The Brooklyn Nets enter their March 20, 2025, matchup against the Indiana Pacers desperately searching for answers in what has been a difficult season. With a record of 23-45, the Nets find themselves near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, struggling with injuries, inconsistency, and a lack of cohesion on both ends of the floor. Their recent form has been equally concerning, particularly on the road, where they have lost six straight games. From a betting perspective, Brooklyn has been one of the worst teams against the spread (ATS), covering in just one of their last six games overall and failing to cover in each of their last six road games. Against an Indiana team that has been dominant at home, the Nets will need to put together one of their best performances of the season to have a chance at pulling off an upset. Offensively, Brooklyn has lacked a true identity this season. Without a clear go-to scorer, the team has relied heavily on isolation basketball, leading to inefficiency and inconsistent scoring outputs. D’Angelo Russell, one of their primary ball handlers, has struggled with shot selection, often settling for difficult jumpers rather than facilitating for his teammates. While Russell leads the team with 5.1 assists per game, the Nets rank near the bottom of the league in assists per game, highlighting their lack of ball movement. Their offensive struggles have also been exacerbated by the absence of a true interior presence. While Nic Claxton provides solid rebounding and defensive versatility, he has not been a reliable scoring option, forcing the Nets to rely heavily on their perimeter shooting. Cam Johnson has been one of Brooklyn’s lone bright spots, shooting 40% from three-point range and providing a much-needed scoring boost from the wing. However, beyond Johnson and Russell, the Nets have struggled to find consistent offensive production. Mikal Bridges, who was expected to take on a larger offensive role this season, has had an up-and-down year, struggling to carry the scoring load while still being asked to guard the opponent’s best perimeter player on a nightly basis. Without a reliable secondary scoring option, Brooklyn has had difficulty keeping pace with teams that have multiple offensive threats, which could be a major issue against an Indiana squad that excels at ball movement and scoring efficiency.

Defensively, Brooklyn has been equally inconsistent. While they have capable individual defenders in Bridges and Claxton, their team defense has been subpar. The Nets have struggled mightily in transition, ranking near the bottom of the NBA in fast-break points allowed. This is particularly problematic against an Indiana team that thrives on pushing the pace and creating early offensive opportunities. If Brooklyn is unable to slow the Pacers down in transition, they could find themselves overwhelmed by Indiana’s high-tempo attack. Another major weakness for Brooklyn has been rebounding. The Nets rank near the bottom of the league in total rebounds per game, often getting dominated on the glass by more physical teams. Indiana has improved significantly in rebounding this season, with Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner providing strong interior presence. If the Nets cannot compete on the boards, they will likely struggle to keep the game close, as Indiana will have multiple second-chance opportunities while limiting Brooklyn’s own offensive possessions. From a betting standpoint, all signs point to this being a difficult game for Brooklyn. They have failed to cover the spread in their last six road games, and their poor overall ATS record (22-46) reflects their inability to stay competitive against stronger opponents. On the other hand, Indiana has covered the spread in four of their last five games and has been one of the most reliable home teams in the league. Historically, the Pacers have also dominated this matchup, covering the spread in four of their last five meetings with Brooklyn. For Brooklyn to have any chance of winning this game, they will need to play with a much higher level of defensive intensity while finding ways to generate more ball movement on offense. Russell must take on a more facilitating role rather than settling for contested shots, while Bridges and Johnson will need to step up as primary scoring options. The Nets must also focus on limiting turnovers, as Indiana is one of the best teams in the league at converting turnovers into fast-break points. Ultimately, Brooklyn faces an uphill battle in this matchup. Indiana’s home-court advantage, superior depth, and ability to dictate the tempo make them the clear favorites. If the Nets continue their recent trends of poor shooting, lackluster defense, and ineffective rebounding, they could be in for another tough night. However, if they can find a way to disrupt Indiana’s offensive rhythm and get big performances from their key players, they might be able to keep the game competitive. Still, given their struggles this season, Brooklyn will need a near-perfect effort to pull off the upset against a Pacers team that has been rolling at home.