Summer Pacers' fifth and final game set for Saturday against Pelicans
Indiana will face New Orleans at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN, with the final Summer League game offering more opportunities for players deeper on the roster.
All teams at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas are guaranteed at least five games. For the Pacers, that means waiting until Saturday — three days after their last game — for their final matchup.
The Summer Pacers will face the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday at 9 p.m. ET at Cox Pavilion, the smaller of the two venues on the UNLV campus. The game will air on ESPN.
The team last played Wednesday, a 114-98 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Summer Pacers are 1-3 in Las Vegas entering their final game.
Typically, the fifth game provides the best opportunity for players on the summer roster who have not received much playing time. It gives them a chance to get on the court and produce film they can share with scouts and teams in the United States — and around the world.
Organizations everywhere are working to fill out their rosters for the upcoming season, and these players are looking for their next opportunity.
The Pacers’ summer roster consists of 15 players, including 10 rookies, so this is a new stage for them as well.
The Summer Pelicans, meanwhile, are 2-2. They also last played on Wednesday, a 82-77 loss to the Cavs.
So Pacers-Pelicans is one of seven games scheduled for Saturday. The semifinals will then be held on Sunday, with the Nets facing the Thunder, followed by the Nuggets against the Raptors.
The championship game between the two semifinal winners will tip off at 9 p.m. ET and air on ESPN from Thomas & Mack Center.
Here’s the full slate of games.
