NBA · Reports
Pacers and Mavericks bring familiar defensive questions to Indiana
Indiana host Dallas on 23 October, with last season’s home and road defensive splits setting the theme for an early-season test.
Stage
Indiana host Dallas in the NBA at 23:00 UTC on 23 October, with the fixture listed as not started at publication time. Source
This is an early-season meeting framed by last season’s defensive splits: Indiana conceded 118.9 points per home game in 2025–26, while Dallas allowed 118.4 per road game. Source Source
Form lines
Indiana’s current season aggregate stands at two wins and three defeats from five games, with 120.4 points scored and 118.6 conceded per game. Source
At home, the Pacers’ five-game-season sample records one win from three, 122.3 points scored per game and 119.7 allowed. Source
Dallas arrive with one win and four defeats from five games, averaging 113.4 points scored and 122.8 conceded. Source
The Mavericks’ two away games have produced one win, 121.0 points scored per game and 121.5 conceded. Source
Indiana’s most recent result was a 123–120 victory on 22 October, whereas Dallas were beaten 128–110 on the same date. Source Source
Key matchups
The clearest team-on-team contest is whether Indiana can turn its home scoring rate into sustained pressure against a Dallas group whose current aggregate has conceded 122.8 points per game. Source Source
Dallas’ away scoring average of 121.0 means Indiana’s defence cannot simply rely on last season’s road split to define this contest. Source Source
The game therefore places a premium on which side can make its scoring edge last across four quarters rather than merely trade bursts. Source Source
Indiana’s 123 points in its latest outing and Dallas’ 110 in theirs underline the contrast in their immediate results, but both teams’ current conceded averages remain above 118 points. Source Source Source Source
Standout players
Pascal Siakam supplied 30 points and eight rebounds in Indiana’s 22 October win, providing the Pacers with a recent high-volume scoring reference. Source
Tyrese Haliburton added 23 points and 12 assists in that game, while Andrew Nembhard recorded 18 points and nine assists. Source
For Dallas, C. Flagg scored 32 points in the 22 October defeat, and Naji Marshall contributed 16 points and six assists off the bench. Source
Kyrie Irving logged 15 points and made all five of his recorded field-goal attempts in the same Dallas game. Source
The Read
This matchup is live on a simple question: can Indiana’s home offence build on its 122.3-point current average, or can Dallas improve a defensive line that has yielded 121.5 points per away game so far? Source Source
Last season’s splits point towards scoring opportunities at both ends, but the more recent five-game aggregates give Indiana a modest scoring advantage and leave Dallas with the sharper defensive correction to make. Source Source Source Source
The Pacers’ most recent win gives the hosts a fresh positive result, while Dallas must respond after conceding 128 points in Houston. Source Source
Key facts
8 data pointsSources used in this piece
8 sources01HFC Data
DataIndiana Pacers v Dallas Mavericks fixture status and tip-off
02HFC Data
DataIndiana Pacers 2025–26 home and overall team statistics
03HFC Data
DataDallas Mavericks 2025–26 away and overall team statistics
04HFC Data
DataIndiana Pacers current season team statistics through 23 October
05HFC Data
DataDallas Mavericks current season team statistics through 23 October
06HFC Data
DataIndiana Pacers schedule and latest result
07HFC Data
DataDallas Mavericks schedule and latest result
08HFC Data
DataPlayer statistics from Indiana and Dallas games on 22 October
What do these badges mean?
- Cross-checked
- Hangout FC data and an independent source agree on this figure.
- Single source
- One source backs this figure; no second source was available to check it.
- Partial coverage
- Our data covers this only partly, for example a table not yet updated with today's results. Treat it as context.
- Unverified source
- We could not resolve a source for this claim.
- Sources disagree
- Hangout FC data and another source give different figures. Both are listed.
