The Pacers-Knicks rivalry is back in the spotlight, and ESPN has it sitting near the top of the league’s best grudges heading into the 2026-27 season.
That’s a long way from where things stood for a while. The matchup used to simmer quietly, even if the Reggie Miller era once made it one of the NBA’s marquee feuds.
But the recent playoff meetings changed that fast. Indiana has knocked New York out of the Eastern Conference Finals in back-to-back years, first during the Pacers’ run to the conference finals and then again on the way to an NBA Finals trip.
Last season was a rough one for Indiana after Tyrese Haliburton suffered a torn Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals the year before, but the Pacers are back in the contender mix now. ESPN ranked Pacers-Knicks No. 4 among the NBA’s top rivalries, and the network pointed directly to the injury talk that has fueled the back-and-forth between the two fan bases.
"Both fanbases can point to injuries to downplay the other's accomplishments. A Knicks faithful might say that Indiana only won in 2024 because New York's roster was so injured; Pacers fans might contend that the Knicks' title run was possible because Haliburton's right Achilles tear meant New York didn't have to worry about them in the postseason," ESPN wrote.
"That back-and-forth chatter serves to heighten this rivalry, which should recommence with Haliburton healthy this season and both teams angling to return to the Finals."
Indiana’s path back to where it was two seasons ago still runs through New York, and the schedule reflects that. The Pacers and Knicks will meet three times in the regular season, starting Nov. 13 in Indiana. The next matchup comes Nov. 22 in New York, and the final regular-season clash is set for April 11 at Madison Square Garden.
New York comes into the season as the defending champion after Jalen Brunson and the Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs in last season’s NBA Finals, giving the franchise its first title since 1973.
If the next chapter of this rivalry looks anything like those playoff battles from a couple of years ago, the league has another appointment viewing on its hands.
In Other News...
Pacers Could Exploit The Clippers To Fix A Key Bench Issue
Indiana has already spent much of this offseason looking for ways to sharpen the bench, and the Clippers have become an intriguing team to monitor because of the pressure on their roster construction and future flexibility. With limited draft capital to work with and a financial picture complicated by the recent NBA scandal, Los Angeles may have to be creative if it wants to reshape the roster, which is why a deal built around depth pieces has surfaced as a possibility.
For the Pacers, the appeal is straightforward: Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. would bring defensive toughness and another layer of wing and backcourt depth, while Jarace Walker and T.J. McConnell would give the Clippers a different mix of youth and proven guard play. It is the kind of trade idea that speaks directly to Indianas bench issue, even if the challenge is whether the Pacers would part with a young piece and one of their steadier reserves to make it happen. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Center Trade Suddenly Looks Like An Even Bigger Long Term Win
The Pacers center situation has been a talking point for years, so the Ivica Zubac deal with the Clippers already made sense as a move aimed at solving a long-term roster need. Indiana sent out multiple players and draft picks to get him, and even at the time it looked like the sort of trade a front office makes when it wants stability in the middle instead of another short-term patch.
What has made the deal look even better is the way the Pacers have benefited from Zubacs play since the trade, while some of the draft capital tied to the transaction has been affected by the Kawhi Leonard investigation. For Indiana, the return has become easier to appreciate because it landed a dependable center and may have turned what was once a complicated transaction into a clear win for the future. [Read more 🡒]
Rick Carlisle Is Getting The Kind Of Respect Pacers Fans Craved
Rick Carlisles standing around the league is starting to catch up to what Pacers fans have believed for a while. ESPNs recent panel of experts pegged the Indiana coach as the early favorite for the 2026-27 NBA Coach of the Year award, a narrow nod over Mitch Johnson and Will Hardy that reflects how much respect Carlisle has earned since returning to Indiana in 2021. At this point, he is not just the leagues oldest coach, but also the one most closely associated with the Pacers rise back to the NBA Finals stage.
For a fan base that has spent years wanting national recognition for the architect on the sideline, it is a satisfying kind of validation, even if the season that would decide the award is still ahead. Johnson and Hardy have their own paths to contender status depending on how their teams perform, but Carlisles candidacy already says plenty about where Indiana sits in the conversation. The Pacers have found a familiar face to lead them, and now the rest of the league seems to be catching on. [Read more 🡒]