Basketball is weird. Sometimes, two teams struggling at the very bottom of their respective conferences—both sitting at exactly 10 wins—can actually put on a show that makes you forget about the draft lottery for a second. That's exactly what went down on Friday, January 16, 2026, when the Indiana Pacers New Orleans Pelicans matchup turned into a scoring clinic at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Indiana won 127-119. Honestly, if you just looked at the final score, you might think it was a typical high-octane NBA game. It wasn't. It was a game defined by a guy most casual fans haven't even heard of and a Zion Williamson performance that was nearly perfect, yet still not enough to drag his team to a win.
The Jay Huff Game Nobody Saw Coming
Let's talk about Jay Huff. The 7-foot-1 center, who the Pacers basically snatched from Memphis in an offseason trade, decided to have the night of his life. He dropped a career-high 29 points. He didn't just stumble into those points either; he shot 13-of-17 from the floor and even stepped out to hit three triples.
Before this game, Huff was averaging about 8 points.
He looked like an All-Star.
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Indiana desperately needed it because their superstar, Tyrese Haliburton, is still out for the entire season with that brutal Achilles tear from last year. Without their engine, Rick Carlisle has been forced to play "who’s hot tonight?" roulette. On Friday, the ball landed on Huff.
Zion Williamson Was Unstoppable (Until He Wasn't)
Zion is a tank. There’s no other way to put it. He went 8-for-8 in the first half. Think about that for a second. He scored 21 points before halftime without missing a single shot. He ended the night with 27 points on 10-of-12 shooting.
So, how did New Orleans lose?
Defense. Or the total lack of it. Interim head coach James Borrego, who took over after Willie Green was fired earlier this season, watched his team give up 73 points in the first half. That is the highest-scoring first half the Pacers have put together all year. You can’t win road games when you let a team shooting for the cellar look like the 2017 Warriors for 24 minutes.
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The Pelicans are 3-16 on the road. That is a terrifying stat if you're a fan in the Big Easy. They are physically gifted with guys like Trey Murphy III—who added 22 points—and Saddiq Bey, but they just can't seem to get stops when the momentum shifts.
Why This Specific Matchup Matters for the Future
People think these games between 10-win teams don't matter. They're wrong. For Indiana, this was about validation for their younger core. Andrew Nembhard, who was such a huge part of that magical 2025 Finals run, finished with a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double. He’s finally starting to look like the leader the Pacers need while Haliburton rehabs.
On the flip side, the Pelicans are in a weird sort of limbo. They have Zion. They have Trey Murphy. They even have rookie Derik Queen, who notched 14 points and 12 rebounds against Indy. But the pieces don't fit. Dejounte Murray hasn't played a single second this season due to his own Achilles injury, and the lack of a true floor general is killing them.
The Indiana Pacers New Orleans Pelicans season series is now split. New Orleans blew them out by 19 back in December, but Indy got their revenge here. It’s a rivalry of "what ifs."
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The Numbers That Actually Mattered
- Pacers First Half: 73 points (Season High)
- Jay Huff: 29 points (Career High)
- Zion Williamson: 83% Shooting (10/12)
- Pelicans Road Record: 3-16
The Rookie Watch: Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears
New Orleans is leaning hard on their young guys. Jeremiah Fears got the start and put up 16 points. He’s quick, but you can tell he’s still adjusting to the speed of the NBA game. Derik Queen is the one people are buzzing about, though. The Maryland product is a vacuum on the glass. He’s had three double-doubles in his last five games. If the Pelicans do decide to blow things up and trade some veterans, Queen is clearly a foundation piece.
Indiana is doing the same with Johnny Furphy. He didn't have a massive scoring night on Friday, but he's been the spark plug that helped them win four of their last five. The Pacers are currently 15th in the East, which sounds bad, but they’ve played much better in January than they did in that miserable 6-28 start.
What’s Next for Both Franchises?
If you're betting on these teams, be careful. The Pacers just went to Detroit and got absolutely hammered, losing 121-78 right after this Pelicans win. That tells you everything you need to know about their consistency. They are tired, they are short-handed (missing Mathurin, Toppin, and Jackson), and they are relying on 10-day contract guys like Tony Bradley to fill minutes.
The Pelicans are heading to Houston next. The Rockets are one of the best teams in the West this year, and playing them on the road is a nightmare for a team that can't defend the perimeter.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Bettors
- Watch the Pacers' Home/Road Splits: They are significantly better at Gainbridge (8-16) than on the road (2-16). If they are playing at home against a struggling Western team, they usually cover.
- Zion’s Efficiency vs. Usage: Zion is scoring efficiently, but he’s not taking 20+ shots. Until Borrego finds a way to get him more touches in the fourth quarter, the Pelicans will keep losing close games.
- The Jay Huff Factor: Don't expect 29 points every night, but he has clearly earned the starting center spot over Micah Potter for the foreseeable future.
- Injury Stash: If you’re in a fantasy league, keep an eye on Isaiah Jackson. He just returned from a concussion against Detroit and will likely see his minutes ramp up as the Pacers try to find some interior defense.
Both teams are likely headed for high lottery picks in the 2026 Draft, but games like this show there is still talent on the floor. It wasn't pretty, and it certainly wasn't a defensive masterpiece, but the Indiana Pacers New Orleans Pelicans showdown gave us a glimpse of what these rosters could be if they ever stayed healthy.