To keep it simple, the Atlanta Hawks might as well not have gotten off the flight in New Orleans. They played a dismal game against a Pelicans team that already seems destined for another finish in the cellar of the Western Conference. Nevertheless, New Orleans did not play like that against the Hawks.
NBA games aren't generally going to be won by the team that shoots 17.4% from deep, loses the defensive rebounding battle by a 17-point margin, and gets dominated in the paint by a 14-point margin. The Hawks were no exception. They didn't play like a cohesive unit tonight, and they lost because of it.
CJ McCollum led the team with 14 points, but he was also one of four members of the Hawks who turned the ball over 3 times. They cannot afford to overlook anyone, and they'll be working without rookie Kingston Flemings.
Their depth is going to be tested tonight, but the Pacers are also working without the arguable centerpiece of their team in Tyrese Haliburton. His likely absence is going to be felt. It's up to the Hawks to get back on track against a beatable opponent
Oct 10, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith (23) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
With the loss of Flemings due to his suspension, that creates an even bigger opportunity for Dyson Daniels to conduct the offense. I'm especially intrigued by Daniels' ability to be a creator in this game because he'll likely draw a decent amount of defensive attention from centers. That's a significantly less dangerous proposition if he's guarded by Jay Huff as opposed to Ivica Zubac.
One of the best parts of Daniels' play thus far has been his ability to avoid turnovers. He's averaging 0.9 turnovers per game, which is in the 95th percentile, and a respectable 55.6% on two pointers this season. If he's guarded by a center, there are going to be opportunities to get a good look at the rim, and it'll be critical for the Hawks to run some offense through Daniels as a facilitator to complement Johnson.
The Pacers are 20th in opponent turnovers per game, so it theoretically presents a good opportunity for him to take a more active role in the offense than he had against New Orleans.
Oct 10, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Luguentz Dort (0) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith (23) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
So far, the numbers are alarmingly bad for Lu Dort's impact on the Hawks. The Hawks are 20.3 points worse by net rating when he's on the court. He's shooting an abysmal 25% from deep, and the physicality is being marked by a higher incidence of foul calls. Simply put, Atlanta needs him to play better.
Unfortunately, Andrew Nembhard has been a matchup problem for Dort., He's shot an effective field goal percentage of 78.1% on the 50 possessions Dort has guarded him for during the past three seasons. However, the numbers are much more encouraging against Aaron Nesmith. In fact, Nesmith has made just two shots in the 20 possessions Dort has gotten to defend him for. It's a very small sample size, but putting Dort on Nesmith and having that matchup be successful might be critical for Atlanta's chances.
Mar 6, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) grabs a rebound against the Indiana Pacers in the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
One of the biggest weaknesses of this Pacers team is that they aren't great at pressing their advantages after rebounds. Zubac helps with this issue, but it doesn't change the fact that Indiana is averaging the fewest second-chance points in the NBA thus far and allows second-chance points at the sixth-highest clip in the NBA.
Allowing the Pelicans to get to 17 more defensive rebounds shows that Atlanta needs to play more aggressive on the boards. They cannot let possessions end through their rebounding effort and they have the athleticism to be better in this area. That effort needs to improve against Indiana since there's an opportunity to exploit the Pacers' deficiency in this area. Conversley, New Orleans was 6th in second chance points per game.
Spread: Pacers +4.5 (-106), Hawks -4.5 (-114)
Moneyline: Pacers +160, Hawks -190
Total points scored: 231.5 (over -114, under -106)
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call1-800-GAMBLER.
Mo Gueye, Kingston Flemings (suspended), Jock Landale, and Henri Veesaar are all out for Atlanta. Indiana is on a back-to-back, and they have not released their updated injury report.
Update (1:30 p.m. ET)- Pacers are going to be without Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, Ivica Zubac, T.J. McConnell, and Ben Sheppard tonight vs Atlanta.
Hawks
G - CJ McCollum
G - Nickeil Alexander-Walker
G/F - Dyson Daniels
F - Jalen Johnson
C - Onyeka Okongwu
Pacers
G - Andrew Nembhard
G - Aaron Nesmith
F - Kelly Oubre
F - Pascal Siakam
C - Jay Huff
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/hawks/onsi as Indiana Pacers-Atlanta Hawks Preview: Injuries, Odds, How to Watch & Starters .
