On Friday night, the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers will meet up for the fourth and final time this season. Furthermore, this game will mark their 200th regular season battle in NBA history.
While the 76ers are just 1-2 over the Pacers this year and unlikely to find themselves in the postseason this year amidst a disappointing campaign, they have mostly had their number from a historical perspective. Entering Friday night's game, the 76ers are 111-88 against the Pacers all-time.
Though it is not officially a rivalry, there is some history between the Pacers and 76ers. From 1999 to 2001, these two teams met up in three consecutive playoffs. The Pacers were 9-7 in total and won two of the three series, with their one series loss being against the 2001 76ers, who went on to lose to the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals.
Ahead of their next matchup, here are the results of the last 10 games played between the Pacers and 76ers.
The 76ers have slightly outmatched the Pacers recently
Date | Result |
|---|---|
10/24/22 | 76ers 120 - Pacers 106 |
1/4/23 | 76ers 129 - Pacers 126 (OT) |
3/6/23 | 76ers 147 - Pacers - 143 |
3/18/23 | 76ers 141 - Pacers 121 |
11/12/23 | 76ers 137 - Pacers 126 |
11/14/23 | Pacers 132 - 76ers 126 |
1/25/24 | Pacers 132 - 76ers - 122 |
10/27/24 | 76ers 118 - Pacers 114 (OT) |
12/13/24 | Pacers 121 - 76ers 107 |
1/18/25 | Pacers 115 - 76ers 102 |
In the last 10 games against the 76ers, the Pacers have won four of them. However, they have won four of their last five battles, including their most recent two. If they defeat Philadelphia again on Friday, the Pacers will be 5-5 against them in their last 10 games. Additionally, they would extend their winning streak against the 76ers to three games heading into next season.
At this rate, the Pacers should continue to string some victories against the 76ers and chip away at their all-time record against them. However, something important to keep in mind is that, of these 10 games, the 76ers only had Joel Embiid active three times. The 76ers are 2-1 in those games.
With Embiid shut down for the rest of the 2024-25 season, the 76ers will be shorthanded against the Pacers in their last game against them. However, assuming Embiid is back and ready to go next season, his return could make things much more difficult for the Pacers to secure a few regular season victories.
Regardless of Friday's outcome, the Pacers and 76ers have mostly been even against each other over the last few seasons. After their season series wraps up, both teams will have to wait until next season to go head-to-head. Though they will not be the most important games on either team's schedule, their matchups next season will be worth monitoring for both fanbases.