The Pacers will likely have to contend with a crowd that will be rooting for the Spurs in both games. With Victor Wembanyama playing in his home country, most fans will be rooting

Indiana's Rick Carlisle has coached more games against San Antonio's Gregg Popovich than anyone else. They've had 87 head-to-head matchups, including playoffs.

A meeting with the Indiana Pacers in Paris on Thursday afternoon might just end up feeling like a home game for the San Antonio Spurs. Plenty of fans at Accor Arena will be rooting for Frenchman Victor Wembanyama, who already has established himself as a superstar after being selected first overall by San Antonio in the 2023 draft.

Spurs: Mitch Johnson (acting). Pacers: Rick Carlisle. Spurs: Points, Wembanyama (24.4 per game). Rebounds, Wembanyama (10.8). Assists, Paul (8.2). Steals, Paul (1.3). Blocks, Wembanyama (4.0). Pacers: Points, Siakam (20.1 per game). Rebounds, Siakam (7.3). Assists, Haliburton (8.8). Steals, Haliburton (1.3). Blocks, Turner (2.0).

Haliburton and Clark have become fast friends, both complimenting the other on multiple occasions. Haliburton went as far as to say in Paris on Wednesday, on the eve of the first of two San Antonio-Indiana matchups here, that she's become a face of the game.

Victor Wembanyama returns to his native France to lead the San Antonio Spurs against the Indiana Pacers in the latest installment of the NBA Paris Games. The NBA has held single games in Paris during each of the past two seasons -- Chicago Bulls-Detroit Pistons in 2023 and Brooklyn Nets-Cleveland Cavaliers in 2024 - but this season,