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.

The main events start Thursday when Wembanyama and the Spurs take on the Indiana Pacers in the first of two games in Paris. The rematch is Saturday, both happening at Accor Arena, the same building where Wembanyama played in the knockout round of the Paris Olympics last summer when he and France wound up losing to the U.S. in the gold-medal game.

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).

Fans from at least 53 countries have bought tickets for the Spurs-Pacers games in Paris, a record for any league event.

Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs will face the Indiana Pacers in the NBA's 4th and 5th regular-season games in Paris.

Spurs center Victor Wembanyama showed love to the fans at home in France ahead of the NBA Paris Games against the Pacers.

Officially, Indiana will be the home team on the scoreboard when it plays San Antonio in Paris on Thursday. The Pacers know better. They will not be feeling right at home. “It’s going to be a big crowd against us,