Indiana Pacers Postgame Media Availability (vs. Houston Rockets) | February 6, 2024

Indiana Pacers Postgame Media Availability (vs. Houston Rockets) | February 6, 2024

Tie 29 this time how do you feel after a little more minutes added to the pil yeah I feel good uh it’s exciting to get closer to you know my normal minutes um obviously been a lot of chatter about my minutes and stuff like that so uh feels

Good to to to to play majority of the game finish a game um I feel good what did you think of what T.J McConnell is able to do for the second unit today and how he’s kind of able to always keep that group Rolling even in any different

Sort of context and lineups and all that stuff yeah I mean that’s what he does uh he comes in he brings energy and I think that’s been really really good for us he was really good in that oh I didn’t even know he was eight for 11 that’s oh he’s

Uh but I thought he just did a good job of bringing energy in that third quarter getting us going um when we needed it most and helping us pull away uh but I think our second unit as as a whole you know I don’t think that I think they

Probably would tell you that their second quarter wasn’t the best quarter uh for them but I thought they really locked in that third and got us going and TJ TJ and and buddy you know spefic specifically uh getting us going offensively and Jaylen did a good job

Protecting the rim and uh just a lot of different guys chipped in tonight you’re also kind of a smack talker why do you think TJ’s able to do it throughout a game and then just immediately be buddy buddy with like everybody in the NBA I

Mean TJ TJ’s trash talk is like it’s not it’s not traditional uh but I think like TJ just like he has a good relationship with everybody like he always like every time he fouls somebody a little harder than normal he’s always checking on him always smiling with people um his trash talk I

Think isn’t specifically to people it’s just like it’s like little Jabs you know like uh even when I played against him before there’s a funny story of when we played against each other first time I’m not going to tell it right now but uh I

Think he just does a good job of like he’s like everybody loves TJ but then he just gives you a little jab and it’s like okay well he’s a he’s a good guy so I’m gonna leave it alone you know I think that’s what it is I think uh after

The last game we talked to you guys the last home game you said that the pascow hasn’t been here to see how fun it can be yeah is this do you feel like this is the closest you guys have come to kind of giving a sense of what it’s really

Like when you guys get up and down the way that you do and and when you’re rolling close to your normal s yeah for sure um I think that we just in the second half especially we’re able to get some stops and be able to run um and get

On transition and get our crowd into it a little bit more I mean these guys were like on Pace for like 150 at halftime and we did a good job locking in in the second half getting stops and getting out and running um and then I think it

Just ultimately comes down to also finding his spots I think that’s kind of what I was talking to Fred about at the end just talking more about how I can help p and where he where he thinks that you know his best spots are obviously playing with him for some time um and

You know there’s still we haven’t played I mean I don’t even know what how many games pcal has played here yet but there’s still times where we’re communicating and I call play and he looks at me and we’re just kind of both confused and then we you know we got to

Figure it out on the fly so uh we just got to keep growing our chemistry together keep playing together um and and good things will happen what the when you said you’re feeling better I mean to delve a little bit deeper what what’s better than it was a week ago

Physically I mean what would do you feel like you can do or how do you feel like your body is reacting better maybe to what you’re doing than it did a week ago yeah I think that um I think when you watch me you see a little bit more pop

To my game um just being able to fly around a little bit more be more active um I think that that that’s been good I mean obviously there’s like the the soreness after games and stuff like that but that that’s expected with a hamstring you know our medical staff has

Done a really a good job of helping me kind of manage this and figure out you know what I’m feeling and figuring out uh the best ways to attack things so um you know I think there’s a little bit sort this after gamees and stuff but in

The in the game I feel good I feel like I’m moving well um and that’s positive just want to be healthy going into Allstar break and um you know after Allstar uh just really hit the ground running and be ready to go just last one

I mean what um what did it mean to to be able to finish and also get the shot that ends up sort of clinching it I guess sort of take us through that bucket and what did it mean to you sort of emotionally to be in the position

That you could be the the guy who gets that shot again yeah I mean I feel like I’ve gained a little bit of a reputation of being able to help us close games taken a shot to close games um and uh I think that was a frustrating part about

