Pacers’ matchups set for 2024 Emirates NBA Cup
NEW YORK (WISH) — The NBA schedule’s set — well, for the NBA Cup at least.
The Emirates NBA Cup 2024 — the new name for the in-season tournament — tips off Nov. 12, but the Indiana Pacers enter Group Play action on Friday, Nov. 15 against the Miami Heat, one of four teams the Blue and Gold will face during Group Play.
Along with the Heat, the Pacers will play the Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors — all five teams making up the East Group B. Once through the Group Play, the best teams will battle in single-elimination games, starting with the quarterfinals Tuesday, Dec. 10 and Wednesday, Dec. 11. The semifinals will follow Saturday, Dec. 14 with the championship game scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 17.
The Pacers travel to Milwaukee for a nationally televised rematch of last year’s In-Season Tournament Semifinals. The game will be the first of ESPN’s doubleheader, tipping off at 7:30 p.m. EST. The last time the Pacers faced the Bucks was during the first round of the NBA Playoffs where Indiana’s All-Star Tyrese Haliburton and company took the series in six from the injured Bucks squad.
PACERS EMIRATES NBA CUP 2024 SCHEDULE:
| Friday, Nov. 15 | vs. Miami | 7 p.m. EST |
| Friday, Nov. 22 | at Milwaukee | 7:30 p.m. EST |
| Friday, Nov. 29 | vs. Detroit | 8 p.m. EST |
| Tuesday, Dec. 3 | at Toronto | 7:30 p.m. EST |
Last season, the Pacers almost came home with the inaugural In-Season Tournament trophy. The team made it all the way to the championship in Las Vegas before losing to Lebron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, 123-109.
The performance during the In-Season Tournament sparked the Pacers push for the playoffs. Indiana general manager Chad Buchanan said after the season that his team’s success in Las Vegas revealed to him that the Pacers weren’t far away from being a serious playoff contender. Buchanan made moves at the trade deadline to acquire All-Star forward Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors to help boost the Pacers struggling defense.
Behind Siakam’s addition, Haliburton’s All-Star season, and consistent play from Myles Turner, TJ McConnell and Andrew Nembhard, the Pacers made it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in ten years.
The full NBA schedule is set to be released Thursday, Aug. 15.