Pacers could get off to a decent start

THE 'BURBS - The Pacers will have a chance to get off to a decent start this season. They play 17 of their first 31 games at Conseco Fieldhouse. The Pacers aren't playing a marquee team in their home opener, but at least it's a winnable game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 30. It's not good for the fans, but the Pacers only have to face LeBron, D-Wade and Bosh three times this season. Miami will make its only trip to Indianapolis in February. The break the Pacers didn't get was with back-to-back games. They have 21 back-to-back games. Part of the problem is that the Pacers only have one Thursday game - Nov. 18 against the Clippers - because that night is usually reserved for TNT games, and nationally televised games is foreign to the blue and gold. Here's a list of when some of the local players will be back in town. --Jeff Teague on Nov. 16 and April 8. --Eric Gordon on Nov. 18 --Gordon Hayward on Feb. 25 --Mike Conley on Dec. 26 --George Hill on...