The M’s restriction when I came back like the Boston game we were in good position and uh you know I really didn’t get to play majority of second half the next game felt like we were in a good position didn’t get to play most second half you know and that’s just

Frustrating as a competitor sitting down and um you know obviously arguing with the with the medical staff at the same time uh we broke it down before the game and and I I think I was just a competitor in me but uh it was just frustrating so then

You go to the Kings game and you’re trying to figure out well how can I you know finish gam so we don’t play the first quarter and that’s just like kind of you know that was just kind of a little like a funky thing we were doing

So um it’s exciting now to to be able to start games finish games and play close to to a traditional minute so um just just happy to you know be more healthy and uh being able to help our team what do you think buddy just provided you all

I think game high or team High plus 11 T night I’m glad you asked that question um I think what buy brought to table now obviously he made shots which helps you know um and I thought that he did a good job competing defensively listen I think

The one thing that people need to understand buddy heeld and I’ve played with him my whole career is the gravity that he has as a basketball player um you know his spacing uh even when he’s not making shots which isn’t often I mean he’s one of the best Shooters who’s

Ever touched a basketball his gravity when he’s on the flooor um and in our stack actions in our movement actions a lot of times you have to you have to respect what he does even if he’s not making shots that game you got to run

Two at him and that kind of opens up every everything for for us so I know it’s kind of overblown the talk about Buddy when he’s not shooting the ball very well um but his shooting gravity and who he has is a player and has been historically when it comes to shooting

The ball I got the utmost faith in him um you know he’s probably the second best sh on our team behind me but he you know I think he shoots the ball at a high level and I’m I’m glad you asked that question because I I feel like it’s

Overblown to to talk about buddy but uh he works his butt off he competes in here every night um and uh yeah he just always brings something good to the table Tyrese what what have you come to appreciate the most about about Pascal and both on and off the floor I think um

His energy uh but at the same time his will I I think he’s really good communicator so I think that’s why I appreciate the most is we are able to bounce things off of each other really easily bounce ideas off each other and I don’t think and I think both of us are

The same mentally that we want to win um and I think that we can connect on that and so well I think we’ve helped I mean obviously he just got here but the culture that you know I’ve tried to help build and that he’s getting here is just

Not being sensitive to you know uh criticism or something by your teammates just understanding we got to move on to the next play um and holding holding people accountable he’s done a great job I mean listen Pascal’s a winner he’s been in the playoffs it seems like every

Year of his career um he’s won a championship so people when he talks people listen and I I think that that’s kind of the biggest thing is when you’re not with somebody or you’re on the outside looking in you don’t really know how he is as a communicator and a person

Uh but we really get along and uh I’m happy that he’s here and and uh hoping he’s here long term yeah on that subject what are some of the things that you and your teammates and the organization in general have done to make him comfortable to give him the sense that

This is where he belongs yeah I mean just embracing him within our culture I think that it’s not just us our fans have done a great job as well um obviously uh he’s coming from somewhere where he’s that’s all he’s known his NBA career and going to a new environment

Not really knowing what to expect um and I think that we’ve welcomed welcomed him in with open arms and he’s fit fit in like perfectly um I think that our culture the way we play you know getting up and down having fun smiling um and competing I think that he fits right in

With that and so I think that it’s just been natural well and obviously not trying to be like I don’t know what’s the word like you know like a helicopter parent like always looking over somebody and being like are you okay paska like we’re not doing all that you know I

Think just letting him be him and uh letting him grow with with within you know our system with letting him grow within our organization um and and and playing around that so I think that he’s but he’s done a excellent job at accepting our culture and and embracing

That at the same time so I think that’s been really good obviously very difficult game Angry team got be pretty bad in Minnesota we beat him last time in a tight game and eay does a good a great job of getting his guys fired up and um you know they

Hit us they hit us hard early um we with stod it in the first period and then the second period they just kept throwing Haymakers and um we allowed them to get going which is you never want to do with an NBA team with their kind of talent and

