INDIANAPOLIS — The Pacers Friday released the first part of the team's 2020-21 season schedule, and also addressed whether fans will be in the stands at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. They won't, at least for awhile.
Here is the team's statement:
“We are excited to tip off the 2020-21 Indiana Pacers season on December 23 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. As we continue to train our staff and partners to ensure the safest possible environment for our guests and players, out of an abundance of caution we have decided that we will not have public ticket sales for the beginning of the regular season. We look forward to having fans back to Bankers Life Fieldhouse in January, and we will provide updates in the near future. Finally, we are so grateful to the NBA’s best fans for their continued support and patience.”
After a December 18 pre-season game, the Pacers will open the regular season at home on December 23 against the Knicks.
The Celtics will be in town for games on December 27 and 29. Having an opponent play two consecutive games in the same city is a departure from the usual NBA schedule. It's being done to reduce the amount of travel during a pandemic.
The Toronto Raptors, who will be playing outside Canada in Tampa for the time being, will be here for consecutive games at the fieldhouse on January 24 and 25.
The Pacers will still have a long western road trip, with five games between January 11 and 17.
The schedule released Friday covers the first 38 of 72-games. There will be a break in early-March, but no NBA All Star game this year. Indianapolis was supposed to host that game. Instead, the city has been awarded the 2024 game.
NBA regular-season schedules are normally 82 games. But with the season starting two months later then usual, the number of games prior to the playoffs was cut.
Here is a link to the complete schedule: https://www.nba.com/pacers/schedule
