The New Orleans Pelicans and the Indiana Pacers open the 2026-27 NBA Regular Season on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern Time (19:00 local venue time in the America/Chicago time zone), with live coverage in the United States on Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network, WVUE-FOX 8, NBA League Pass, Pelicans+, DAZN, and Fubo.
Both franchises enter the first round of the 2026-27 NBA Regular Season with a 0-0 record in the standings. The teams look to rebound from the previous 2025-26 campaign, in which the New Orleans Pelicans finished at 26-56 and the Indiana Pacers posted a 19-63 mark, the second-worst record in the league. During the 2026-27 preseason, New Orleans went 3-1, closing its preparation with a 107-106 win over the Washington Wizards, while Indiana lost three of its final four exhibition games, including a 128-127 defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks. In the last regular-season meeting between the sides on Friday, January 16, 2026, the Indiana Pacers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 127-119 in Indianapolis.
Where to watch New Orleans Pelicans vs Indiana Pacers live
Viewers in the United States can watch the season opener between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Indiana Pacers across six television and digital platforms:
- Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network (free-to-air TV)
- WVUE-FOX 8 (free-to-air TV)
- NBA League Pass (pay-per-view)
- Pelicans+ (streaming)
- DAZN (streaming)
- Fubo (streaming)
Start time and venue for New Orleans Pelicans vs Indiana Pacers
- Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2026
- Start time: 8 p.m. ET (20:00 America/New_York) / 19:00 local venue time (America/Chicago)
- Venue: Smoothie King Center, in New Orleans
- Competition and stage: NBA (North American basketball league) — Regular Season
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How the New Orleans Pelicans arrive
The New Orleans Pelicans begin the season under head coach Jamahl Mosley, who was hired on Monday, May 18, 2026, after coaching the Orlando Magic for five seasons. The club officially announced its opening-night roster on Monday, October 19, 2026, and has no players listed on the official injury report for the debut. Unlike soccer, the NBA does not use a yellow-card accumulation system at the start of the year, and technical foul counts are reset to zero for the regular-season opener.
The probable starting lineup for the New Orleans Pelicans features point guard Dejounte Murray, small forward Trey Murphy III, forward Herbert Jones (Herb Jones), power forward Zion Williamson, and center Yves Missi. The 2026-27 roster also includes newcomers Jordan Poole, Bennedict Mathurin, and Saddiq Bey, alongside center Derik Queen and second-year guard Jeremiah Fears, who led the team in the preseason with an average of 13.3 points per game. Speaking about Zion Williamson’s three-point shooting in preparation for the campaign, Jamahl Mosley highlighted the forward’s routine: “I loved that he shot it — gosh I love it — and they looked good. He’s putting so much work in off the court with (assistant coach God Shammgod). Every day after practice, he’s done a heck of a job.”
How the Indiana Pacers arrive
Head coach Rick Carlisle begins his 10th season in charge of the Indiana Pacers. The game marks the official regular-season return of starting point guard Tyrese Haliburton after 486 days without playing in a regular-season or playoff contest; he missed the entire 2025-26 campaign after tearing his right Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. Ahead of his return to the court, Tyrese Haliburton stated: “It’s special. I don’t take basketball for granted. I don’t take the opportunity to be healthy and be back on the floor doing what I love for granted. This state, this fan base means a lot to me. It’s very much appreciated”.
The Indiana Pacers have three confirmed absences on the injury report: forward Aaron Nesmith (left hamstring strain), point guard T.J. McConnell (hamstring injury), and shooting guard Johnny Furphy (torn right anterior cruciate ligament). With starter Aaron Nesmith sidelined, newly acquired forward Kelly Oubre Jr. steps into the starting five after averaging 8.5 points and shooting 52.2% from the field during the preseason. The probable starting lineup for the Indiana Pacers consists of Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Kelly Oubre Jr., power forward Pascal Siakam, and center Ivica Zubac.
Read also: New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers: where to watch live and start time (NBA, Oct 20)
Officiating for New Orleans Pelicans vs Indiana Pacers
The officiating crew for the game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Indiana Pacers had not yet been announced by the NBA on the morning of the matchup, as the league publishes its official referee assignments on game days.
Head-to-head history between New Orleans Pelicans and Indiana Pacers
The two teams split their two-game series at 1-1 during the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season. On December 20, 2025, in New Orleans, the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Indiana Pacers 128-109. In the subsequent matchup on Friday, January 16, 2026, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the Indiana Pacers beat the New Orleans Pelicans 127-119, despite 27 points from Zion Williamson and 22 points from Trey Murphy III.