The NBA season will be here before you know it. For many, it feels as if the “offseason” only just got started. Now is the time when team executives take much-needed time away.
About six weeks before the Pacers gather again for training camp, dates for their exhibition games have trickled out.
- Thursday, Oct. 4 — at Houston, 8:00 pm ET
- Saturday, Oct. 6 — at Memphis, 8:00 pm ET
- Monday, Oct. 8 — at Cleveland, 7:00 pm ET
- Wednesday, Oct. 10 — at Chicago, 8:00 pm ET
For the second consecutive season, they will play four exhibition games.
What jumps out about this schedule, however, is that every game is on the road. (They played one preseason game at home last year.) So the 2018-19 Pacers won’t play in front of the home crowd until their season opener, set for Wednesday, Oct. 17th against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Second, three of the four games tip-off after 8:00 pm ET, an hour later than usual.
The Pacers played four preseason games in 2017-18 (one at home), five in 2016-17 (two), and seven!!! in 2015-16 (three).
[Pacers’ 2018-19 schedule released, includes 12 national TV appearances]
The NBA moved up the regular season about 10 days starting last season. That will continue this year, with NBA Opening Night set for Tuesday, Oct. 16. Philadelphia tips off the season at Boston (8:00 pm ET) followed by Oklahoma City at Golden State (10:30 pm ET).
Media day will be on Monday, Sept. 24 with training camp opening on the 25th.
[Photo: Frank McGrath/PS&E]