First Pacers-Thunder NBA Finals rematch set for Oct. 23 on ESPN
ESPN announced on Tuesday the games they will broadcast as part of opening-week doubleheaders on Oct. 22 and 23. The Pacers will host the Thunder at 7:30 p.m. in an ESPN televised game on Oct. 23 after losing to the Thunder in seven games in the 2024-25 NBA Finals.
The Warriors will play the Nuggets in Denver at 10 p.m. in the other ESPN televised game that night. The Knicks will host the Cavaliers on Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. and the Mavericks will host the Spurs at 9:30 p.m.
ESPN also officially released its Christmas Day schedule, which was reported by ESPN's Shams Charania on Friday. The Pacers are not part of that schedule. The season opens on Oct. 21 with two games on NBC and the Pacers won't be a part of that either. The Pacers will likely have more nationally televised games than usual this season but will likely have fewer than expected for a reigning Eastern Conference champion thanks to the season-ending Achilles tendon tear suffered by All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
38 minutes ago
- New York Post
SMU's Rhett Lashlee slams ESPN over ‘rigged' college football rankings
Rhett Lashlee isn't hiding what he thinks is ESPN favoritism to the Big Ten and SEC. The SMU coach is calling it out again. Back in June, ESPN released its Football Power Index rankings. It is aimed to offer 'measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team's performance going forward for the rest of the season.' ACC teams Miami and Clemson opened at No. 9 and No. 11, respectively. Lashlee's SMU came in at No. 20, following the Mustangs' 11-3 season that led to a surprise berth in the College Football Playoff. SMU football coach Rhett Lashlee. Getty Images On Friday, as the season nears, ESPN updated those rankings. Although nothing has changed, ACC schools Miami and Clemson both fell to No. 17 and No. 16, respectively. SMU actually moved up a spot, to No. 19. So, what changed, you may ask? 'Because the whole thing is rigged,' the SMU coach wrote on X. Last season, Lashlee had similar remarks, questioning the idea that the ACC and Big 12 couldn't compete with the Big Ten and SEC. He called the SEC 'top-heavy.' Rhett Lashlee called ESPN's Football Power Index rankings 'rigged.' Icon Sportswire via Getty Images 'There's other leagues that claim depth,' Lashlee said then. 'The SEC has had the same six schools win the championship since 1964. Same six. Not a single one has been different since 1964. That's top-heavy to me. That's not depth.' Hopefully, SMU can build off its strong season. That would likely result in more of the head coach's shots at ESPN and the big two conferences. Added spice is always good for the sport.
39 minutes ago
ESPN unveiled the new ‘Sports Misery Index'
ESPN's "Sports Misery Index' is an algorithmic system designed to help sports fans gauge their feelings about their favorite teams, games and leagues.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
"If I never speak to him again in life, I'm good with it" - Stephen A. Smith says he is ready to put LeBron in the rearview mirror
"If I never speak to him again in life, I'm good with it" - Stephen A. Smith says he is ready to put LeBron in the rearview mirror originally appeared on Basketball Network. ESPN's Stephen A. Smith addressed his beef with Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James during an appearance on the "Gil's Arena" podcast. Smith reiterated that he and James don't like each other and that he doesn't think anyone can mediate between them to settle their issue. Stephen A. also emphasized that whatever he has with LeBron is purely professional and nothing personal because, as a basketball analyst, it is his job to talk about the NBA, and at his workplace, there are directives to discuss particular topics and subjects. "I don't talk about him unless I'm asked," said Smith. "Some people say, 'Well, why do you talk about him?' Cause I was asked. This is what I do for a living, so how the hell do I get away with saying 'No comment?' I have no desire to talk about him at all." SAS says LeBron is out to destroy him According to Smith, James is the second-best basketball player of all time, behind only the GOAT, Michael Jeffrey Jordan. He praised The King for being an "incredible ambassador" to the game of basketball and admitted that his respect is "earned, not given." However, that's just for King James on the basketball court. Off the court, Stephen A. suggested that Bron is someone who doesn't handle criticism well and often takes it personally. Without going into specifics, Smith claimed that James and his team have been working to tear down the reputation he spent years building. "People don't know the things that have happened behind the scenes, the kind of things that have been engaged in an effort to hurt me. There's a lot of s–t that I know that I don't say. Then, to go on The Pat McAfee Show, which comes on directly after my show on the channel that I work on, to insult me. But if I never ever speak to him again in life, I'm good with it," the renowned analyst got "too personal" It can be recalled that Smith had Bronny James as content on his show almost every day during the 2025-26 season. To his credit, the elder James never paid any attention to what Smith said about Bronny's game or performances. However, Stephen A. got too personal with his now infamous "As a father, I'm pleading you to stop" statement. LeBron took offense with that and confronted Smith courtside during a Lakers game at Arena and said some things to the "First Take" host that Smith described as "aren't suited for FCC airwaves." That incident touched Smith's ego and triggered him to go on what James mocked as his version of Taylor Swift's "Eras Tour", trying to defend himself and explain his side of the beef. Then James appeared on Pat McAfee's Show and fired shots at Smith, which further infuriated the ESPN host. It has been five months since their courtside confrontation. LeBron seems to have moved on after Smith stopped talking about Bronny on his show. Stephen A. looks like he has, too, and only talks about their beef when asked. It also helps that he admits he's fine with never speaking to Bron again, since it's clear James isn't interested in giving him any more story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
