Indiana Pacers Postgame Media Availability at Boston Celtics (Game 2) | May 23, 2024

Indiana Pacers Postgame Media Availability at Boston Celtics (Game 2) | May 23, 2024

after a pretty good first quarter the beginning of the second quarter was um certainly changed the game a lot and they went on a big run it was 17 at one point um you know we bounced back decently got it to six at halftime um but uh the third was tough and uh you know losing losing tie for the game obviously is is a is a big blow go ahead somebody do you know any more on Tai right now or is it just left leg sa left hamstring and do you have any sense on if he can return in this series we’ll find out we’ll probably we’ll know more tomorrow and then probably even more Saturday they had that Big Stretch like you already mentioned in the second and then again in the third after you guys cut it to two what did you see as maybe themes in those runs that got away from you guys in this one well the you know the bottom of the stat Sheet’s ugly it’s you know we lost the rebound BS the second chance points were um were were a big factor um and you know turnovers once again were a big problem and so you know we got to we got to do better in those areas uh as far as Tai’s concerned is it an aggravation of the same injury or is it in in some way new it’s the left hamstring I believe that’s the same hamstring as before so it’s sore um yeah that’s so I you know I I I don’t know I know there’s hippo laws and stuff like that but I I guess I could pretty safely say it’s you know it’s sore aggravated so okay I just I wasn’t sure I I know you want details I don’t have much I mean other than it’s sore okay gotcha um what you obviously had to shake up the lineup a little bit once he goes out I guess what you went kind of to the lower end of the bench about halfway through the fourth what made you to kind of decide to you know kind of go with that when it was I think 15 I think you were down 15 or something like that at the point what made you decide not to go back to the starters as much to look at some guys that um I thought needed a look you know mcder U went in there and played well um you know Isaiah Jackson brought brought a lot of fight to the game um you know Jaylen Smith hasn’t had much of an opportunity to play in the playoffs and so you know I wanted to see where he was at and you know um we weren’t we weren’t giving up but it was an opportunity to get some energetic fresh guys in there to fight you know and they did some they did some good things are are you know the guys that had played to that point you know Pascal was very tired you know Aaron had four fouls he was he was tired I mean so that was it with Tyrese did he come into tonight sore not to my knowledge okay and he um he also was dealing with a chest issue we well he got a rebound and Jaylen Brown you I haven’t watched it again but jayen Brown looked like he almost went through him to get the ball and Tyrese hit the floor so he came back here and he had a couple tests done um with his chest and then you know he fortunately returned pretty quickly so yeah in a situation like that I mean you do have to think uh in long term right and both for the series and for that was a uh Tyrese’s injury early in the season that was pretty significant so well I mean I’m not sure what you’re asking um he was unable to return okay so it wasn’t like it was a coaching decision not to play him you know he just he was unable to return so we hope that you know this is a a a very short-term aggravation um but again you know we we’ll know more tomorrow and then you know Saturday obviously you know the next game is coming quickly I did just have one more on on TI he seemed like he walked off when you subed him out like he didn’t seem like he was Olympic or anything did he come and say something after just what happened at least to your knowledge and that he aggravated it well he he was he was sore at halftime um he was getting work on through the entire halftime um came out and you know gave it a gave it a a shot and you know was was given all the effort that he could um but I haven’t talked to him about it directly so I can’t you know read minds but it wasn’t it wasn’t going well so um the trainers determined that you know he needed to go to the back and get worked on and he was ruled out but on like the chest it wasn’t a specific play that occurred like it wasn’t like an incident that sparked that injury just general soreness I don’t know I don’t know and I think we need to move on to another topic here sure um otherwise go ahead um I was going to say with the the offensive rebounding in that second quarter just what do you see from that I know that’s something that you guys struggled with in the Knick series as well I haven’t watched it yet um these guys spread you out a little differently than New York does and you know they’re they have great athletes so they beat us to some balls and you know we’ve got to we’ve got to flip that on Saturday night is the is the job that you did on Tatum for most of the game something to build off of and is it frustrating to to to do that kind of job and and and not have it be something that that you can consider part of could have been part of a win we got to try to make it as difficult on them as possible um we got to be physical persistent um we got to play our game we got have to have the right help at the right time if needed um we got to make these guys make difficult