If Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle is going to remember anything from his Paris trip, it is not the iconic landmarks, but the adrenaline rush he experienced with the police escort to the Accor Arena for an NBA game against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday.

On Thursday in Paris, the Indiana Pacers gave Frenchman Victor Wembanyama and his San Antonio Spurs all they could handle... for about one half of their first o

One person who is very aware of the challenges that Wembanyama presents is Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, who recently had high praise for the sophomore superstar ahead of the matchup with the Spurs, per the NBA on X.

It won't happen, and nobody knows when — or if — Popovich will be back on the Spurs' sideline. Popovich's absence is a glaring one in Paris this week for the pair of NBA matchups between the Pacers and Spurs on Thursday and Saturday; he's back home, recovering from a November stroke.

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle looks up at the screen to watch a replay video Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, during an NBA game between the Indiana Pacers and the Cleveland Cavaliers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. / Grace Smith/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

They’ve seen the Eiffel Tower. They’ve had great food. They’ve enjoyed some of the best that Paris has to offer.

San Antonio Spurs players have made their feelings clear on teammate Victor Wembanyama's Paris homecoming game against the Indiana Pacers as the French superstar dominated the scoring

Last year, the Indiana Pacers made the Eastern Conference Finals and entered this season with high hopes. However, they got off to a slow start and there were concerns that the team would miss the playoffs entirely, despite largely having the same roster that found success last season.

Prediction for the NBA match between Indiana vs San Antonio, which will take place on January 23d. Who will turn out to be stronger? Check the teams' conditions! Several betting options are available.

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.

The Indiana Pacers made a quick stop by the iconic Eiffel Tower while in Paris before their game series against the San Antonio Spurs.

Mitch Johnson's San Antonio Spurs come up big in an important matchup in the French capital with a 140-110 victory against Rick Carlisle's Indiana Pacers. Phenom Victor Wembanyama returns to Paris after an incredible summer in the 2024 Olympics, performing on the biggest stage amongst the best in the international game.