So uh it was a survival situation uh second half was obviously a lot better I thought McConnell and hee um really played huge roles in this game you know those guys uh they played hard they they made timely shots they made time plays um buddy was really patient disciplined offensively made key shots

And defensively he was uh he was real solid so you know um tough game heck of a win um would have loved to have a better start but can’t have everything Rick what was you know the kind of the key message at halftime to make a change defensively in

The second half CU that third quarter you guys really turned things around on the end of the flooor uh you know I just felt like we were playing too casually um as if maybe we were just expecting the crowd to lift us up um it’s just uh but we we responded well

In the third you know the third was better um early fourth was terrific you know with our bench group in there and you know we build up enough of a lead but you Houston’s an attacking team they kept coming they kept coming um we had some had a couple of you know untimely

Turnovers late and then you know it got hairy at the end but we we got out of here alive you mentioned before the game the value of having McConnell being able to play with the second unit as a result of this lineup change what what did you

Think was so valuable especially late in that third quarter when McConnell’s able to keep the second unit running at that high a level to get you guys over the hump at that time I mean this this is one of the reasons it’s important to structure the rotation so

You know he’s in he’s he’s a a significant part of it um you know what he does competitively and intangibly is unreplaceable and he showed that tonight Tyrese obviously extends his minutes gets to play in all four quarters comes up with a big just bucket at the end obviously I just what what

Did you see from him in terms of pro terms of progress physically and just the way he was able to just get in the flow in the game yeah he’s moving better for sure I think physically he’s doing doing much better um you know this is uh

This this team has tough matchups for our entire team it was he had a tough matchup with Thompson and Thompson kept crashing the boards and and so that was difficult but um Tai made an enormous shot at the end he made B he made big shots and big plays in the fourth

And you know it’s it’s a lot of good signs right now so um see where you know hopefully he feels good again tomorrow coming off of this and uh you know Thursday we’ll see where we are with the with the minutes do you feel like I

Guess this group took a step in terms of of you being able to see what they’re capable of when they’re fully operational when you when now you have him playing a little bit higher minutes with Pascal you s start to see some of their combinations together some of the

Things they can do do you feel like today was a step in that direction of you know finally getting a sense of what all you have with this group now that you have sense sure sure but you know Ty Tai’s not he’s not there yet you know

He’s just not there yet um he’s getting he’s getting much closer and you know the the minutes are a big part of this because he’s a rhythm player and you know he he he runs the show and so be being able to orchestrate and um and communicate and do do all

Those things at both ends is really important and so you know right now you know his minutes are are have taken a haircut you know there he’s playing more now than he did um you know the last couple games and so but uh you know hopefully the next couple games

You know we’ll be out of the woods with this but we’ll have to see how it is tomorrow and it’s obviously pasal just continues to to produce and produce um just what first off what do you like about what you’re seeing from him in the minutes with Tai and then what stands

Out to you even when he doesn’t have him on the floor and he’s able to so create so much of his own stuff I mean what is there not to like I mean you know the guy is efficient offensively he’s driving the ball he’s posting up he’s making threes he’s

Getting to the free throw line um you know and he rebounds so you know he he’s uh he’s tremendous he’s tremendous and and he and he does it in a way that you know just Blends into you know the ecosystem of the team and so that’s great and we’re you know we’re adding

Little things here and there um but he’s one of those players that if you add too much and slow the game down to find him with the ball it can it can diminish it can limit his Effectiveness a little bit you know because he just better when the

Game is just moving you know so see a lot of great things you know he he and Tai together have been really good on a net rating basis um I do know that and the other thing I know is that he and Obie have been very good together on a

On a net rating basis um so you know we have some we have some unique flexibility now obviously TJ brought a lot of energy he always does that do you think that’s an eight can that be taught like how do you just describe the energy he plays

With him and maybe what he generates and gives to other people on the team what a question I mean I don’t know I mean he’s just you know I mean TJ McConnell is you know out of his mind as a compet competitor you know he just he just is