shots and we got to rebound the ball and you know they got got a lot of guys over there that can score you know and so uh we were doing some good things during the game we just were were were not consistent enough in the in the beginning of the second quarter was a killer Rick you talked about that run it was 20 to nothing in the first to the second you dug yourself out of that hole but in doing so is that what you think led to some of the fatigue it was just a a daunting task to get back into it from that well it’s you know I I didn’t realize it was 20-0 but you know that’s that is a big hole I mean we had a two-point lead um at the end of the first quarter I liked our first quarter very much um and then you know they they they started playing great and we struggled and so um going to have to look at it to give you the exact answers on on all of it um you know when when we when we take a hit like that you know we’re a team that is is pretty resilient and and fights back and so you getting it to six at halftime you know was a was a was positive in my mind we took a timeout I think with two minutes or two and a half did a good job to close the second quarter and then um you know third quarter continued to be difficult I mean you know we had some good stretches but they got a little more separation and it just got harder Angelo last one coach you haven’t lost in gridge Fieldhouse since March how will going home be a good reset for this team and have confidence that you can get two wins at home well in the New York series we were down 02 and came home and we’re able to um win game three and then you know move along and and do what we wanted to do um you know for us right now we’ we’ve got to concentrate on getting back as quickly as we can tonight um and preparing ourselves for our best possible effort on Saturday night and and I know that I know that our building will be as loud and live as it’s ever been you know it’s race weekend and everything else going on and so we’ve got to um we got to take advantage of that it doesn’t guarantee anything but it will be a better environment for us than than playing here for sure thank you coach pasc what did you feel like was so different for this in this game compared to G one for you guys they had a couple stretches that were really long and you guys couldn’t respond like you did g one yeah no um obviously like you know they yeah I think I thought they played like they played a little bit better for more stretches than we did um you know they had a lot of good runs runs and we just we we was we was getting there close but just quite not quite there um not ERG wasn’t where we supposed to be and um yeah like I mean they had more rebounds like all everything like you know so they just played better than us like and um yeah we got to look in the mirror and and and move move on and and um think about it the next game Drew what did you think their defense was doing a little bit better tonight felt like you guys struggled to get the shots you wanted at times in this game um I felt like it was a little bit maybe of a tighter paint they kind of try to clog the paint a little bit more make us play more like they switch a lot they do a lot of switching on and off the ball so it kind of keeps the match ups the way they kind of want it but I think if we if we move the right way and play with pace and get stops I think I think it’s it’s not going to be a problem for us if you guys don’t have tie didn’t at times tonight what changes for you and what do you have to do better as a team I think we just need to continuously play with pace and move the ball and get to other actions I think we play well and we are kind of random and not just setting up certain C certain um kind of plays and and certain kind of uh like ball screens or certain kind of sets and stuff yeah for both of you either or um you had it down to 6866 um was that kind of a stretch where Tyrese makes you know put you guys back over the hump and and you knew that he was not going to be there um what do you mean well I mean that’s when you guys are able to make a serious run and and it turns out Tyrese isn’t you know he’s your leader so um no I mean I think obviously we we need to but at the end of the day you know it’s next up next man mentality um we we got to we got to be ready and and we got to you know play together um this this team got to where we at tonight I mean where we at today um it’s by you know having all of us um and and we all got to um stay together continue to play together um and obviously we want tyres back out there but I think you know obviously I he wasn’t feeling well so it’s it’s on us to to to continue to play and um you know bring that energy they obviously went small for a lot of this you know didn’t didn’t have a center in there used OA uh a lot what how did that kind of just change the dynamic the degree to which they were just playing without a fiveman and and you know just keeping their um I don’t think it changed anything I think obviously I think like they did a lot of things better than we did um and and I don’t I mean we got to continue to attack and and do the things that we do but we just didn’t do well enough to win tonight so um we got to take that and um like I said move on to the next Pascal here in the back uh four games in seven days three different cities you had to dig out of that big hole what kind of toll did that take on you in that fourth quarter of all the energy it