Pacers Don't Leave Impression on NBA

Tyrese Haliburton can't catch a break, at least in terms of notoriety and playing in significant moments, such as the 2024 Olympics. Following the Indiana Pacers' NBA Eastern Conference Finals appearance, it appears the NBA schedule-makers figured the Rick Carlisle-coached team was a non-factor in the ratings for opening night.

According to The Athletic's Shams Charania's report, the NBA's opening night features the New York Knicks vs. the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Respectfully, the Pacers getting knocked out via a sweep by the Boston Celtics likely didn't leave a great taste in the NBA's mouth.

However, since recent reports of the Christmas Day schedule omitted the Pacers vs. Knicks, featuring the reignited rivalry on opening night would make sense. Instead, the Pacers again are snubbed by the NBA, and it alludes to the idea of a small market team losing out to worse-ranked, but larger scale market-wise.

The Lakers have LeBron James and Anthony Davis, which bodes well for casual fans, as opposed to the Pacers, whose biggest star didn't play much throughout the Paris Olympics.

Nonetheless, it's fair to claim the NBA should include the Pacers on opening night because they made the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals and would have a chance to continue a beloved 1990s rivalry that nearly markets itself.

Perhaps the Pacers will play on the Wednesday or Friday night slot on ESPN, as TNT holds the rights to play on Tuesday nights, which is typically when the NBA season commences.