Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 7:00 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Game Preview
After a four-game preseason, the Pacers will officially tip off a new season on Wednesday night, as they open their 2022-23 campaign with a three-game homestand. First up is a visit from Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards for Opening Night presented by Kroger.
The Pacers have overhauled their roster over the past year, as 11 of the 17 players on Indiana's Opening Night roster were not on the team at the start of last season. Wednesday's game will be the first Pacers season opener for players like Tyrese Haliburton and Jalen Smith, who were acquired in midseason trades.
Those two, along with 2021 first-round picks Chris Duarte and Isaiah Jackson, are part of an impressive collection of young talent assembled by the Pacers' front office in the last 18 months. Another key piece in that group is rookie guard Bennedict Mathurin, who will make his highly anticipated NBA debut on Wednesday.
The sixth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Mathurin lived up to lofty expectations in the preseason. The 20-year-old out of Arizona averaged 19.8 points over four preseason contests and showed a knack for attacking the paint and getting to the line, attempting 27 free throws over the preseason.
As the schedule happened to set up, Mathurin will face off against three other 2022 top-10 picks to start the season. The Pacers are to set to face Washington guard Johnny Davis (the 10th overall pick) on Wednesday, San Antonio forward Jeremy Sochan (the ninth overall pick) on Friday, and Detroit guard and former Purdue star Jaden Ivey (the fifth overall pick) on Saturday.
After missing the playoffs last season, the Wizards are hoping to return to the postseason this year. Those aspirations will hinge largely on star guard Bradley Beal. The three-time All-Star finishing second in the league in scoring in 2020-21, when he averaged a career-best 31.3 points per game, but was limited to just 40 games due to injuries last season.
Projected Starters
Pacers: G - Tyrese Haliburton, G - Chris Duarte, F - Buddy Hield, F - Jalen Smith, C - Myles Turner
Wizards: G - Monte Morris, G - Bradley Beal, F - Kyle Kuzma, F - Rui Hachimura, C - Daniel Gafford
Injury Report
Pacers: Aaron Nesmith - questionable (sore left foot), Jalen Smith - questionable (sore right knee), Daniel Theis - out (sore right knee)
Wizards: Vernon Carey Jr. - questionable (concussion protocol), Corey Kispert - out (sprained left ankle)
Last Meeting
March 6, 2022: Seven Wizards reached double figures in a 133-123 victory over Indiana at Washington.
Malcolm Brogdon had a game-high 27 points for the Blue & Gold in the loss, going 8-for-17 from the field and 11-for-13 from the free throw line. Goga Bitadze chipped in 20 points on 7-of-7 shooting and six rebounds.
Buddy Hield added 19 points, eight boards, and seven assists for Indiana, while Tyrese Haliburton recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 assists.
Kristaps Porzingis had a team-high 25 points for Washington. Kyle Kuzma added 23 points and eight assists for the Wizards, who went 17-for-42 from 3-point range.
Noteworthy
- In keeping with tradition, Wednesday's home opener will be a Gold Out. All fans in attendance will receive a gold t-shirt. See the t-shirt design at Pacers.com/OpeningWeek.
- This will be the eighth season for Pacers center Myles Turner, Indiana's first-round pick in 2015 and the longest-tenured player on the roster. It will also be Turner's first regular-season game action since Jan. 14, as he missed the last three months of the 2021-22 season with a foot injury.
- Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle enters the season with 861 career wins, three behind Hall of Famer Dr. Jack Ramsay for 14th place on the all-time wins list.
Tickets
The Pacers tip off the 2022-23 season by welcoming Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for Opening Night presented by Kroger on Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 7:00 PM ET. Find Tickets >>
Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings >>)
TV: Bally Sports Indiana - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)