PACERS TO SHOW GRIT IN TOUGH SEASON

Indiana face OKC in campaign opener in which they will be without star Haliburton

- 

When the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers meet on Oct 23 (Oct 24 morning, Singapore time) in Indianapolis, the stakes will be significantly lower than they were the last time the teams squared off.

The Pacers open their season against the team they lost to in seven games in last season's National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals, hoping to set the tone for a season that already features several challenges.

"I think it's past at this point," Indiana guard Andrew Nembhard said of turning the page to this season after disappointment with the way things ended last season.

The Pacers will be without star Tyrese Haliburton for the entire season and lost longtime centre Myles Turner to free agency in the off-season.

"In a position we're in right now, you've got to look forward to the challenges that are staring us right in the face," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle added. "I've talked to our team a lot about grit and where grit got us last year, and to remind those guys that were here last year and to let our new guys know that grit is a lot of what this is going to be about."

Now, Indiana move forward with a core of Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, Pascal Siakam and Aaron Nesmith. Those four excelled together during the preseason and are looking to carry over that success into the regular season.