Indiana Pacers Postgame Media Availability (vs. Denver Nuggets) | January 23, 2024

Indiana Pacers Postgame Media Availability (vs. Denver Nuggets) | January 23, 2024

The third quarter was not going well I got run out of there um it got to 10 but they they kept the group together um you know getting Shepherd in the game was a great move because it brought an energy that we needed um and then look

It’s this in large part I mean I got I got I got run out because I didn’t I didn’t like what I was seeing out there at all not one bit and I’ll leave it at that uh that’s pretty obvious um but they made they made more plays and

More shots and we had some we had some great looks you know that that didn’t go down tonight um but there are some things that we have to do much better headed into the game on Thursday and I’m not going to get into what those are

What did you think of SE yak’s home debut how he able was able to play for you guys seak is a good player he’s going to be very consistent um he’s going to he’s going to bring something very valuable to almost every element of our game offensively and defensively

And you know um when Tyrese is back it will enhance his game even more um but right now you know we’re we’re uh we’re very lucky to have him uh with Tyrese out because you know he can do he can do a lot of things that can help us you

Mentioned having Shepard and obviously in that fourth period you hold them to 21 I think they were at what are they have possession 1.01 uh with a lineup of nard Shepard n Smith se yakum you know Turner for the most part I mean just what’s what

Pascal’s done to allow you to have a complete defensive lineup how helpful has that been but just in general how much would you like just the overall defensive effort of that group in the fourth yeah it’s defense is important um you know I I don’t know where we are

Since Christmas we were 17th a couple of days ago um after tonight with you know 114 we may be 16th or something like that but you know we were 30th and and so we’ve we’ve played we’ve played bigger uh bigger Defenders better rebounders you know Etc and and our and

Our emphasis on it is is not going to is not is not going to waver so um guys guys that consistently go that hard get everybody’s attention as far as just being able to match up you mentioned the size being a big piece of it I mean you can put a in

At the three now as opposed to him you know kind of giving up a lot of size in the four me just how much all the matchups seem to just make more sense in terms of being able to put on guys that that they can kind of match up with what

Do you mean like just as far as being having Pascal he can guard you know having a guy who can guard fours that are going to be he’s gonna be kind of even with I mean Aaron gets to guard guys that are you know more permanent oriented ones twos threes as opposed to

Having to defend a lot of you know fours and fives having the size to match up uh man for man makes a big difference um look we know miles is a is a is a is a a hell of a Defender um you know moving Aaron from four to three helps um you

Know our our two spot is has been pretty fluid this year and um but you know we’ve had in in in in a lot of the games since Christmas we’ve had uh either buddy who’s a much improved defender in there or you know Bruce brown or nard

You know who who who are both kind of Defense guy defense first guys so look defense is going to be a theme for us I mean it’s going to continue to be a big theme and U our games looking different right now offensively we’re not getting

The the threes up that we were um and some of that is obviously not having Tyrese out there and some of it is some adjustments I think that we can make to get some better looks I think uh after the last one against Denver you said

That it just came down to the greatness of of jokic and and of Murray I guess kind of the same situation again seeing just the plays that that guy can make that are different than other people can I mean the two the two defining plays of

The game were the three at the end of the first half and the three that put the game away and you know he he’s he’s just he’s much more aggressive to look for those shots um and there’s just like zero hesitation on them um

And you know we were we were up on a couple of them and he he hit them right over so that that’s those are great players making great plays um and we needed to make a few more shots so that’s where it was you mentioned some

Of the open looks at the end of the game that that didn’t go down uh just what did you think of SE yakum and the way he set up some of those open threes that that didn’t happen to H to to go in yeah that’s that’s an area where Pascal can

Help us um you know his his drives and his post-ups are going to are going to draw attention and you know he get the ball right out on time on Target in Rhythm to a couple the shooters and look sometimes you sometimes you miss you know but from a process standpoint um

You know the fouling became an issue again tonight we got to work on that um you know with embiid coming in here on Thursday I mean that there’s a different set of problems we’ll have to deal with um but it’s it’s all stuff that get you

Excited to compete so that’s where it is you talked about um Pascal showing the young guys how to compete how to pay their dues what you think about shepher the confidence he might have gained just by bringing it defensively and obviously responding offensively as well in the

Fourth quarter yeah I mean every time he goes in any game whether it’s a matad an game or a Pacers game or you know a pickup game um you know somewhere in Nashville I mean the guy plays the same way he he he’s you know he’s a Relentless competitor his his energy is

