5 Things to Watch in Pacers Preseason Opener + Steve Nash Picks Indiana

Alex Golden and Mike Facci are back to get you ready for the Indiana Pacers' first preseason game! After a full week of training camp, it's finally time to see this team take the floor against another NBA opponent. Alex and Facci go through their five biggest things to watch as the Pacers begin preseason action. What should we be looking for from the rotations? Which players have the most to prove? And what can we actually learn from the first preseason game after spending the last week hearing about everything happening behind closed doors? The guys also discuss what this game means for Tyrese Haliburton, who gets the opportunity to return to Iowa State and play at his alma mater. After everything Haliburton has gone through to get back on the court, it's a pretty special setting for one of his first games back. Then, Alex and Facci close out the show with some major praise for the Pacers from two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash. When asked which team outside of the Knicks he would pick to win the Eastern Conference, Nash didn't hesitate: the Indiana Pacers. Nash explained why Indiana was both a head and heart pick for him and reflected on what he viewed as one of the NBA's great underdog stories during the Pacers' 2025 run. Five things to watch in the preseason opener, Haliburton's Iowa State homecoming and an NBA legend buying into the Pacers' chances in the East—all on today's Setting The Pace!