The Pacers and Grizzlies are set to meet Wednesday night in Memphis, and both teams come in carrying different kinds of baggage.
Indiana, sitting at 2-6, is trying to steady itself after a loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Memphis, at 6-1, is coming off a 135-134 defeat to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Tipoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. EST at FedExForum.
This is the first of two matchups between the teams in 2026-2027. Last season, Memphis took the season series 2-0. Overall, Indiana owns a 34-26 regular-season edge against the Grizzlies, including a 21-8 mark at home and 13-18 on the road.
The Grizzlies enter the year looking different from the version fans have been used to. With Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane all now on different teams, Memphis has shifted toward a younger core built around No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer, 2024 No. 9 pick Zach Edey, 2025 No. 11 pick Cedric Coward and 2024 No. 39 pick Jaylen Wells, with veteran guard Ty Jerome handling the offense.
Indiana’s story has been less about the roster on paper and more about who has actually been available. The Pacers were supposed to open this season with Tyrese Haliburton back from a torn achilles and Ivica Zubac and Kelly Oubre in place of Myles Turner and Bennedict Mathurin, but injuries have already made the start of the year a rough one.
The status of Siakam, Zubac and Oubre for this matchup is part of the injury picture hanging over Indiana as it heads into Memphis.
The game will air on CBS4 Indianapolis, DAZN (Indiana), DAZN and WATN ABC24 (Memphis). Radio coverage is available on 93.5 FM and 107.5 FM in Indiana, and 92.9 FM and 680 AM in Memphis.
Indiana’s Braden Smith, speaking after the loss to Atlanta about his bigger role, said: "I would say excited. Obviously, we lost and that's kind of my main focus.
Obviously, we're on a losing streak so that was my main priority, was to try to impact the game to try to help us win. Obviously, we were right there and just a couple things didn't go our way and obviously some stuff happens, but overall just excited to be out there."
In Other News...
Grizzlies Hot Start Faces A New Problem Against Indiana
Memphis has opened the season looking every bit like a team that expects to stay near the top of the Western Conference, and a visit from Indiana offers another chance to keep that momentum rolling. The Grizzlies are 6-1 and have already shown they can win with balance, with Ty Jerome giving them a steady offensive lift while the rest of the roster keeps finding ways to pressure opponents on both ends.
Indiana arrives on a three-game road trip carrying a five-game skid, and the matchup brings a few layers beyond the standings. One of the bigger questions is in the middle, where the Pacers are watching Ivica Zubac after his ankle sprain, and his availability could shape how they try to handle Memphis inside. The game also sets up appealing individual battles, including Cameron Boozer against Pascal Siakam, but for the Grizzlies the bigger concern is simply avoiding the kind of slip that can let a struggling opponent find life. [Read more 🡒]
Grizzlies Have An Unexpected Early Season Star Fans Need To See
Early in the 2026-27 season, the leagues MVP conversation has already started to take shape around the usual heavy hitters, with Luka Doni, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tyrese Maxey and Stephen Curry all drawing attention for the way they are carrying their teams. Memphis has its own name in that mix too, and it is not the one most people would have circled before opening night. The early returns have been strong enough to put a Grizzlies guard on the radar in a discussion usually reserved for the sports biggest stars.
For Memphis, the appeal goes beyond surprise value. The Grizzlies have spent the opening stretch trying to establish an identity, and this kind of production gives them a player who can tilt games while the rest of the roster settles in around him. Whether that early burst turns into a real award push is still a long way from being decided, but the fact that he is even in the conversation says plenty about how quickly the story has changed in Memphis. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Face Another Early Test With Key Help Still Uncertain
The Grizzlies are back at FedExForum on Wednesday with another early-season measuring stick, this time against an Indiana team still sorting through its own availability questions. Memphis is working with a new young core after a busy roster shakeup, and the recent loss to New Orleans offered a reminder that talent alone will not smooth out the rough edges right away.
Ty Jerome was among the voices stressing what still has to tighten up for Memphis after that close defeat, especially on the possessions that swing games in the margins. With the Pacers coming in and the Grizzlies still trying to settle into their new identity, this one feels like more than just another November date on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]