Boundless and he just he brings an exuberance to the game that that that helps the team and you know he he was terrific in the game at Phoenix um you know I thought it was really really terrific in the in the Sacramento game and and again tonight so you know he’s

Making a case for more minutes couldn’t get it done like what was key to that comeback and why do you feel like you couldn’t finish it in that last three minutes yeah I mean I just think we turned up the pressure um offensively and defensively um Ben Shepard very

Proud I’m very proud of him um gave us a spark and um I mean that’s how you got to play and and just to see him do that and get the crowd into it um very happy for him and Big Time minutes from him tonight how much does it adjust what

Everyone is doing not just the new player when there is an infusion of new talent and even some going out that you have to adjust to on the fly in the middle of a season like this yeah I mean 82 games um you know you just have to be

Ready for anything um um guys could go down at any moment and um you know I say this all the time it’s just the next man up and that’s how I mean we’re professional athletes that’s what you get paid to do to stay ready and when

Your when your number is called um go out there and do your job what have your impressions been of SE yakum through three games and then again tonight uh unbelievable I mean I’ve I’ve played against him for a number of years now um he just brings a different element

Dynamic to our team um and you know his ability to shoot the mid-range and make the three when he’s open and get to the rim um and give us length on defense as well um it it gives us another Dynamic and we’re um excited to have them and um

And take this thing to the next level to to stick on the defensive point uh how does he change what you guys can do not just what he’s what he’s capable of individually but the way it changes the matchups it it allows Aaron to guard somebody that’s closer to his size it

Seems like it it kind kind of evens everybody out what what what is his kind of total impact on team defense for you guys yeah I mean I think you just said it right there it gives you know our best on ball Defenders the ability to guard someone their size or maybe

Smaller um and you know just the switchability part um having him being able to switch onto guards and and not having to worry about him getting blown by he’s a elite Defender and um you know can can take our defense to the next level how important is he is a he can be

A secondary ball handler at 6’8 I mean how important is it to have that as an option when you guy got that much size who can handle you know bring the ball up if you have to pass like that all those points yeah I mean he’s Elite um

There’s so many things that he’s able to do I mean we I’ve mentioned a lot of them not only defensively but offensively you know he can stand out and hit an open three but his ability to be able to bring in the ball up the floor make passes like he did tonight to

The corners um he’s just an unreal basketball player and um excited to have him just one more on seaka what do you notice out of just kind of his presence in crunch time the way that he gets attention from the defense and what that

Sets up for the rest of you guys yeah it just sets up open shots um he’s won a championship and he’s played at the highest level in this league for a long time um so he’s seen all different kinds of matchups he knows what to expect and

He makes the right play I mean that’s the best part about him um he’s a great teammate um but when he’s out there and he sees the game so well you know he’s not going to force anything he he makes the right play and um that’s good for us

There was a possession in the fourth where he got switched on to Jamal Murray and and held him to a shot clock violation how much does maybe that moment just encapsulate what he can bring to this team with length defense energy and maybe just getting it going

Even when he’s not scoring a ton in that moment yeah I mean when you can switch on to a Jamal Murray type player and bother him with length and um you know he’s not not able to shoot over him um that’s that’s Elite and um holding him

To a shot clock like he did getting the crowd into it like I said he has the ability to take our defense to another level and last one uh I saw tyres pretty am animator tonight obviously he he’s gonna get better gonna be out there soon enough

But what does it mean to just can you feel like okay we’re we’re right there we’re going to get our group and and maybe what’s that energy like when you see him wanting to join what you all able to do tonight I mean that just that’s who Tai is um

He’s a vocal leader and he’s happy for every guy one through 15 and um the confidence that he instills in everybody um when you’re a franchise guy is like that it it’s easy um to go out there and play your game he’s obviously is who he

Is as a player but who he is as a teammate is I mean it’s incredible one of the best I’ve been around M scy you’re now three games in with this Pacers team what have kind of your impressions been and how did that carry into tonight’s game as well um I think

Yeah know I think a lot of good things um obviously um you know it’s kind of hard to look at it it’s like you know we lost three in a row so um it’s it’s tough to to see the good things you know with that but you know I thought you

Know all those games we played pretty well like tonight um we had solid um solid effort by everyone um and and I thought you know the third quarter the game kind of got away a little a little bit um then we had to crawl back

