Indiana Pacers Postgame Media Availability (vs. Dallas Mavericks) | February 25, 2024

Indiana Pacers Postgame Media Availability (vs. Dallas Mavericks) | February 25, 2024

Well tough game and you know I think the key of of the whole game was the fourth quarter when they got it to four and you know we called timeout and um and our guys that had been in the game um responded I think with uh with a 9-2

Run um that put the game back in our control and so they showed a lot of uh a lot of wherewithal a lot of fortitude not an easy situation Irvings hot and going crazy you know um but they they uh they held the line and that was

Big that specific moment when the Mavs are making a comeback what is it what goes into the decision for you as a coach to leave in that group of five Off the Bench that had a good first T it wasn’t playing well right then versus

Make Subs you I just I just believe in those guys you know um they’ve been too important to us all year long um I just told him the time out I said said we’re okay here’s what we got to do we got to get a couple of really good shots and

You know we’ll we’re going to make it harder on Kyrie and and they did they did exactly that so I’m proud I’m proud of those guys otherwise our our starters were headed for a boatload of minutes and and this this helps us a little bit for tomorrow night but um look Dallas a

Great great team you it’s you know donic is just you know he’s just so great and Irving is almost impossible too it’s you know um but we just tried to make it hard on him and and our guys played hard miles got to the foul line more than he

Has in three years tonight 33 points what did you see from him in terms of getting to his spots or the team finding him in the right places how did he get going so well for you guys well he rebounded tonight uh very well again um you know he had double double

Last game tonight he had eight um and he he was putting pressure on the rim both with with Rim runs and with rolls off pick and rolls and so um you know Tyrese is so good at hitting him at at at precisely the right moment that he’s

He’s able to cause a lot of damage in there cause a lot of problems allowed to get SP or was it all just him and tyres reading the open well you know Tyrese is getting a lot of aggressive coverage on pick and rolls and so our rollers are really

Important because they’re either going to have the shot or the rim attack or they’re going to make the next pass which is the key pass so um and look it’s it it it can be frustrating you know if you’re a guy like Tai that is is getting this this kind of coverage every

Night but he plays the right way he finds guys at the right time and um you know it was it was a big very big key to this game you obviously mentioned luk and and Kyrie and just trying to make a tough on him seemed like Andrew really

Did that whenever he had he had both of those assignments some time or another just would you like about him all around the night he was also seven of eight uh would impress you about the presence he brought defensively well I I thought I thought n har and Maan were both great I

Mean you know matthan had 14 points and 11 rebounds and he he made a couple of rebounds and traffic that were really big there was one play where they threw a lob and he went up and stole it from PJ Washington at a pivotal time in the

Game that was huge um and he made key shots at Key times and um look Drew is the guy that everybody takes a little bit for granted you know he’s he’s going to he’s going to press up in the pick and rolls he’s going to play it physical um he

Does a lot of the Dirty Work and uh he’s you know quietly gotten in a in a real offensive Groove too so a lot of good things happening I get to stay on that point I was G to ask about that next what’s what do you think’s gotten better

For him offensively in terms of getting his spots hitting the shots that he wants just how do you think he’s he’s made he’s got himself into that grp well good health is always a big determinant of how well you’re playing offensively with rhythm um you know he’s continued

To stay the course with the work he’s done on his long range shooting and you know I told him recently you know that I do not look at at Stats I look at process I look at how guys are stepping into shots and you know I said you know

With with what you’ve been through with being in in it in and out and in and out you just got to stay the course and you got to keep believing in the work that you’re doing and and and and that right now those things are are coming to

Fruition so it’s it’s great to see you know it really is big part of that 9-2 run you mentioned was a couple of Threes by Ben Shepard obviously he goes five of six from the field five of five from three ton I just what continue I guess

Impresses you about him just what he’s been able to do on both ends of the Poise I guess that he’s showing uh in some of these key spots when he’s getting a lot of minnes for a young guy he’s he’s a he’s a very good he’s a very

Good system player and he stays in the process you know he’s he’s unfazed by the moment um and if there’s a good shot he takes it if not he keeps it moving um defensively you know he does a good job with his length and with his feet um and

Has been pretty good with avoiding fouls for a rookie and look we need him right now you know with with Aaron out I don’t think aon’s going to play tomorrow um and you know he he played a key role in the fourth quarter in Toronto last week

And um you know we’re GNA need him and everybody else tomorrow coach we might describe this as a complete game I don’t know if you would use that exact word as a coach with things you can always clean up but with so many players seeming to give you an efficient contribution konight how

