Pacers release schedule for upcoming 2026-27 NBA season

Two seasons ago, the Indiana Pacers won 50 games and then reached Game 7 of the NBA Finals before falling to the champion New York Knicks after star guard Tyrese Haliburton went down with a torn Achilles tendon. Last season, with Haliburton out while rehabilitating from surgery, the Pacers dropped to 19-63, a franchise worst. Now, Indiana tips off its 2026-27 regular season at New Orleans at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, before returning to Indianapolis on Friday, Oct. 23 for the home opener at Gainbridge Fieldhouse vs. the Dallas Mavericks at 7 p.m. The Pacers announced the schedule Friday. Among the highlights in a team news release: • EMIRATES NBA CUP: As previously announced, the Pacers' four Emirates NBA Cup games will take place on Friday, Oct. 30 at Miami (8 p.m.), Friday, Nov. 13 vs. the New York Knicks (7 p.m.), Friday, Nov. 20 at Cleveland (7:30 p.m.), and Friday, Nov. 27 vs. the Philadelphia 76ers (7:30 p.m.). Teams that advance through the group stage will play Knockout Round games on Dec. 4 and Dec. 5 (the winners of which will then play semifinal games in a home market on Dec. 8 or Dec. 9, with the Emirates NBA Cup Final game on Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse), while teams that do not advance will complete their 82-game regular-season schedule with two games that will be announced at a later date. • GAINBRIDGE FIELDHOUSE HOMESTANDS: The Pacers will have four homestands at Gainbridge Fieldhouse this season that consist of at least four games. The first such homestand tips off Tuesday, Dec. 29 vs. the Los Angeles Clippers (7 p.m.), and continues Tuesday, Dec. 31 vs. Orlando (3 p.m.), Saturday, Jan. 2 vs. Minnesota (7 p.m.) and Monday, Jan. 4 vs. Chicago (7 p.m.). Indiana will host four straight games a week later from Saturday, Jan. 9 through Friday, Jan. 15. The Pacers will have a five-game homestand from Tuesday, January 26 through Wednesday, Feb. 3, followed by another four-game stretch from Monday, Feb. 8 through Saturday, Feb. 13. • NTERNATIONAL GAME: As previously announced, the Pacers will have one international trip this season, when they host the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 5 p.m. at Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico. • NATIONALLY TELEVISED GAMES: The Pacers are currently scheduled to appear in 11 nationally televised games this season, which includes one game on NBC/Peacock, one game on ESPN/ESPN App, four games on Amazon Prime, and five games on Peacock/NBCSN. • ADDITIONAL GAINBRIDGE FIELDHOUSE HIGHLIGHTS: The Pacers’ second home game of the season will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. vs. the new-look Philadelphia 76ers, who will return for their second and final trip of the regular season on Friday, Nov. 27 at 7:30 p.m. The New York Knicks make their only trip to Indiana on Friday, Nov. 13 (7 p.m.), while the Miami Heat will play in Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Monday, Feb. 1 (7:30 p.m.). Western Conference games of note include the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, Nov. 23 (7:30 p.m.), the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, Dec. 16 (7 p.m.), the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, Jan. 2 (7 p.m.), the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, Jan. 28 (7 p.m.), and the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, March 25 (7 p.m.). • PRESEASON SCHEDULE: The Pacers also confirmed their 2026 preseason schedule, which tips off at Iowa State University with a game on Tuesday, Oct. 7 against Minnesota (7 p.m.), then continues Saturday, Oct. 10 vs. Atlanta (7 p.m.) and Tuesday, Oct. 13 at Oklahoma City (8 p.m.), before concluding on Friday, Oct. 16 vs. Milwaukee (7 p.m.). Tickets for the Pacers’ preseason game at Iowa State go on sale Wednesday, Sept. 9, while single-game tickets for the remaining preseason games and regular season games go on sale Wednesday, Sept. 16.