Denver brings the better record and a dominant Nikola Jokic playmaking profile into a matchup against an Indiana team still searching for its first home win.
Denver arrives at 4-3 and No. 17 in the power index; Indiana is 3-6, ranked No. 20, and has yet to win at home (0-4). The Pacers’ stakes are urgent: Tyrese Haliburton is out, leaving Pascal Siakam (170 points in eight games) and Andrew Nembhard (49 assists in seven) to shoulder more creation. Denver’s Nikola Jokic has 164 points, 68 rebounds and 65 assists in seven games, making his all-around impact the central matchup against Indiana’s Siakam-led attack. The Pacers must disrupt Jokic and close the scoring gap—Denver averages 115.4 points per game to Indiana’s 111.2—or risk extending their winless home start.