expanded not only tonight but throughout this week yeah it’s hard it’s playoffs baby you know that’s what that’s what you you know I think for me especially like you know you know last year I was sitting here watching this and being pissed you know and I wanted to be part of this so um it’s a blessing and no matter how tired you are like this is the the stage you want to be in um and you know there’s there’s no excuse for that or like whatever like we here um we want to compete at the highest level and and try to win and and you know we blessed to be playing at this at this time of the year obviously uh Tyrese went out of the game for good in the third quarter but it seemed like he wasn’t feeling well all night did did he convey to you guys that he wasn’t right and did you feel like you had to do a little more just seems like a Ty question oh he’s not up there you guys are yeah but yeah I think tyes was was ready to go he was playing um and I think he got hurt you know and that’s that uh guys still undefeated at home in the playoffs uh still undefeated at home in the playoffs um you know what are you expecting the environment to be like this weekend and why have you guys been playing so much better uh at gamebridge um uh I think you know obviously uh being at home um our fans you know um they give us so much energy um you know like just just playing that I think obviously for me I’m experiencing now you know for the first time like the games is just so much more energy and and you know they’re so passionate about our team um and we just you know like just go out there trying to compete um to the best of our abilities and you know we can’t wait to see the founds out out there um on Saturday and and and just see the energy that they going to bring um you know to support us which they’ have done all year um we’re just so excited I think but more more important than that is just obviously losing losing sucks and and for us like once we lose we want to go back and um play better and um yeah like that’s the energy that we have going to the next game and we got to give everything you know we got to give everything that we have not only for us and for our team but for our fans fellas this is a battle of two of the top offenses in the NBA um what do you what do you guys say to people who criticize your defense and say that’s one of your weak points I think I think I I I our defense got a lot better um and and I think obviously for me coming in at that time of the year and um I I can see the progress that the team has made um in you know everyone the commitment from the coaches from the players um and you know like we here for a reason you know like and and um we’re here because you know we did all the right things and we continue to do the right things and um and and I’m proud of our guys you know like obviously Drew big part of our defense Aaron um TI like making efforts um miles like it just go down the line you know guys are G better um and and that’s the that’s the reason why we’re here um and we’re going to continue to get better obviously tonight we we it was it was it wasn’t the game that we wanted to be but we Rectify for the next game what one quick follow what are you guys seeing from Tatum like it seems like he’s he’s doing everything but hitting three-point shots like you know uh what what’s it like you know you know going into him when you know his three-point shot isn’t falling I mean you know he’s a good player he can score from a lot of different places on the court you know he likes to get to the three off the dribble I think we we’ve done a good job of throwing different guys on them and making it tough on them um and we got to keep making him take tough shots Drew just going back to being undefeated at home since March how do you use this as a reset and emphasize having confidence playing in the Fieldhouse and that this series isn’t over yet yeah I mean y said it was a long road trip I think it would be nice for of us to get home get our own beds and um we’re excited to play in front of our fans it’s going to be a big weekend with the the race in there so we can’t wait to get back in the home court back now but just want to talk a little about at the end of the second quarter when you guys had already obviously fallen behind by a bunch I think you had the last 10 points and I think 12 of the last 14 you talked before about wanting to be the guy in those circumstances when maybe things aren’t working being a guy that can get get a buck it just what did you see and we worked out in that stret um I think you know we got stops and we we started running a little bit and I think obviously you know it feels good when you know if you make a shot or whatever but I think just the fact that we were just more aggressive we got stops we got rebounds um which we didn’t do for for good pass of the game um but I and again like I I told I think however we want to play as a team like I feel like I’m able to do that um and and if it’s you know playing fast I’m able to do that if it’s playing slow I’m able to do that as well so we just got to continue to play together um find ways to to again we can’t be outrebounded and things like that against a team like you know like they’re the best team in the league so um we got to get more possessions and um we got to fight for that we got to fight for everything one on the right pascy with the way you guys could score and the way you guys have erased deficits before was it tough