3 Biggest Keys For Pacers To Win First NBA Cup Game vs Heat

The Indiana Pacers will be taking on the Miami Heat tonight, opening up the 2026-27 NBA Cup schedule of games.

Indiana will be on the road for this game, giving them a decent challenge to overcome. The team will be without star guard Tyrese Haliburton for the contest, with him out for a few weeks due to a hamstring injury.

Without Haliburton on the floor, other guys for the Pacers are going to need to step up, giving the offense a boost. But as the Pacers prepare for the Heat, it could be a tough contest for Indiana to overcome.

Tip-off for the game tonight between the Pacers and Heat is scheduled to take place at 5:00 p.m. PT/8:00 p.m. ET at Kaseya Center in Miami. Both sides will want to get the NBA Cup started on a high note, making this an intriguing game.

Indiana comes into the game with a record of 2-3 on the season, while the Heat have started 1-4 this year.

Here are three of the biggest keys to the game for the Pacers to take down Miami tonight:

1. Navigate Injuries

Haliburton isn't the only player out for this game, with Ivica Zubac, T.J. McConnell, Ben Sheppard, and Johnny Furphy also sidelined. Indiana will have to find a way to overcome these issues to get the win, relying on players like Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, and Aaron Nesmith to get the job done.

The Pacers built nice depth across the roster, but this is a tough blow for the team early on in the season.

2. Andrew Nembhard Steps Up

With Haliburton and McConnell out, the emphasis will be thrown on Nembhard to put together a strong game. Nembhard can at least help run the offense, getting guys into sets and their spots.

But this will be a lot of pressure on the guard, especially going up against some tough defenders that the Heat have.

3. Watch the Pick-and-Rolls From Miami

With Zubac not playing, the Heat are likely going to attack the rim early and often in the game. With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo running the show for Miami, the Pacers are going to be hit with a ton of pick-and-roll plays.

Indiana will be trying to take this away from the Heat, putting more emphasis on the perimeter defense to step up. The Heat excel at getting to the rim, and this is an area that the Pacers will have to take away to get the win.