Exactly would you would you describe it from I guess from a whole team perspective you know the whole game for us was about our Edge our competitiveness you know we wanted uh to be up the floor making it making it difficult you know our guys did you know

Virtually the whole game and we just wanted to stay aggressive and not look at the scoreboard you know and just and just play the game and play just play our game you know so um I thought we did it well um you know you’re never going

To have an easy game against a team like Dallas I mean they’re going to make a run and get it to four and then you’re going to have to respond and so our second unit did our starters came back in and made a few plays and then we were

Able to get them out so um you know we’ll we’ll uh load up and get ready for tomorrow defend Luka a lot defend Kyrie a lot I mean what goes into a game like this for you in terms of mentality and like focusing on a bunch of little dirty

Work kind of things um just just doing anything I can help to help my team win Miles Turner uh season high and scoring tonight Rick just talked about tie with you when you’re getting trapped like that to have him be such an option inside end out is so valuable how have

You felt that kind of connection grow especially as the defensive pressure on you has changed throughout the season yeah I mean I think that a team like Dallas they were living with that shot uh they were blitzing trusting that they had the weak side rotation and you know

Living with the mid-range two from miles and he makes that a consistent clip so we just kept going at it uh the whole third quarter basically we just didn’t really run much just a lot of high pick and roll and play out of that um you

Know I think just allowing you know I think that just sometimes my gravity bringing two guys off you know and then having guys like Ben and miles and Pascal and Drew and all the other guys we have on our roster to make plays out of it and I think that you know the

First time that we saw this was against La in the you know in the tournament and then now teams are have been starting to do that against us more consistently so we’ve had uh some some good experience with it you know throughout throughout this year you him have any sort of

Signal on popping versus rolling does he make the call when there’s space do you tell him where you think is better how does that all work out the feel it’s just just feel it’s just growing chemistry together understanding who the low man is um you know sometimes when

It’s a you know a a bigger dude uh you know as the low man then he might not roll as much but if it’s a guard like it is a lot it was a lot today then we want him to roll because he can he can create

A seal and then if we play off the skip then that that that causes confusion so uh it’s really just field depending on how the game is going just to kind of stick on Mouse for a second I just you know how great of a luxury is it to have

A guy that that has that option and that he can score all three levels basically as a big can hit the mid-range can hit the three you know can get to the rim like that when you’ve got that in your pocket when you’re playing on the pick

And roll game just how important is it to have that variety yeah it’s it’s been a lot of fun um really interesting for me uh just because when I first came in the league playing with Shan Holmes uh I envisioned my my perfect pairing just

Being a lot big you know just a guy who played Above the Rim uh set screens in roll like guys like you know Daniel Gafford guys guys like that and so playing with Miles has been interesting because that’s not really what he does he’s not a lob guy he pops he’s a good

Finisher he’s got good hands so um you know that’s been the interesting part in in in growing our our relationship and and and our our team you know teamwork on the court so uh it’s been interesting but I couldn’t imagine it being any different like it’s it’s such a such a

Plus that you don’t think of until you until you have it you know and I couldn’t imagine not having a big that could space the floor like that so uh it really helps me Ben want to go back to just guarding luuk and just what was

What was it like just kind of growing through that assignment through the course of the game what did you kind of have to figure out about learning how to defend him and how do you feel like you got better over the course of the game

Um just pretty I mean you know he’s a great player so pretty much just adjusting um to knowing you know knowing who he is you know um knowing that he has second and third moves uh second you know thrust moves so pretty much just trying to stay down and pump picks um

You know and KN one knowing his game you feel like you got a lot better at that as far as just not playing into I guess the second and third moves I mean what did you have to do to sure I mean I think in the first quarter he got me

Once Kyrie got me once so pretty much the Justus thing um knowing who they are like I said um just playing hard what the I like obviously when you hit shots obviously that kind of works on both sides of the floor get build your confidence up how how big was it for you

To get knock a couple down how much do you think that helped you on on both sides of the floor um you know I’m going to be honest I went in the game you know just minding on defense I was you know given the assignment you know to to help

You know and contain as much as I can luuka and Kyrie and you know I just feel like you know Ty told me you just just I just you know to to let the game come to me so pretty much that was the second thing but trying to keep the game

Simple been dealing with injuries for most of this year and seems like it’s taken a while to find some offensive Rhythm tonight though seven of eight it looks like he’s starting to find out his shot you know figure out kind of what he’s doing on that end obviously played

