August may be quiet in the NBA, but the schedule release always gives fans something to circle. For the Indiana Pacers, there are three dates that stand out above the rest - and all three carry their own kind of juice.
The biggest one is the opener at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, whenever the NBA slots it in. The opponent doesn’t even matter here.
After a season spent without their superstar point guard on the floor, Pacers fans are going to be waiting for Tyrese Haliburton like he’s been gone forever. This is the night to celebrate everything he’s meant to the team, and everything the team means to him.
That bond runs deep. Haliburton is one of the most beloved athletes in Indiana, right there with Caitlin Clark, and the feeling goes both ways.
He loves the city, he loves running this franchise, and he loves playing in front of this fan base. After the Pacers’ 2025 postseason run - a stretch that packed just about every emotion into one ride - the building is going to be ready to erupt.
When PA announcer Troy Pepper delivers the familiar introduction - "And at the other guard, in his 6th year in the NBA, a two-time All-Star, 6-5 from Iowa State wearing "O"....Tyreeeeeeeeese Haliburtoooooon," - the noise inside the arena should be unreal. That kind of return has movie-scene written all over it.
Another game that will draw plenty of attention is Indiana’s trip to New York. This rivalry doesn’t need any extra seasoning.
The Pacers and Knicks already know exactly how they feel about each other. Last season, New York finally got through the Eastern Conference and went on to beat the Spurs in 5 games to win an NBA Championship, while Indiana was stuck watching from home because injuries kept them out of the postseason.
Even with that title on the board, the Knicks still haven’t beaten the Pacers in a playoff series since 1999. Indiana owns that matchup, and even last season’s 19-63 Pacers team beat them at The Garden without Haliburton. MSG has earned its nickname as the Mecca of Basketball, and Haliburton has a habit of turning games there into a show.
Then there’s Indiana’s return to Oklahoma City. The Pacers handled business there last season with a 117-114 win, behind 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists from Andrew Nembhard and 26 points from Jarace Walker on 8-15 shooting. But this one is about more than the box score.
Haliburton did not want to go back to the place where he tore his Achilles. He asked to miss the game so his first return there would come in uniform, not street clothes.
When he finally steps back onto that court, it will carry plenty of weight. That floor has already seen one of his most clutch game-winning shots in NBA Finals history, along with the worst injury in NBA Finals history.
If he’s healthy and able to play, a win there would land among the Pacers’ best of the season.
In Other News...
Pacers Just Cleared The Path For A Backcourt Move Fans Wanted
The Pacers opened up some breathing room on the back end of the roster when they waived guard Ethan Thompson on Aug. 14, a move that created a two-way spot and put one more piece of offseason business in motion. Thompson has since landed with KK Partizan of the EuroLeague on a two-year contract, leaving Indiana with a clearer picture of how it wants to shape the guard mix heading into camp and beyond.
What makes the move noteworthy is the timing. Indiana has roster and salary cap flexibility to keep in mind if it wants to chase veteran help later in the season, so every two-way decision carries a little extra weight. The expectation now is that Braden Smith will fill that opening on a two-way deal, which would give the Pacers another young backcourt option while they continue managing the bigger picture. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Still Have One Roster Need That Could Raise Their Ceiling
The Pacers have built one of the leagues most dangerous offenses around Tyrese Haliburton, and the talent around him gives Indiana plenty of reasons to believe it can keep pushing higher. But even with Aaron Nesmith and Ben Sheppard offering useful perimeter defense, the roster still lacks the kind of true stopper who can take the nights toughest assignment and let everyone else settle into cleaner roles.
For a team trying to raise its ceiling, that missing piece matters. Indiana may have to find it through a trade or in free agency, though the path is not simple with financial limits and limited assets to work with. Even so, the need is clear enough that it could shape how the Pacers approach the rest of the offseason. [Read more 🡒]
Tyrese Haliburton Shared The Trade-Day Moment That Changed Indiana
Tyrese Haliburtons arrival in Indiana has already become one of the defining moments of the franchises recent run, and the story behind it still carries a little extra weight. He came over from Sacramento in the deal that sent Domantas Sabonis to the Kings, a swap that instantly changed the Pacers direction and gave them the kind of lead guard around whom they could build.
Haliburton has since spent an entire season on the sideline while recovering from an Achilles injury suffered two years ago, and Indiana felt that absence. The Pacers struggled without him, but there is a clear sense that a healthy Haliburton changes the outlook, especially now that Ivica Zubac is in the mix as well. What makes the trade story linger is the moment Haliburton says stuck with him on the day everything shifted to Indiana. [Read more 🡒]