Extreme and he uh he just has a knack for making plays firing up his teammates and firing up our crowd and you know when he when he had that run in the second half our our building took you know took a seismic jump and that made

It hard on Houston and so that was a that was a big part of us being able to create some separation Rick I know you had a very high regard for Pascal before he got here but now that you’ve coached him through 11 I think 11 games what have

You learn learned about him what do you appreciate about uh his his game and him both on and off the floor yeah I mean he’s an All-Star I mean he’s an All-Star and you know if he hadn’t if he hadn’t I mean if he hadn’t been traded and this

That and the other I mean he’d be he’d be one of those guys that would have been right there on the All-Star team you know um so uh he’s got a track record that speaks for itself and he’s he’s finding his way very quickly with our group and so there

There are a lot of good things happening um you know these next four games you know they’re tough they’re all tough games I mean every game you play in the NBA is going to be tough um you have a lot of nights like tonight where you

Come in at halftime at home and you’re down seven or nine points we’ve had that happen a lot recently and you know uh team’s got team’s gota find its find its inner strength and its fortitude and and find a way to to jump back in the game and and and

Understand there aren’t any seven or nineo plays to do it and you we did it tonight um and he’s a big part of it he’s a big part of it Pascal Tyrese was telling us last week that he was looking forward to like having fun with you and

Being able to play more to be able to have that experience this was I think these last two games have been two of you guys’ best together have you felt that these last couple games with him yeah no def I think we G better um again it’s we just haven’t had enough

Time you know just to to be out there on the floor together but I think you know just him coming back and um us just just getting on the floor like um as great a player as he is like just you know just trying to read like the way he plays and

And I’m sure he’s going to you know learn a little bit about me and and how I play and and we talk you know I’m just trying to figure out the best way to be effective you know um together and and yeah like it’s going to get continue to

Get better played against T.J McConnell for years in the East people have called him a pest all the time now you’re his teammate what’s it like to to have him as a as a teammate yeah no I mean he’s tough man um obviously known him around for you know just just playing against

Him you know when he was in Philly when you know like just a lot of different places um and yeah just always been you know tough um play with so much energy and and you know his Pace um is always a problem you know for a lot of teams and

And yeah like I’m glad uh on my team you know um and and and yeah like he he’s tough man you talked I think last week about trying to figure out exactly when to be assertive and and how you know within the offense I mean how where do

You how do you feel like you’re kind of progressing with that obviously 29 tonight you know found a lot of different places to get your own shots I mean how have you sort of how far do you think you’ve you know come as far as making progress and figuring out yeah

How to get to Europe yeah no I think I think it’s getting better like like again obviously I just feel like you know just the type of player that I am like you know I like observing I like you know like I’m not the type of person

That’s just going to be like you know like like F this and and just do whatever you know I’m trying to you know find a way to I’m coming into like a a good team you know good thing going I’m just trying to come in and complement

The team um but like I was talking about the other day like just finding that balance and and whereas like at the end of the day like you know like I have to bring everyone with me too like you know just just because of the level of play

That I can I can play at you know so I think just understanding those things and and um continue to be aggressive which is what the team wants me to do anyway so like it it just goes with what we want to do um being able to create

Mismatches and um I just think that my ability to break down Defenders like is something that can can help the team you know like and and the more I do that you know the more um you know again you bring gravity and and and you able to

Make plays so um I just want to I just want to continue to do that uh stay aggressive and and and again I think they’re gonna follow my lead so much better on the defensive end in the third quarter particular after they scored 75 you guys yeah I thought

It was more aggressive like I thought you know early in the game like they had a lot of open shots I Wen really into them um you know like they got rebounds like I think like you know that third quarter you know was just kind of sat

Down um get into the bodies and and and just you know pressure more um play with more Force and and that’s how we got to be like that’s how we got to play for our defense to continue to evolve um which I think that is an area that can

Make us a special team like continue to work on that uh get better on defense and and I thought you know we do a good good job in the third we just got to have like more quarters like that what was it like to see Tyrese in like kill