Pretty good defense how have you seen him just grow especially lately as he’s you know gotten back into good help yeah I think that I mean obviously what Drew did last year starting basically the whole year you know as a rookie wasn’t really expected to play then coming into

This year where the role was kind of undefined as that the backup point guard and now moving back to what he was doing last year and that’s playing guard you know starting guard with me um I think it’s been interesting for him and I think it’s just about gaining his rhythm

Like you said he’s been hurt dealing with some back stuff all that stuff um and now that he’s fully healthy I I think that he’s been playing really well defensively he does what he does that’s not you know that’s not going to change game to game uh but I think just like

Any NBA player all it comes down to is just a confidence thing like that can separate people and I think that’s why it’s allowing him to play so well right now he just has a lot of confidence in his game a lot of swagger to his game

And I think that that’s allowing him to uh be so successful as a late um can you both kind of speak to um Shephard had some really big shots tonight um speak to just his growth the growth that you’ve seen over the course of the season from

Him yeah I think that the game is Just slowing down for him a little bit uh not not anything crazy but I do think that you know he’s starting to come into his own a little bit I think that the g-league experience has helped him a lot

You know just gaining confidence um and I’m always we’re all we’re all always on him just to look at The Rim like sometimes he’s just playing at 150 miles an hour and he’s running up and down the floor and never even looks at the hoop

So uh you even saw it today on his first catch in the corner Kyrie didn’t even put his hand up and I don’t think Shep even knew he didn’t at The Rim uh so I I I think for him it’s just keeping his confidence there um you know and

Everything else will fall into play but I think for him is just maintaining if he’s playing if he’s not playing whatever the case is on a night toight basis just locking in paying attention and being ready when his number is called and I think that him and jarus

Can both relate there um you know to be ready when their number is called and a lot of the other guys who who aren’t playing right now um just be ready when it’s called because we got a very deep bench and you know injuries and all that

Stuff happen throughout the course of a year Ben when coach was in here earlier he said this game was all about your grit I asked you since you’re in the thick of it you get 11 rebounds tonight I mean what does it take to to show that grit I

Mean day in and day out in the NBA knowing you’re playing teams like Dallas you know they’re going to give you a a punch down the down the stretch and kind of make it close even when you have a little bit of a a gap there sure I mean

I think the main thing is to never let up you know they’re a great team you know they won seven in a row before coming over here um and you know we have a goal so um pretty much just trying to stick to it stick to it um you know and

I mean the main thing for me is just you know trying to help the team win trying to do it you know everything I can um and just sticking to the plan Jeremiah thank you this game was 10400 and then the Pacers going a 20 to4 run and it was

The bench unit that got it started and then the starters came in and kind of finish the deal what did you see that really kind of changed the course of the game there on the fourth um I think we just did we stuck to our identity we did

What we do we played Pace on offense moved the ball trusted in each other and then defensively we just played hard know those two guys are going to make tough shots but you just got to keep trying to make them take those tough shots and uh see if they don’t fall it

Kind of felt like a typical game for you when things are going well you’re making life difficult defensively and the shot was falling how would you evaluate your night thought it was a good night for me I think I did my job you guys continue to stack together wins against some of

The top teams in the NBA as you continue to gather victories like this what does it do for the confidence here in the locker room it does good things it does good things I think um we’re all understanding the importance of this last 25 or so games and we want

To come together and grow as a team um and make a push for that playoff so I think it’s good for our confidence being a team that’s on the seven game win streak like that back to backs at times have been a challenge for this team this

Year You’ got another one coming up Toronto here tomorrow what are you looking to see here as you turn things around pretty quickly oh I think just maturity I think we got to be mature and come to work and do our job we don’t need to worry about if it’s a back

Toback or not need to win the game Jeremiah thank you this game kind of felt a little perilous as Dallas cuts the lead to four with Carlile takes a timeout but he trusts that second Unity keeps you guys in there you reward him with a couple threes Obi hits one the

Game kind of changes immediately can you take me through that really key stretch of the game from your perspective yeah coach was super positive through that little run they went through um he after he called that timeout he was just basically like we’re good we’re fine uh

Trust you guys we came out there and kind of gained a little bit big of a lead for the first year to come out and finish the game for us so uh it’s good team basketball we played today and it was a good it was a good time so Some

Nights the shots fall sometimes they don’t but a five for five night really stands out for you get some congratulation here in the locker room um what was working for you here against the Mavericks I mean I didn’t even hit the rim uh it felt good I don’t know you

