INDIANAPOLIS — The Pacers might not be featured as part of the NBA’s marquee events this season, but they are still scheduled to be broadcast nationally 11 times on ESPN, Amazon Prime, NBC and Peacock.
The league released the schedule on Thursday. The Pacers open the regular season at New Orleans on Oct. 21 and their first home game is Oct. 23 against Dallas at 7 p.m. Their first nationally televised game is Oct. 28 at home against the 76ers on ESPN.
Their other nationally televised games are Nov. 13 against the Knicks (Amazon Prime), Jan. 4 against the Bulls (Peacock), Feb. 1 against the Heat (Peacock), Feb. 5 at Oklahoma City (Amazon Prime), Feb. 15 at Golden State (Peacock), March 6 at Miami (Amazon Prime), March 8 against the Hornets (Peacock), March 13 at Houston (Amazon Prime), March 16 vs. Detroit (NBC) and March 22 at Orlando (Peacock).
Here’s everything else there is to know about the Pacers’ 2026-27 schedule.
When do they face the other Eastern Conference heavyweights?
With Tyrese Haliburton back from the Achilles tendon tear he suffered in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, the Pacers hope to be back in contention to win the East after taking a 19-63 gap year in 2025-26. That means going through what seems to be a much stronger and deeper Eastern Conference, however.
Four of their key matchups were already announced Wednesday as part of the NBA Cup schedule as their group — East Group B — is clearly the strongest in this year’s field and maybe in any field. They’ll be taking on the defending NBA champion Knicks at home on Nov. 13, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Heat in Miami on Oct. 30, the Eastern Conference finalist Cavaliers in Cleveland on Nov. 20 and the reinforced Philadelphia 76ers at home on Nov. 27 all as part of group play.
Beyond that, the Pacers get the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 22 and in the regular season finale on April 11. They do not have a second home game scheduled against New York. They play LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and the 76ers three times in the season’s first six weeks at home on Oct. 28 and Nov. 27 and on the road on Nov. 15 and then on the road again on Jan. 19. After that Oct. 30 matchup against the Heat, they play Antetokounmpo and Miami again at home on Feb. 1 and on the road on March 6. They play the Central Division Cavaliers in Cleveland on Nov. 20 and Dec. 1 and in Indiana on Feb. 10 and April 9.
Outside of group play opponents, they get the Pistons –who finished with the East’s best record last season — at home on Dec. 13 and March 16 and in Detroit on Jan. 22 and April 7. They get the Raptors — who may or may not have Kawhi Leonard on the roster — at home on Feb. 28 and March 18 and in Toronto on April 4. The Celtics — who traded away Jaylen Brown but should still be formidable with the return of Jayson Tatum and the acquisition of former Pacers All-Star Paul George — visit Indiana on March 2 and March 30 while the Pacers go to Boston on Jan. 20. The Pacers get the upstart Hawks at home on Nov 2. and March 3 and then in Atlanta on Dec. 3 and Jan. 7.
When do the Western Conference stars come to town?
LeBron James’ return to the Eastern Conference means Pacers fans don’t have to circle just one date on the calendar to see him, but many of the rest of the league’s biggest stars are still in the West, which means they only come to Indiana once per year.
Stephen Curry, league-wide fan favorite and the NBA’s all-time leading 3-point shooter, comes to Indiana with the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 16. Former MVP and future hall-of-famer Kevin Durant and the Rockets will be in Indiana on Nov. 18.
Two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder play in Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Nov. 23 in the first 2025 NBA Finals rematch of the year. The teams meet again on Feb. 5 in a nationally televised game in Oklahoma City. Victor Wembanyama and the defending Western Conference champion Spurs come to Indiana on March 25 after the teams meet in San Antonio on Jan. 6. The Lakers might not have LeBron James anymore, but they still have Luka Doncic and he visits on Jan. 28.
Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic won’t visit Indiana this year as the Pacers’ game against the Nuggets in Mexico City is their home game. The Pacers play in Denver on Dec. 27.
Indiana Pacers schedule 2026-27
(all times ET; local TV TBD)
Preseason
Regular season
October-November 2026
December 2026
January 2027
February 2027
March-April 2027
*-NBA Cup game
Dustin Dopirak covers the Pacers all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Pacers Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers schedule: Everything you need to know about 2026-27 Pacers schedule
Reporting by Dustin Dopirak, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dustin Dopirak, Indianapolis Star | USA TODAY Network
