Thunder and Pacers Face Off in Season Opener

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers will meet Thursday night in their season opener, but the stakes are much lower than in their last encounter. The Pacers, who lost to the Thunder in seven games during last season’s NBA Finals, aim to set a positive tone for their upcoming season.

“I think it’s past at this point,” said Indiana guard Andrew Nembhard regarding last season’s disappointment. The Pacers face a challenging season, starting off without their star player, Tyrese Haliburton, who will not play this year. Additionally, longtime center Myles Turner has signed with another team during the offseason.

“In a position we’re in right now, you’ve got to look forward to the challenges that are staring us right in the face,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle stated. He emphasized the importance of grit, recalling how it benefited the team last year. “I’ve talked to our team a lot about grit, and it’s going to be a big part of our success this season.”

The Pacers are moving forward with a new core comprising Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, Pascal Siakam, and Aaron Nesmith. The four players performed well during the preseason and are eager to maintain that momentum into the regular season. “Small sample size but I think we’re going to grow that throughout the year,” Nembhard noted.

Even with significant changes, Nembhard believes there will be some carry-over from last season’s finals matchup. “There’s a certain feeling when you get out with guys and get to know their tendencies,” he added. “They’re a hard-playing group, super deep, really aggressive defensively.”

While Indiana will be kicking off its season, the Thunder are coming off a thrilling 125-124 double-overtime victory against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, last season’s MVP, struggled initially in that game but delivered crucial points down the stretch.

“He’s someone we never even check in on,” said Thunder player Chet Holmgren. “When he has to look to score and make plays, he’s gonna do it.” Gilgeous-Alexander finished the game with a total of 35 points after scoring 12 in the fourth quarter and 12 more in the overtime periods.

Oklahoma City will be missing several key players in Thursday’s game, including guard Alex Caruso, who is out with a concussion, and Luguentz Dort, who is questionable due to an ankle sprain. Cason Wallace is also listed as questionable with a knee injury. For Indiana, Quenton Jackson is out with a hamstring injury, while Kam Jones and T.J. McConnell will also miss the game. Jarace Walker and Johnny Furphy are expected to play after missing the final preseason game.