Indiana Pacers walked into New Orleans and left with a hard-earned 123-120 road win over the Pelicans on October 22, 2026, closing the game with the kind of poise that turns a tight NBA matchup into a statement result. The Pacers never led by a comfortable margin for long, but they made the decisive plays in the final two minutes and survived a late Pelicans surge to secure the victory.

Game overview

New Orleans opened with energy from the paint, using Zion Williamson’s power and Brandon Ingram’s mid-range touch to build an early cushion. Indiana answered with pace, ball movement and quick trigger three-point shooting, turning a slow start into a back-and-forth contest by halftime. The Pelicans held a narrow lead for much of the third quarter, but the Pacers kept the game within one possession and saved their best execution for the closing stretch.

Key moments

The turning point came midway through the fourth quarter, when Indiana strung together a 10-2 run built on defensive stops and transition buckets. Tyrese Haliburton pushed the tempo, Pascal Siakam attacked mismatches in the lane and the Pacers forced New Orleans into two costly turnovers. The Pelicans had a final look to tie, but Indiana’s late rotations disrupted the possession and the road side secured the rebound and the win.

Tactical story

Indiana’s offensive balance was the difference. The Pacers generated good shots from beyond the arc and kept the Pelicans’ defense moving with repeated pick-and-roll actions. New Orleans won the interior battle and stayed close on the offensive glass, but Indiana’s spacing and decision-making in the half court gave it cleaner looks late. The Pelicans’ defense forced enough mistakes to stay in the game, yet the Pacers’ late shot quality proved slightly better.

Standout players

• Tyrese Haliburton paced Indiana with 28 points and 12 assists, controlling the tempo and hitting key shots in the fourth quarter.
• Pascal Siakam added 24 points and eight rebounds, repeatedly punishing smaller defenders around the elbow and in the paint.
• Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 32 points and nine rebounds, dominating inside but receiving limited late help.
• Brandon Ingram contributed 25 points for the Pelicans, keeping the offense afloat through a difficult second half.

Table and season impact

The result gives Indiana an early-season road win against a Western Conference opponent and reinforces its ability to close tight games. For New Orleans, the loss is a frustrating one because the Pelicans controlled long stretches of the contest but could not match Indiana’s execution in the final minutes. In a crowded NBA standings race, dropping a home game by three points stings, while the Pacers leave with the kind of confidence-building result that matters well beyond October.