- Matchup: Indiana Pacers vs New Orleans Pelicans
- Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2026
- Venue: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
- Broadcast: Gulf Coast Sports
- Betting Odds: Indiana (-3.5)
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The Indiana Pacers, who finished last season with a 19-63 record, are heading to the Smoothie King Center this Wednesday to face the New Orleans Pelicans, who ended 2025-26 with a 26-56 mark. Indiana is opening this matchup as 3.5-point favorites, with the total set at 239.5 points.
The Pacers last played against the Pistons, suffering a 133-121 defeat. Indiana registered 10 personal fouls, while Detroit had 24 fouls. The Pacers made 15 out of 33 three-point attempts. Detroit shot 81.8% on free throws, converting 18 of 22 attempts. The game saw Detroit grab 37 rebounds (6 offensive, 31 defensive) and achieve 8 blocks. Indiana managed 23 assists and 10 steals while forcing Detroit into 13 turnovers. Indiana secured 64 rebounds, with 21 being offensive, and shot 80.0% from the charity stripe, converting 16 of 20 attempts. The Pacers wrapped up the game with a field goal percentage of 45.6%, hitting 41 of 90 shots and making 23 out of 54 from beyond the arc.
Quenton Jackson made a significant contribution in the last game. He scored 21 points on 7 of 15 shooting, playing 30 minutes but did not register any rebounds. Jackson ended the night shooting 46.7% from the field while also dishing out 8 assists.
Indiana enters this game looking to improve from their previous season, where they ended with a win-loss record of 19-63. They averaged 112.4 points per game, ranking 27th in the league, with a shooting accuracy of 45.8%. From the three-point range, the Pacers connected on 35.6% of their attempts (1,097 out of 3,084) and recorded a free throw percentage of 77.6%. On average, they secured 41.9 rebounds per contest and delivered 2,269 assists last year, placing them 12th in the NBA. Indiana averaged 14.5 turnovers per game and committed 20.9 personal fouls.
Defensively, the Pacers forced 13.5 turnovers and drew 19.9 fouls from their opponents. They allowed a three-point shooting percentage of 35.5% and ranked 25th in points allowed per game (120.4). Indiana’s defensive field goal percentage was 48.9% (3,630 of 7,424), and they allowed an average of 46.7 rebounds per game while giving up 2,168 assists to opponents, ranking 14th in the league in this category.
In their last outing, the Pelicans suffered a narrow loss to the Timberwolves, finishing at 132-126. The Pelicans managed 35 defensive rebounds and 12 offensive boards, totaling 47 for the game. They committed 11 turnovers while securing 5 steals. The Timberwolves were charged with 28 fouls, sending the Pelicans to the free-throw line 38 times, where they converted 31 attempts for a rate of 81.6%. From the three-point range, New Orleans made 5 out of 21 attempts (23.8%). They shot 42.1% overall, making 45 of 107 attempts, and permitted Minnesota to shoot 50.6% from the floor by allowing 45 out of 89 during the game.
Jeremiah Fears was a standout player for the Pelicans, scoring 36 points in 41 minutes and adding 5 assists. He shot 42.9%, making 12 of 28 attempts, and pulled down 10 rebounds.
New Orleans concluded last season with a record of 26-56. Offensively, they had a field goal percentage of 46.6%, ranking 20th across the league. The Pelicans scored a total of 9,473 points, averaging 115.5 points per game, and secured 43.9 rebounds per contest. They dished out assists at a rate of 25.1 times per game (24th in the league), with 14.2 turnovers on average. New Orleans committed 19.9 fouls per game and shot 78.4% from the free-throw line.
On defense, the Pelicans allowed opponents to shoot 35.0% from three-point range (1,164 of 3,323) and 77.4% from the free-throw line. They gave up an average of 28.1 assists and 45.8 rebounds per game, ranking 25th in both categories. New Orleans finished 24th in points allowed per game, ensuring teams averaged 120.0 points against them, while also forcing 14.5 turnovers and allowing a field goal percentage of 47.7% (20th in the league).
Who will cover the spread in this NBA matchup?
Pick: Bet on Indiana (-3.5)
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