On Tuesday, the NBA released the schedule for the second annual NBA Cup tournament. The 2024 NBA Cup will begin on November 12 before culminating in a one-game Finals on December 17. Last season in the inaugural tournament, the Indiana Pacers made it all the way to the Finals before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers. This year, they will aim to get back to the final round and win the NBA Cup.
Although it was already known which teams were in the Pacers' group for the NBA Cup this year, it was unknown when and where they would face each opponent until the schedule was released.
The Pacers will begin the NBA Cup against the Miami Heat. Then, they will have the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons before ending the preliminary round against the Toronto Raptors.
Each matchup offers a bit of intrigue for Pacers fans for one reason or another, but how does each game stack up against the rest?
4. Pacers vs. Detroit Pistons
Once one of the most intense rivalries in the NBA, the Pacers-Pistons rivalry does not have the same excitement it did 20 years ago. Last season, the Pistons finished with the worst record in the NBA. The Pacers, on the other hand, made an Eastern Conference Finals appearance for the first time in 20 years.
While the Pistons made some solid moves this offseason, like re-acquiring Tobias Harris, signing Malik Beasley, and drafting Ron Holland, the team likely will not be in playoff contention next season.
It is not to say there is no chance the Pistons can defeat the Pacers during their NBA Cup matchup, but it seems unlikely. The two teams were on different sides of the Eastern Conference standings last season and probably will be again next season.
However, someone to keep an eye on is James Wiseman. Wiseman spent parts of the last two seasons with the Pistons after the team acquired him from the Golden State Warriors. However, this summer, Wiseman left the team to join the Pacers.
It is unknown what Wiseman's role will be with the Pacers. Regardless, a potential revenge game against his old team could be a fun narrative to watch for Wiseman during the NBA Cup this year.