SportsLine's model just revealed its NBA picks and predictions for San Antonio Spurs vs. Indiana Pacers on Thursday in Paris, France

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

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 for him and San Antonio. Indiana still feels good about their chances to win both games. They have been playing too well not to be filled with a ton of confidence.

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.

Victor Wembanyama will take to the court in Paris on Thursday with the San Antonio Spurs in front of an adoring home crowd, having gone from the French league to global stardom.

Wembanyama was born and raised in Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt, a western Paris suburb, and has made it a focus this week to introduce his teammates to Parisian culture and the life he led before he became the NBA Rookie of the Year and likely next face of the league.

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. Thursday was supposed to be No. 88. It won't happen,

Despite the hoopla that accompanied their arrival in France, Victor Wembanyama and Co. hope to keep a sense of normalcy against Indiana