But uh so far I just I I like you know U the personality that we have you know seems like the guys you know like they care about wanting to win and um and I think for me that’s the most important you know just be in an environment where

At the end of the day like we we want to give everything that we have to to get to get wins um and you know it’s it’s a lot of encouraging things there a lot of things that we can get better at and um you know I think again it’s it’s going

To be a combination of just understanding those things and and just and just once we we do understand them you know just go out there and correct them first time being traded in midseason nonetheless what what’s kind of that adjustment been like for you and

Where do you feel like you still need to catch up or reain with this uh yeah it’s been tough I mean I think um the first two days the trade happened I don’t think I slept at all um you know and then I had to play that game and then

You know going to Phoenix um I mean I think before that with the Raptors was on the road and we just came back and like it’s been crazy yeah um I think I’m doing my best and and and obviously just just um trying to stay ready and get

Ready every game um and and I think that again something that I’ve never been through um and I have to continue to adjust um as I go but um you know the guys here has been unbelievable just you know kind of like helping me through everything you know from um from like

From everyone literally like um from you know like the Chads to you know the the equipment manager like it’s been it’s been great um and and I’m I’m I’m grateful for that um and I think again for me I’m going to have to continue to

To learn and um and I’m going to get better um and just finding ways to to to help the team um find ways where I can be I can be more aggressive or or you know I think it’s just like a fail and and I have to continue to to work on

That you guys obviously held them to 21 uh points in the fourth and obviously there’s a lot of Firepower on that team uh had a pretty strong defensive lineup out there what did you like about what you guys did defensively and and how do you think how are you getting used to

What you can do defensively for this group and and how do you think this group is sort of forming itself I guess around you and and sort of slotting in to what yeah no definitely I think again like which we we before coming in I I I

I knew how like um offensively talented the team was and and and you know I think they they’ve gotten better on defense also um and and that’s something that I for me I felt like I I wanted us to continue to improve and and I think that that fourth quarter was an example

That you know a team like like Denver that you know has those the guys that they have um to be able to you know we sit down we defended everyone was engaged it was talking um I like Ben coming in like you know bringing us a

Little bit of energy like I we’re going to need all of that you know and I think for me just also understanding that like finding ways to to to contribute with with defense and bring that energy and then and then rebounding also um so I I

Thought we did we did decent and I just think that we got to have those type of like those type of moments more often you know for for us to be able to to be special you haven’t practiced with these guys lot you said you haven’t slept a

Lot so in those crunch time moments kind of what what are you leaning on to kind of make some of those plays happen and and make the right play no I think again for me I think that’s the most important like which I’m still learning about the

Team and finding ways when to be aggressive when to you know like and and and to me to be honest I just read the game like whatever whatever the game gives me that that’s kind of like the type of player that I am anyways um I

Thought uh in that fourth you know like there’s literally like we have wide open shots and and I want those guys to take those shots at, times you know like at the end of the day so um I just got to continue to make the reads um and and

Again for me when when I have two three people on me like I I did most of my job you know like at the end of the day um and and we’re going to punish those guys next time you know if you know the opportunity comes but um yeah like I

Just I just think that it’s just a matter of just reading the game you are that that close you have those shots they don’t happen to go in you gain some confidence and just knowing kind of what this can look like when you when you do get more practice time and jail together

Yeah no for sure I think I I think we we have an opportunity you know to be special and I think it’s going to take all of us coming together um obviously I’m learning and I’m getting better on my obviously we don’t even have tyres

Yet back um so I think like we we like we have a strong core of people that you know that that play hard and give everything and I think that we can we can continue to get better um as the the defense you know continue to get better

And and and I think just me understanding the offense a little bit more and and we continue to get better at that obviously the first three games weren’t the result you necessarily wanted but your first game in gamebridge a lot of fans looking for you to sign

Things things like that what have you felt like just your first game in gamebridge how that feel yeah no it’s been awesome I think like the energy um um just obviously just my first time first time here like just to see everyone you know like um excited and

And you know I think for me like the most important thing is just seeing kids all excited and wanting me to sign things like that’s that’s always the the the thing that gives me like the most joy to be honest um and and to see that

You know I just I just you know I think everyone out there just want I just want to know that again you’re getting the guy that’s going to come in I want to give everything I want I want this team to be successful and um and I’m going to

