by Scott Agness | @ScottAgness
August 6, 2013
Schedule WallpapersGeorge: 1024 x 768 | 1280 x 1024 | 2880 x 1880
Granger: 1024 x 768 | 1280 x 1024 | 2880 x 1880
Hibbert: 1024 x 768 | 1280 x 1024 | 2880 x 1880
G. Hill: 1024 x 768 | 1280 x 1024 | 2880 x 1880
Stephenson: 1024 x 768 | 1280 x 1024 | 2880 x 1880
West: 1024 x 768 | 1280 x 1024 | 2880 x 1880
Schedule Only: 1024 x 768 | 1280 x 1024 | 2880 x 1880
Schedule PDF: List View Schedule | Calendar View Schedule
The NBA unveiled next season’s schedule on Tuesday night with a primetime special on NBA TV. With the dates finally set in stone, fans can plan their calendar accordingly and decide what tickets to purchase. The Pacers players and staff are judging the schedule based on difficulty, road trips, when they’ll be in their hometown, etc.
Let’s break down the schedule and see how it looks for the Pacers.
First thoughts:
- The Pacers will start and end the regular season with Orlando.
- They have a very difficult three-game road trip in November – at Chicago, New York and Boston.
- No game on Christmas. In fact, they have four days between games over the holiday.
- Their two five-game trips out West will be complete by late January.
- February has a home flavor for the second consecutive year. They’ll play eight of 12 games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Last year, it was 10 of 12.
- The All-Star break will be Feb. 13-17.
- Four of the final six games are on the road, including a trip to Miami.
Nationally televised games: 17
The Pacers will appear on national television 17 times – eight on ESPN, two on TNT, along with seven games on NBATV.
Last season, they were scheduled for seven games on ESPN and TNT but two were dropped by ESPN, and their second-to-last game in Boston, slated for TNT, was canceled because of the marathon bombings.
Below are this year's games televised nationally on basic cable:
- Nov. 6 vs. Chicago (ESPN)
- Nov. 20 at New York (ESPN)
- Dec. 18 at Miami (ESPN)
- Dec. 20 vs. Houston (ESPN)
- Jan. 16 vs. New York (TNT)
- Jan. 20 at Golden State (TNT)
- Feb. 19 at Minnesota (ESPN)
- Mar. 7 at Houston (ESPN)
- Mar. 19 at New York (ESPN)
- Mar 26 vs. Miami (ESPN)
Back-to-backs: 20
This is always a key number everyone in the organization looks at when scanning the schedule. Unlike the past two years, they won’t play three games in three nights. Still, 20 is presumably a little higher than the team would prefer. Nearly one quarter of the back-to-backs (5-of-20) are in the first month of the season.
Let’s Get Going
The regular season will tip-off for the Pacers at home on Oct. 29 against the Orlando Magic, bringing a familiar face back to Indiana. Victor Oladipo, who played three seasons in Bloomington, will make his NBA debut against the Pacers. The turnout from IU fans looking to see Oladipo and Purdue backers wanting to check out E’Twaun Moore will only add to opening night festivities.
Journey Out West
Other than back-to-backs, the makeup of West Coast road trips looks is each team’s primary concern. On the Pacers’ first trip out West, they’ll start December with five games in eight days – making stops in L.A. (Clippers), Portland, Utah, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City. Their final left coast swing comes in late January, where they’ll play five games in nine days – at Golden State, Phoenix, Sacramento, Denver and L.A. (Lakers). The former trip, against three of the top teams in the entire league, is clearly more difficult.
Natives Come Home
Oct. 29 vs. Orlando – Victor Oladipo, E’Twaun Moore and opening night. (Also, Feb. 3).
Nov. 2 vs. Cleveland – Tyler Zeller, a former Mr. Basketball and Washington, Ind. native. (Also, Dec. 31).
Nov. 11 vs. Memphis – Former Lawrence North star Mike Conley and Marion native Zach Randolph make their only appearance at the Fieldhouse.
Dec. 10 vs. Miami – In addition to being the first meeting since the conference finals, the Heat added Greg Oden in the offseason. (Also, Mar. 26).
Dec. 13 vs. Charlotte – Former Indiana Mr. Basketball Cody Zeller’s lone trip to Indy.
Dec. 22 vs. Boston – Brad Stevens stands on the sideline at the Fieldhouse for the first time as an NBA head coach. (Also, Mar. 11).
Jan. 4 vs. New Orleans – Eric Gordon of North Central and IU.
Feb. 18 vs. Atlanta – Pike product Jeff Teague. (Also, Apr. 6).
Mar. 2 vs. Utah – Brownsburg and Butler standout Gordon Hayward.
Members of Last Year’s Team Return
Nov. 8 vs. Toronto – Tyler Hansbrough and D.J. Augustin. (Also, Jan. 7).
Feb. 10 vs. Denver – Brian Shaw, now the Nuggets head coach.
Mar. 31 vs. San Antonio – Jeff Pendergraph and assistant Jim Boylen.
Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Indiana Pacers. All opinions expressed by Scott Agness are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Indiana Pacers, their partners, or sponsors.