Mode at the end like okay obviously you’ve been in moments like that close games out but to see him do it finally as his teammate yeah no he’s able to do that like that’s you know that’s why he’s an Allstar um and and to me he has

A pretention to to be even more special like and I think that um you know like just just watching him play seeing the way he sees the floor um and and again like just just making plays you know like he’s it’s so easy for him and and um you know

Just just happy he’s on my team and then what did it mean to you for him to seek out you know Fred and and after the game because he was telling us hey I was asking him like how do I make him more comfortable just taking those those

Little pockets or moments to try to build more chemistry I think for me that’s that’s what I like the most about him you know just been talking to him even before I got here you know like um you know like just his knowledge for the game wanting to win um wanting to get

Better like that’s all you can really ask for for a young player coming in to his own like um and those are the special ones the ones I want to learn the ones I want to get better um and and you know that’s obviously him talking to

Fred and and I’ve been playing with Fred for a long time and and and we we understand each other and and and I think that yeah the more we like again we we out there on the floor together I think it’s it’s naturally just a fit so

Like um we’re going to continue to get better Pascal I know you’ve been here less than a month and the schedule’s been crazy but have you gotten much of a chance to see Indianapolis have you gotten have you found places that you like yeah um I I really have not bro I I

Think it was just being so crazy like moving around like um I’m just trying to find a place trying to do this trying to do that and then we traveling we have games like so like it’s just been so crazy that I don’t think I’ve I probably

Went to a restaurant one time since I’ve been here you know so um I I just haven’t had time and and I you know I’m looking forward to when everything slows down a little bit and and and I’m able to kind of like you know just just look

At the city or look look you know go around and and and yeah like see what the city has to offer and I’m looking forward to that is it going to be a little bit of an adjustment you’re coming from one of the great cities in North America diverse

The whole bit Indianapolis is different it’s a lovely Place obviously but do you think no it is it’s fantastic it’s amazing yeah but I mean is it is it going to be a a change for you yeah no I mean I think it will be but but at the

Same time just the type of person that I am like um I just feel like I’m more an introvert like I I I I don’t really do much um um so like I don’t think that’s that will be a real problem um and and and again like it’s it’s it’s

Just always things to do in different cities and and and I think you just got to you know go out there and explore which which I’m I’m looking forward to doing um but I I don’t think it will be much of a of a difference like i’ I’ve

Moved my whole life like really like I I’ve I’ve always been the type of person to you know go to a new place and and um I always find a way like I believe that so um I’m sure I’ll be I’ll be okay uh shout the ballan I shot the ball

I think I missed two in the first half and they felt good and then all my shots a feeling good just having me go through the net you know and it’s some shooting the ball going to make it different but like when you leave in hand to still

Feel you keep shooting trust your mechanic trust your work uh but TJ you know TJ uh is great to play with you know uh he knows how pi and choose his moments and uh and he’s Savvy you know uh he he comes to bring he brings the

Same energy every day and uh some energy as that match and uh something that you can’t prepare yourself for because uh he’s going at it every day and uh he’s want hard and play his guys and our team and uh how working guys and uh when he’s

Out there he leaves his UND there think Rick was talking about your defense in particular and obviously you guys as a group did pry well but he’s talked multiple times about how you’ve improved on that end I mean how do you feel like you’ve improved on that end what do you

Feel like what do you feel like he did well in particular today defensively and like sometimes I have my moments yeah keep it real with you but uh you know just uh just just working on it every day man uh so all I can do is work on it every

Day and uh try to be the be the best player I can be for this team and help us move forward you mentioned your shot just a second ago feel like it hasn’t come through the nut as much as you want are you able to not think about it in

Games or are you able to not think about that while you’re playing I mean shoot shoot is shoot I mean you shoot next shot the best shot and you have to have the same mindset I work work too hard to like worble like Miss shots I mean like

Want shoot what 38 39% and the scheme of things that’s really not bad but for me the world makes it looks bad because they used to be shooting 40% but you know it just takes a couple solid week of just good Rhythm and uh seen that ball going to the net

