The Indiana Pacers open the regular season at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 29. The NBA unveiled the regular-season schedule Wednesday evening during an hour special on NBA TV.
The Pacers are slated to appear on national television eight times (five not counting NBA TV games), down from 17 last season. Paul George’s freak injury that is expected to cost him the season likely had the schedule makers shuffling things up in the final days.
“My goal is to win as many games as we possibly can and get into the playoffs,” said Pacers President Larry Bird. “I know some of our fans would rather us go in a different direction but we’re here to win and we’re going to try to win.”
LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers, who they first square off against at Xavier University on Oct. 15 in the preseason, come to town on Feb. 6 and 27. Division rival Chicago visits on Dec. 29 and Mar. 6.
One other key schedule note: the dreaded back-to-backs. The Pacers have 17 sets this season. (They had 20 last year.) And three of them are within the first seven games.
27 of the Pacers’ first 46 games are on the road, including 10 of 16 in January. On the other hand, seven of their first eight games in March will be at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana’s longest homestand is five games, from Jan. 27 to Feb. 6.
For the first time ever, teams have an extended All-Star break (in Brooklyn and New York). The Pacers have nine days between games, Feb. 11-20, in February.
The Pacers open training camp Tuesday, Sept. 30 with the first exhibition game on Oct. 7 vs Minnesota at the Fieldhouse.
“I think (fans are) going to fall in love with this team,” said head coach Frank Vogel. “I think we’ve, for the last few years until mid-way through last season, been the underdog. I think our players have embraced that and I think our fans have embraced that, and I think they’re going to enjoy seeing this team come out and play harder than everybody else every night.”
Pacers On National TV:
ESPN (three): Nov. 5 at Washington, Nov. 12 at Miami, Mar. 18 at Chicago
TNT (two): Jan. 29 vs New York, Apr. 14 vs Washington
NBA TV (three): Nov. 14 vs Denver, Dec. 5 at Sacramento, Jan. 4 at Los Angeles Lakers.
Key Road Trips:
Five of six games on the road: Dec. 17 to Dec. 27, at Los Angeles (Clippers), Denver, Minnesota, vs New Orleans, at Detroit, and Brooklyn.
Five games: Jan. 17 to Jan. 25, with stops in Charlotte, Houston, Atlanta, Miami, and Orlando
Key Home Dates:
- Lance Stephenson, Cody Zeller, Noah Vonleh (Charlotte Hornets) – Nov. 19, Apr. 3
- Granger, McRoberts, Wade, and Bosh (Miami Heat) – Dec. 31, Apr. 5
- Brad Stevens (Boston Celtics) – Jan. 9, Mar. 14
- Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz) – Nov. 10
- Eric Gordon (New Orleans Pelicans) – Dec. 23
- Brian Shaw, Gary Harris (Denver Nuggets) – Nov. 14
- Jeff Ayres, Jim Boylen and the reigning champs (San Antonio) – Feb. 9
- Oklahoma City – Apr. 12
- Mike Conley, Zach Randolph (Memphis Grizzlies) – Oct. 31
- Victor Oladipo (Orlando Magic) – Nov. 28, Mar. 10
- Kobe and the Lakers – Dec. 15
All 82 games can be heard locally on FM 107.5/1070 The Fan. FOX Sports Indiana will announce its plans later on.
View their entire schedule below:
