The Indiana Pacers (24-19) will face the San Antonio Spurs (19-22) in Paris in the first of two games. These are two winnable games with the Pacers now just a game out of fourth in the Eastern Conference.

The Spurs are, of course, led by Frenchman Victor Wembanyama (24.4 ppg, 35.4% on 3s, 10.8 rpg, 4.0 bpg), the reason the games are being played in Paris. His improved supporting cast includes Devin Vassell (16.3 ppg, 36.6% on 3s, 3.1 apg), Chris Paul (9.6 ppg, 36.5% on 3s, 8.2 apg), Harrison Barnes (11.1 ppg, 40.5% on 3s) and rookie Stephen Castle (11.6 ppg). Follow along here for updates throughout the game:

The Pacers showing some signs of life even though it’s not likely to matter. Bennedict Mathurin just threw down a dunk off an Andrew Nembhard steal. Myles Turner has a 3. The Pacers are up 7-2 so far. But they have to maintain this pace for 12 minutes.

Wembanyama finished a put-back to end an absurd third quarter for the Spurs. They outscored the Pacers 45-23. Spurs were 17 of 23 from the field, 7 of 10 from 3, 4 of 4 at the line for a ridiculous 1.89 points per possession. Pacers were 8 of 23, 2 of 7 from 3, 5 of 6 from the line for 0.90 points per possession. And the Spurs have pretty much put this one out of reach.

The Spurs are up 34-21 in the third. They’ve been up by as many as 20. Been a pretty brutal defensive effort in the third for the Pacers. San Antonio is 12 of 16 from the field for the period and 6 of 8 from 3 and 4 of 4 from the line for 1.81 points per possession.

A Tre Jones fast-break layup and a Keldon Johnson 3-pointer have the Spurs continuing to roll in the third The Spurs have 25 points in just over seven minutes. An absurdly efficient start.

The Spurs built a lead as big as 13 points before the Pacers finally pushed back with a dunk and a reverse layup from Bennedict Mathurin. Still, the Pacers haven’t had any answers for the Spurs on defense and for Victor Wembanyama in particular. The Spurs are 7 of 10 from the floor this quarter, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range for 2.02 points per possession which obviously is a huge, huge problem for the Pacers.

The Pacers just gave up another easy putback with Harrison Barnes all alone on an offensive rebound so Rick Carlisle called timeout. The Spurs are up 12-7 to start the third and now they have their biggest lead of the game. Barnes is 3 of 3 from the floor this quarter and the Spurs are 4 of 5.

Neither team had a lead bigger than five points in the first half but the Spurs take the lead at the break with a bucket by Devin Vassell. The Pacers don’t have a lot of room for error with Wembanyama on the floor but they have allowed a few too many shots around the rim for their liking.

At the break, the Pacers are 23 of 50 from the floor, 7 of 23 from 3-point range and 4 of 4 from the line for 1.10 points per possession. The Spurs are 26 of 48 from the floor, 8 of 20 from 3 with no free throws for 1.15 points per possession. Tyrese Haliburton and Obi Toppin have 11 points each and Bennedict Mathurin has 10 to lead the Pacers. Pascal Siakam has nine. Victor Wembanyama leads the Spurs with 15 points. Devin Vassell has 14.

The Spurs are up 23-19 in the glass and it’s not just Wembanyama who’s making it happen, so Rick Carlisle just called timeout after a Keldon Johnson putback to make the point that it’s not so much acceptable.

The Spurs rally back and they’re getting some easy buckets at the rim. They’re up to 20 points in the paint so far and it’s not just Wembanyama getting it done, though Wembanyama is up to 15 points already.

Even with Wembanyama on the floor the Pacers got three buckets at the rim to start the second quarter. T.J. McConnell got a clean layup on a give-and-go, Pascal Siakam scored on a putback and Siakam found Bennedict Mathurin for a dunk in transition. Good start there.

The Pacers need to win the non-Wembanyama minutes by a lot because he just changes so much of what an opponent can do on offense. They won those minutes in this case but not by a whole lot and Wembanyama stepped back on to the floor just before the end of the first quarter to get the Spurs the lead back.

Obi Toppin hit three big 3s to get the Pacers on track, though, and at the end of one, they are 11 of 27 from the floor, 5 of 13 from 3 and 2 of 2 at the line for 1.08 points per possession. The Spurs are 13 of 27, 4 of 12 from 3 with no turnovers for 1.07 points per possession. Wembanyama has 10 points already.

Victor Wembanyama just engineered a 7-0 run almost entirely by himself. T.J. McConnell cut under the basket for what should’ve been an easy layup and would’ve been against anyone else, but he rushed the shot and Wembanyama kinda altered it and got the rebound. On the other end Wembanyama hit a 3. Myles Turner rushed a 3 a little and missed and then Wembanyama threw down a dunk. Bennedict Mathurin forced a pass into traffic with Wembanyama on him and then Wembanyama threw a lob into Stephon Castle that Castle turned into a layup.

Both teams started slow in terms of shooting the ball, but Pascal Siakam is finding a rhythm and is 3 of 3 from the floor. Tyrese Haliburton also has a 3. Victor Wembanyama is proving just as much of a deterrent as you would expect and he blocked a Myles Turner dunk attempt from behind. He also just hit a deep 2 reminding everyone of his range. But the Pacers are 5 of 10 so far against the 4 of 8 Spurs.

Pacers

PG — Tyrese Haliburton

SG — Andrew Nembhard

SF — Bennedict Mathurin

PF — Pascal Siakam

C — Myles Turner

Spurs

PG — Chris Paul

SG — Devin Vassell

SF — Stephon Castle

PF — Harrison Barnes

C — Victor Wembanyama

Both teams have fairly clean injury report. The Pacers’ is clean except for Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman being out long-term with their Achilles tendon tears. Spurs wing Jeremy Sochan was questionable with a bilateral lumbar spine bone bruise, but he’s available.

2 p.m. ET Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, at Accor Arena in Paris, France.

Dustin Dopirak, IndyStar: Spurs 117-110 on Thursday; Pacers 122-112 on Saturday

The Pacers split their games against Victor Wembanyama last season, so the guess here is that will happen again. The Pacers’ roster is significantly deeper, but Wembanyama’s size and skill change games. He could be more dominant with a better supporting cast — the Spurs have lost three straight and six of their last seven — but the Pacers rely heavily on scoring inside, and Wembanyama makes that much more difficult. The Pacers will need to make the most out of the minutes Wembanyama is off the floor.

via BetMGM

Favorite: Pacers by 2.5 points

Over/under: 230.5 total points

Moneyline: Pacers -155, Spurs +125

ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Pacers a 58.6% chance of winning on Thursday.

FanDuel Sports Network, with Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analysis) and Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporting).

Watch games on FanDuel Sports Network and ESPN with Fubo, which offers a free trial. Watch games on TNT with Sling TV.

Radio: 93.5, 107.5 FM in Indianapolis, with Mark Boyle (play-by-play)

January

Thur., Jan. 2: W, Pacers 128, Miami 115

Sat., Jan. 4: W, Pacers 126, Phoenix 106

Mon., Jan. 6: W, Pacers 113, Brooklyn 99

Wed., Jan. 8: W, Pacers 129, Chicago 113.

Fri., Jan. 10: W, Pacers 108, Golden State 96

Sun., Jan. 12: W, Pacers 108, Cleveland 93

Tue., Jan. 14: L, Cleveland 127, Pacers 113

Thur., Jan. 16: W, Pacers 111, Detroit 100

Sat., Jan. 18: W, Pacers 115, Philadelphia 102

Thur., Jan. 23, vs. San Antonio (in Paris), 2 p.m., NBA TV

Sat., Jan. 25, at San Antonio (in Paris), noon, ESPN

Wed., Jan. 29, vs. Detroit, 7 p.m.

February

Sat., Feb. 1, vs. Atlanta, 5 p.m.

Mon., Feb. 3, at Utah, 9 p.m.

Tue., Feb. 4, at Portland, 10 p.m.

Thur., Feb. 6, at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m.

Sat., Feb. 8, at L.A. Lakers, 4 p.m.