And once you see that thing flicks through and after that it’s a whole different ball game you know but with in World things and you’re shooting 38 39% in the world I think it’s bad but it’s really not bad for regular player what does it mean to you in the scheme of all

That that defense is still you know tight on your jersey every time your teammate don’t trust you to take them every single time I mean like this the point is like this the point is like shots might not be going in but people still got respect the respect is

There so and this gravitation of helping a teammate get open shots or doing a blur screen or setting a back screen you know you know playing basketball conun basketball setting flare skines you know helping guys to get open looks you know it shows the what’s my words on the

Court and uh it’s fun man and I just glad we get this win and uh on to next we got Golden State coming next day a lot of movement so hopefully we can get a lot of shots it’ll be a fun Pace tyes was saying I think after the last home

Game that he didn’t feel like Pascal had really been able to see what you guys are like when it’s really fun when you guys are fully operational when when tyres is playing and he’s healthy and everything do you feel like today was a step in that direction do you feel like

Maybe this isn’t all that you guys can be but it was a step in Pascal Direction I mean but not his team re I mean Pascal did his thing tonight but uh I don’t think like when Pascal gets a hold of like the whole concept with Pace after

And then and like understands the con everything I think it be very hard to guard because his play is so Elite he’s one of the best players in the league especially going downhill is a really hard to guard and uh you see that he’s shooting threes and uh he’s adap to the

Culture and uh he’s more of iso mid-range and uh when that happens he he he’ll see how fun it is but uh right now like you know we just easing M and it’s hard man to like just come and play random basketball CU you really don’t

Call much plays you just play and it’s and r has make the next play so uh once he figure it out I think that the whole team May you’ll see a whole different Dynamic of this team and uh and he’ll be able to have more fun and play more free

Out there to mentioned that obviously You’ been part of his St his entire career what how have you seen him navigate just this hamstring thing and seeing him Clos again tonight in the fourth quarter oh was good to see him Clos because uh it’s a good hat off the

Training staff doing a good job of him there just manages man even though it’s tough because he competitive you want to be out there and you want to fight through those you the training staffs only give you 24 minutes but like yo I can go another five four minutes but in

Reality you can’t go because you got to um manage that injury and uh for for longevity what we thinking playoffs and and so on and so on so uh just the patience of it is was hard but now I think that we High over a week or so

With it you know we can like take more steps he can take more steps with time and uh it’s been helping out and seeing him close games is good for us you see what he did today what did you see that kind of made the defense do a 180 uh I

Mean at the end day I think it was a pride thing you know obviously us coming in we didn’t give up we didn’t feel as though we gave full effort in that first half and our main emphasis coming back out was to make it tough for him and

Make sure that we’re locking into our principles one of the highlights of the night maybe of the year was your block can you take us through that play uh I mean he got I think he got hit with like a back screen and obviously one of our

Principles is if it’s a back screen we switch it and I was kind of late to it but I end up getting it at the rim and I guess I blocked it at that point take us through the offensive performance here for you guys 63% really unrelenting all

Night uh I think pretty much I know he going to hate it but most of it came from TJ you know it was like a stretch where the second unit was in and TJ scored like maybe I guess eight or 10 straight points for us and you know

Obviously TJ’s a m in the in the paint so his paint game is kind of tough to stop so pretty much it all goes to him because once we got stops on the other end TJ just took over on offensive four games until you hit the allstar break

What’s the key what’s the significance to closing out this strong here uh pretty much to stay locked in cuz we know um usually around Allstar break everybody gets starts to get in that relaxed mode a lot of teams and a lot of teams you can sneak up on a lot of teams

And get wins like that and obviously our main goal is to get as many wins as possible until until it’s time to relax you know because I mean at the end of the day this is going to count and this is going to help us later on in the season

Tyrese Haliburton, Rick Carlisle, Pascal Siakam, Buddy Hield and Jalen Smith speak with media following the Pacers win against the Rockets on Tuesday night.

0:00 – Tyrese Haliburton
8:35 – Rick Carlisle
17:13 – Pascal Siakam
23:23 – Buddy Hield
27:51 – Jalen Smith