When Does the Indiana Pacers 2026-27 NBA Season Start?

The Indiana Pacers are getting ready for what should be a special 2026-27 NBA season.

The official new season for Indiana will begin on October 7, when the Pacers face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first preseason contest. Indiana will then play three more preseason games against the Atlanta Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Milwaukee Bucks.

But the regular season will open against the New Orleans Pelicans on the road on October 21. Indiana will then head back for their home opener against the Dallas Mavericks on October 23.

This game should have all sorts of hype and energy around it, mainly due to star guard Tyrese Haliburton returning from injury. Haliburton missed all of last season following his suffering a torn Achilles in Game 7 of the 2024 NBA Finals.

Without Haliburton, the Pacers heavily struggled on the court, winning only 19 games last season and missing the playoffs entirely. And to make matters worse, the Pacers didn't receive their first-round draft pick since it was traded at the deadline for center Ivica Zubac.

Zubac only played in five games for the Pacers last season after coming over from the Los Angeles Clippers, but Indiana is now armed with a center of the future. With Zubac in the mix, there is real hope around this team entering the new year.

The big man is a strong rebounder who can finish at the rim very well. Playing alongside Haliburton and the other guards on this roster, Zubac is likely to get easy shot attempts, and his numbers could jump up.

The Pacers will be trying to reestablish themselves as a title contender in the Eastern Conference. Haliburton's return gives them a legitimate chance to make it happen, as Indiana has their leader back on the floor.

Indiana has surrounded Haliburton with a ton of depth, mixed with shooting and defense that should help propel them back this year. The addition of Kelly Oubre Jr. in free agency this summer brings a little of both aspects, giving the Pacers more wing depth.

The 2026-27 season will be very telling for the Pacers, and Haliburton may get off to a slower start while he tries to ramp things back up. But one thing is for certain around this group, and that is that the expectation is a championship, with anything less being a wasted season.

Overall, this roster is loaded, with Haliburton and co-star Pascal Siakam leading the way once again. Indiana will enter the year playing with a chip on its shoulder, and when this has happened in the past, results typically come on the court.