Tue., Feb. 11, New York, 7:30 p.m., TNT

Wed., Feb. 12, at Washington, 7 p.m.

Thur., Feb. 20, vs. Memphis, 7 p.m.

Sun., Feb. 23, vs. L.A. Clippers, 5 p.m.

Mon., Feb. 24, vs. Denver, 7 p.m.

Wed., Feb. 26, vs. Toronto, 7 p.m.

Fri., Feb. 28, at Miami, 8 p.m.

March

Sun., March 2, vs. Chicago, 5 p.m.

Tue., March 4, vs. Houston, 7 p.m.

Thur., March 6, at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.

Sat., March 8, at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.

Mon., March 10, at Chicago, 8 p.m.

Tue., March 11, vs. Milwaukee 7 p.m., TNT

Fri., March 14, at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

Sat., March 15, at Milwaukee, 8 p.m.

Mon., March 17, at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

Wed., March 19, vs. Dallas, 7 p.m.

Thur., March 20, vs. Brooklyn, 7 p.m., NBA TV

Sat., March 22, vs. Brooklyn, 5 p.m.

Mon., March 24, vs. Minnesota, 7 p.m.

Wed., March 26, vs. L.A. Lakers, 7:30 p.m., ESPN

Thur., March 27, at Washington, 7 p.m.

Sat., March 29, at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m.

Mon., March 31, vs. Sacramento, 7 p.m.

April

Wed., April 2, vs. Charlotte, 7 p.m.

Fri., April 4, vs. Utah, 7 p.m.

Sun., April 6, at Denver, 8 p.m.

Tue., April 8, vs. Washington, 7 p.m.

Thur., April 10, vs. Cleveland, 7 p.m., TNT

Fri., April 11, vs. Orlando, 7 p.m.

Sun., April 13, at Cleveland, 1 p.m.

October

Wed., Oct. 23: W, Pacers 115, Detroit 109

Fri., Oct. 25: L, New York 123, Pacers 98

Sun., Oct. 27, L, Philadelphia 118, Pacers 114

Mon., Oct. 28, L, Orlando 119, Pacers 115

Wed., Oct. 30, W, Pacers 135, Boston 132

November

Fri., Nov. 1: L, New Orleans 125, Pacers 118

Mon., Nov. 4: W, Pacers 134, Dallas 127

Wed., Nov. 6: W, Pacers 118, Orlando 111

Fri., Nov. 8, L, Charlotte 103, Pacers 83

Sun., Nov. 10: W, Pacers 132, New York 121

Wed., Nov. 13: Orlando 94, Pacers 90

*-Fri., Nov. 15: L, Miami 124, Pacers 111

Sun., Nov. 17: W, Pacers 119, Miami 110

Mon., Nov. 18: L, Toronto 130, Pacers 119

Wed., Nov. 20: L, Houston 130, Pacers 113

*-Fri., Nov. 22: L, Milwaukee 129, Pacers 117

Sun., Nov. 24: W, Pacers 115, Washington 103

Mon., Nov. 25: W, Pacers 114, New Orleans 110

Wed., Nov. 27: W, Pacers 121, Portland 114

*-Fri., Nov. 29: L, Detroit 130, Pacers 106

December

Sun., Dec. 1: L, Memphis 136, Pacers 121

*-Tue., Dec. 3: L, Toronto 122, Pacers 111

Wed., Dec. 4: L, Brooklyn 99, Pacers 90

Fri., Dec. 6: W, Pacers 132, Chicago 123

Sun., Dec. 8: L, Charlotte 113, Pacers 109

Fri., Dec. 13: W, Pacers 121, Philadelphia 107

Sun., Dec. 15: W, Pacers 119, New Orleans 104

Thur., Dec. 19: W, Pacers 120, Phoenix 111

Sun., Dec. 22: W, Pacers 122, Sacramento 95

Mon., Dec. 23: W, Pacers 111, Golden State 105

Thu., Dec. 26: L, Oklahoma City 120, Pacers 114

Fri., Dec. 27: L, Boston 142, Pacers 105

Sun., Dec. 29: W, Pacers 123, Boston 114

Tue., Dec. 31: L, Milwaukee 120, Pacers 112