It’s been a weird year in Indy. If you just glance at the box scores, you might think the sky is falling at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Indiana Pacers basketball stats for the 2025-26 season look like a mountain range—massive peaks followed by some really deep, dark valleys.
Honestly, it all changed back in July. When the news broke that Tyrese Haliburton would miss the entire 2025-26 season with a torn Achilles, the vibe in the Circle City shifted instantly. You can’t just replace a guy who was averaging nearly 11 assists a night. Without their engine, the Pacers have been forced to reinvent themselves on the fly, and the results have been, well, chaotic.
The Siakam Burden: Scoring Without a Floor General
Pascal Siakam has basically been asked to carry the entire weight of the franchise on his shoulders this season. And to be fair, he’s doing it. As of mid-January 2026, Siakam is leading the team with 23.6 points per game. He’s also grabbing nearly 7 rebounds and dishing out about 4 assists.
The problem? He’s tired. You can see it in the shooting percentages. While he’s hitting 48.3% from the floor, his free-throw shooting has dipped to 68.4%. That’s a career-low for a guy who is usually much more reliable at the stripe.
It’s not just Siakam, though. Bennedict Mathurin has stepped into a much bigger role, averaging 17.8 points. But injuries have been a nightmare. Just this past week, the Pacers got absolutely smoked by the Detroit Pistons, losing 121-78. Why? Because Siakam was resting and Mathurin was out with a thumb injury. When your top guys aren't on the floor, the offensive rating—which currently sits at a league-worst 109.8—bottoms out completely.
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Breaking Down the Team Efficiency Numbers
If you’re a fan of advanced analytics, the current Pacers profile is a bit of a headache. They still play fast—ranking 10th in the league in Pace at 100.5 possessions per game. But playing fast doesn't mean much if you can't put the ball in the hoop.
- Points Per Game: 111.0 (28th in the NBA)
- Offensive Rating: 109.8 (30th in the NBA)
- Defensive Rating: 117.1 (20th in the NBA)
- Net Rating: -7.3 (27th in the NBA)
The defense is actually "better" than the offense right now, which is a sentence I never thought I’d write about a Rick Carlisle team. They are 20th in defensive rating. It’s not elite, but compared to being dead last on the other end, it’s a silver lining.
The Andrew Nembhard Experiment
With Haliburton out, Andrew Nembhard has taken over the primary playmaking duties. His Indiana Pacers basketball stats show a player growing into a role that might be just a size too big for him. He’s averaging 7.2 assists per game, which is respectable, but his turnover rate has climbed.
He’s scoring 17.4 points per game, but the efficiency just isn't there yet. He’s shooting 44.4% from the field. In the modern NBA, if your lead guard isn't a threat to score 25 or drop 10 assists with zero turnovers, the offense stalls. That’s essentially what’s happening in Indiana.
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The Weird Stats You’re Probably Missing
There are some bright spots if you dig into the bench. James Huff has been a revelation as a rim protector. He’s averaging 2.1 blocks per game in just 20 minutes of action. That’s a higher block rate than almost anyone in the league.
Then you have T.J. McConnell, who is still doing T.J. McConnell things. He’s shooting a ridiculous 53.7% from the floor as a 6'1" guard. He’s the only guy on the roster with a positive assist-to-turnover ratio that doesn't make coaches want to pull their hair out.
- Bench Scoring: The Pacers' bench actually ranks in the top half of the league, mostly because their starters are so depleted that "bench" players are getting starter minutes.
- 3-Point Woes: As a team, they are middle-of-the-pack at 35.2%, but they don't take enough of them. They rank near the bottom in 3-point attempts.
- The Rebounding Gap: They have a negative rebounding margin, often getting out-muscled by bigger lineups.
What This Means for the Rest of 2026
The Pacers are currently 10-32. That’s tough to look at. They are 15th in the Eastern Conference, and honestly, the goal at this point has shifted. It’s no longer about making a deep playoff run like they did a few years back. It’s about development.
Jarace Walker is finally getting consistent minutes, averaging 9 points and 4.2 rebounds. His shooting (36.5% FG) needs a massive overhaul, but the defensive flashes are there. He’s the kind of piece you want to see develop while Haliburton is in the lab recovering.
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What most people get wrong about these Indiana Pacers basketball stats is thinking that this team is "bad" by design. They aren't. They are just a team built for a specific superstar who isn't there. Imagine a Ferrari without an engine. It’s still a nice car, it just isn't going anywhere fast.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're tracking this team for the remainder of the season, stop looking at the wins and losses. They won't be pretty. Instead, focus on these three development markers:
- Jarace Walker’s Usage: Look for his field goal attempts to increase. If he can get his efficiency up to 42% by April, that’s a win for next season.
- Pascal Siakam’s Trade Value: With the deadline approaching, keep an eye on his minutes. If the Pacers decide to go full rebuild, his 23.6 PPG will be highly coveted by contenders.
- Nembhard’s Assist-to-Turnover Ratio: If he can get this above 3.5, he proves he’s a high-end backup or a fringe starter for the future.
The 2025-26 season is a "bridge" year. The stats are a map of a team trying to find its way home in the dark. Once Haliburton returns in late 2026, these numbers will likely look completely different, but for now, it’s the Siakam and Nembhard show.