not to be out there in the last last few minutes of that game not trying to uh with with the starters trying to trying to cut into that no I mean I think we’ve our death is is is our death is been has been like everything for us and and um that’s the way we play and again whoever is out there on the floor got to got to step up and we got to um we got to be together and try to do our best and um yeah like we just can’t wait you know it’s going to suck tonight we’re going you know losing and and I think we have the guys to understand you know how hard it is to win and and we know that we can bounce back and we’ve done it Al all year and um you know it’s time to dig deep and and and just go out there and compete at highest level in front of our fence TJ did you notice that something they changed defensively that made it harder for you guys to score did you feel like that was more on you guys tonight specifically um obviously they they made some adjustments but um you know the way we play um it’s on us too um certainly we have to look at the film and see um what went wrong and um I think it was a lot of a lot to do with spacing um you know they they did a good job switching and um you know it was you know just a tough second half so we just got to watch the film and see what we can do better he had a 120 run and a 130 run in the first game 200 tonight across two different quarters what why is that something that’s happened so much in the series to you I mean they have a lot of Firepower um but you know we just have to combat Those runs and you know I thought we made runs of our own tonight um and you know kind of weathered the storm so um showed maturity in that end but um kind of have to like I said watch the film and see how we can minimize the runs you mentioned adjustments they obviously went to a smaller lineup you saw a bunch of you know O’Shea tonight what uh how does that just change what they can do how did you feel like that changed the dynamic in general that they weren’t playing a five after a certain point yeah I mean you got to give credit where credits du um O’Shea came in and really sat down and defended really well and um just brought a diff different Dynamic to their team they were able to switch one through five and um he came in and really changed the game defensively for them so um you know obviously a friend of mine and um you know happy for him and um but you know it’s something that we’ve seen many times teams go one through five we just have to be a lot better TJ in the back here I know you guys won’t make excuses but uh four games in a s-day stretch three different cities how nice will it be to get back home and what kind of toll does that take on a player a a weekl long stretch like that it’s part of the job um obviously difficult but you know there’s no excuse here um you know we just we have to be better and and obviously excited to get home you know obviously down2 is is something that um you know we have seen before um especially in in the last series and going back home playing in front of our crowd who we haven’t lost at home yet in the playoffs um we’re really excited to get back into our building and play in front of our fans just what what has it been about playing at home that you guys have feel like you had some success and and uh just how do you sort of mindset getting back to the series like you said you did it last last uh round falling down two up yeah um our fan base is incredible um truly incredible I don’t I really don’t know how else to put it when when we play at home it is a really great it’s an amazing environment and a tough place to play for the other team and um you know that has been proven by the way we’ve played in the playoffs and especially all year so um you know just a ton of credit to our fan base and excited to get back in front of them uh when you see halberton as just not come back in the game uh for you guys how do you sort of go on play without him and just in general your your mindset when he’s sort of the status of his is unclear going forward yeah I mean when you know your franchise guy goes down obviously it’s tough but um that’s a time for this group who has done it this year for everyone to step up and take a bigger role um and we’ve done a good job of that when when he has been out and obviously it it hurts when he goes down but um you know one of those things where it’s the next man up mentality and obviously we’ll see we haven’t heard anything about him yet but you guys just have to step up and be ready one to piggy back on that quick like you said you’ve had this situation before you played 10 games without him earlier this year what’s the most important things you guys have to do on a strategic level just to to do well when you don’t have him in the lineup you know he does so many things for our team where I think everyone just has to you know move the ball more and get in the paint more and um you know the ball movement like I said just has to be at another level um he gets what 10 assists in his sleep so um you know it’s hard for another person on our team to replicate that so it’s a group it’s a group effort um when he goes down to kind of get people the ball and get it moving all right thanks DJ

Rick Carlisle, Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell speak with the media following the Pacers 126-110 loss to the Celtics in Game 2.

0:00 – Rick Carlisle
8:45 – Pascal Siakam & Andrew Nembhard
17:25 – T.J. McConnell