Do everything you know in my power to make that happen and um and I think you know the guys out there in the locker room want the same and um I just want to be a part of that and and just to see the support that I’ve received so far um

And again I say from the organization like just from the first day you know like my plane landed you know like it just everyone on point like I’m getting um so much support from everyone um so I’m just just so grateful for that um and and and again I think those things

You know go a long way and and and and and I I want to feel like a part of this team and I think that the guys are doing great that that make me feel that way awesome um Pascal around the time when Tyrese was tra here I asked him

Something similar I’ll ask you this what has stood out to you about Rick Carwell as a coach thus far yeah um yeah no I think he knows his he knows his stuff obviously allall of fam coach um coached a lot of you know great players um and I

Think for me just coming in like I just want to I just want to learn um I I want to continue to get better he’s seen great players and and and you know like I just want to you know just just go out there learn from him um and and I I like

You know obviously seems like he’s relaxed but you know he wants what he wants and um he’s he’s assertive you know when he want to get those things done and um and for me I love to be coached you know like you know I I want

To go out there I want to I want to learn I want to get better I never feel like like satisfied with anything like or again like a coach like him like he’s he’s a Hall of Famer like I want to I want to learn from those type of people

Um and and so far he’s been like just great communication I’m talking to me um obviously it’s going to take time for me to understand everything but um again the guys are doing an amazing job of like you know trying to bring me up to speed without you know just bombarding

Me with with everything you know so um yeah it’s going to be a process Pascal saw you had um like posted a video of you like kind of coming to seeing the gym before like everything was that like today or when was that that was last night

Yeah like how important was that for you just to kind of see like it’s the choir before the storm yeah no it was great I think um I’ve I’ve I’ve played here before so I I kind of know but I think just a just a different kind of

Perspective of everything um and and coming in I just wanted to get like kind of f of everything and um and and just know where my new home is going to be so like I want to get comfortable as much as I can it’s it’s hard again these

Games are not stopping you know so um I got to I got to I got to get time in it like quicker and and and just find ways for us to to to get wins last one um like have you had that moment to just kind of realize it’s another chapter of

This this journey because Rick talked about you know you going from the D leag probably when it first was called at to you know now being a champion all NBA then going to a new team and trying to elevate this this franchise yeah no I mean I think it’s it’s a good question

Obviously it’s tough cuz like I said the days is not stopping and the games are just um coming at and um it’s it’s hard to to to sit back and really think about it like I’m I’m in the moment right now and I feel like I’ll probably be in the

Moment for a while you know um but I’m grateful you know I’m grateful for for my journey and and where I’ve been and and where I come from um and and I think there’s there’s a lot of great things ahead and and and to be honest I just

Want to stay in the moment and and and continue to live them and maybe you know a while after I I’ll sit back and and really think about everything let’s go back there because you had three terrific hustle plays in a row and were

Able to cap it off with a lay and that really got the crowd energized and help bring you guys back can you take us through that sequence from your perspective I just stayed ready and uh when my name was called I was already there mentally and um I think my job is

To give my team energy and just do whatever that t for me and um I feel like I did that today honestly we came up short but it was still good not too much longer than you hit a three-pointer and I mean it felt like the couple of

Moments where crowd was at its loudest were on your highlights what was it like to kind of soak in that moment it felt good um especially after that first hustle play um I knew that I can get the crowd into it and that’s what we needed

In that point of time but uh it’s definitely fun Rick recently talked about all the time that you and jerus have spent with the Mad Ants and just everything that you’ve learned but the hard work that you’ve put in there too what’s that experience been like for you

And how significant has it been in your own development it’s been good and it’s uh definitely helped a lot um it’s also good to have a guy like jarus doing the same stuff that I am but um yeah I think we’re developing the right way and the

Way that coaches need us to and um it’s been good it’s been fun you guys have a couple games here at least without Tyrese before you hopefully get him back on Sunday what’s going to need to happen these next couple of games against two of the better teams in the league to

Come Away with victories without your best player we’re just going to have to step up and play harder than the other team and uh honestly we’re missing our uh point guard but um that doesn’t mean anything next man up and uh just go out there and have fun and play together

Rick Carlisle, T.J. McConnell, Pascal Siakam and Ben Sheppard speak with the media following the Pacers loss to the Nuggets on Tuesday night.

0:00 – Rick Carlisle
6:15 – T.J. McConnell
10:58 – Pascal Siakam
20:01 – Ben Sheppard