Major NBA Draft Lottery Stakes

With bottom-three odds on the line, Indiana and Brooklyn could reshape the top of the NBA Draft Lottery.

Feb 11, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Day'ron Sharpe (20) is fouled by Indiana Pacers guard Kobe Brown (24) as he drives to the basket during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers are in a great position to secure a bottom-three record in the NBA, and a loss to the Brooklyn Nets tonight would guarantee that.

When the Pacers traded away their 2026 pick to the Los Angeles Clippers, they put protections on it to ensure that if the pick lands in the top four of the draft, it stays with Indiana. The Clippers put 10–30 protection on it, because if the pick fell that low, it would have less value than a 2031 unprotected pick would.

With the Pacers’ record as poor as it is, the scenario of the pick somehow falling to the 10th spot is mathematically impossible. The pick will either land in the top four for the Pacers, or if they win all three of their remaining games and the Jazz and Kings lose their remaining two games, the lowest Indiana’s pick can fall is to the 9th spot in the draft, which would then convey to the Clippers.

For the Brooklyn Nets, they have won their last two games and have a 20–59 record. If the Nets were to win any of their remaining three games left on the schedule, they could find themselves outside of the bottom three, with Sacramento and Utah passing them in the inverse standings.

Losing this game means significantly more to the Nets than it does the Pacers, because Brooklyn would be flirting with disaster for draft positioning if they were to win.

Indiana, on the other hand, has the ability to win two games without fear of falling out of the bottom three, and this would lead them to securing the best odds at landing in the top four of the NBA Draft Lottery.

Feb 11, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Indiana Pacers center Micah Potter (11) fights for a rebound against Brooklyn Nets center Day'ron Sharpe (20) and guard Drake Powell (4) during the third quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Both Indiana and Brooklyn have a lengthy list of players unavailable for tonight.

For Indiana: Johnny Furphy, Tyrese Haliburton, Ivica Zubac, T.J. McConnell, Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith are all listed as out.

Ben Sheppard, Kobe Brown and Jarace Walker are listed as questionable.

For Brooklyn: Nic Claxton, Noah Clowney, Egor Demin, Terance Mann, Josh Minott, Michael Porter Jr., Day’Ron Sharpe, Nolan Traore, Ziaire Williams and Danny Wolf are posted as out.

Between the two teams, 17 players are already listed as out, and three are questionable to play. That means 20 players could be out for this game, and only 16 would be available to play. When there is incentive to lose games, this is what happens.

Nov 5, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Tyrese Martin (13) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Ben Sheppard (26) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Indiana would be smart to lose this game for multiple reasons.

One, they secure a bottom-three record and then can use their last two home games to play for a win in front of their fans.

Two, helping Utah and Sacramento get better lottery odds by tying or passing Brooklyn is a smart business decision. While the Nets are not close to competing, you never want to see teams in your own conference potentially land a star player at the top of the draft, and if you can worsen their odds of doing so, you make that happen.

---

Final Thoughts

Games like these are why the NBA is frustrated with the level of tanking going around the league. Seeing an injury report longer than the list of players available is a terrible look, but the way the league has incentivized teams to lose for better draft positioning is nobody’s fault but their own.

This game will provide minutes to young players who likely would not receive them in a normal situation, as they look to prove their worth in the NBA. The Pacers will also be without Rick Carlisle for this one, as he is away for an event at Virginia with his daughter, Abby. Lloyd Pierce will be acting as the Pacers' head coach.

You can follow me on X @AlexGoldenNBA and listen to my daily podcast, Setting The Pace, wherever you get your podcasts.