Just have days like that as a shooter but um that was good for my confidence um going into the rest of the season so it’s cool yeah I wanted to ask you about that because Rick is using you more in defense and is a key part of that but if

The shot making can can follow it has to really add to the confidence in what he provides in putting you out on the floor definitely um 3 and D that prototype in the league is just such a sought after type player and um I’m trying to get to

That point and um just show my defense my three-point ability is very effective for teams so back-to-backs have been a little bit of a challenge for this team this year you’ve got another crack at one here coming up tomorrow Toronto in the building what’s it going to take

Here for the Pacers to win both of these uh just stay together um not not get too high not get too low um obviously this was a great win but we still got work to do tomorrow and um we’re ready for it and it should be a fun night tomorrow

How are you feeling in the course of this season right now and what does it mean to have this kind of trust from your teammates as it’s got to this point yeah it definitely feels good um five five night some Shooters have those type of nights and U just felt good

Everything that came out of my hand felt good today but uh not getting too high not getting too low keep it rolling and uh keep playing with confidence so and they’re telling you to be aggressive with your shot I mean you have any moments in the game where you’re still

Like thinking and hesitating a bit or is it getting more natural for you to just catch it and step into what my you did today it’s definitely getting more natural but um when I check in sometimes I got to get a feel for the ball first

Before I let that first one go but um you just stay ready being shot ready at all times so what um I I think Tai said it was just telling you to look at the room more I mean is that something that you have to get used to is just to say like

You know to think first that you’re you’re looking to shoot I mean my bad I mean yeah I guess so um especially everyone my whole team knows like shoot the ball and sometimes I don’t show that so just being more aggressive and uh looking at the room just like Ty says

So go ahead they had to four there at the start of the fourth quarter Rick stuck with that second unit you ward in with a couple big shots just what’s it mean to have the confidence of your coach to to stick with that group there that means a lot um he brought us

Together it was just like we’re good we’re fine I trust you guys and uh the second unit came out and provided a kind of bigger lead for the first unit to come in and close the game so um it was cool that he trusted us like that and uh just playing team basketball

Miles can score inside and out like that how much does that change what everybody else can do around him because he was out there was so significant for you guys today yeah he’s so verstile as a player and I think he’s a tough match up

For any team in the NBA and um what he’s able to do off picking rolls popping getting threes getting people good looks that just does a lot works wonders for our offense and uh we’re all happy to play with a guy like miles Ben coming in tonight I mean Dallas 17 straight just

What was your attitude as a team knowing that hey you’re playing a team that was kind of on fire right now yeah they’re a great team team um they’ve been hot ever since that deadline um but we’re confident in who we are and especially they’re here in Indie and uh we just

Felt good and uh we were confident in what we could do today so coach was saying there’s a lot about your grit even though Dallas came back there in the fourth quarter maybe been four you guys were able a pull away at the end would you describe this team as as a

Gritty team and what does it take to be gritty in the NBA on a night and Night Out basis I definitely would describe this team as a gritty team uh coaches always talking about hard play and what that means to this organization and uh every time we go on the floor we just

Got to play hard hard play for each other and uh yeah just play Pier basketball so the school only scored 108 they shot 45% from d and what defensively was working so well for you guys in this one against a team that are won seven in a row entering today yeah

Trying to slow down guys like Luca and Kyrie um they’re great players but trying to take away the role players um what they’re getting done on the floor so I’m just slowing down those guys and impairing the role players I guess was the biggest key to today’s game so you

Had some you had Kyrie for a couple positions how what was that like basically what’s what’s it you know that’s obviously a big challenge what do you go in there thinking basically what do you feel like you did well when you when you had to yeah I respect Kyrie’s

Game so much especially growing up watching him um was a pretty cool moment to be guarding him today but um obviously when I’m on the court I’m not really thinking about that but he is a very tough matchup super skilled super Shifty but um yeah I feel like I held my

Own so is it craftier when you’re guarding him than when you see it on TV definitely definitely tonight was about your grit as a team even though they kind of came back in the fourth for a bit you guys were able to to hold B there would you describe this team as a

Gritty team how what what makes a team in particular gritty than others perhaps um it’s just a disposition and your mindset you know what I mean I think that um for the most part it’s something we’ve been trying to build upon you know all season long a lot of stuff starts

With our defense and our mentality you know going into that and um I think as a as a whole you know the message has been clear these last you know 25 24 games whatever it is you know what our goals are and um you know it’s so we got to

Take things one game at a time and we’re able to come out with a good one today when a lot of different players are contributing you score a season High Shephard’s hitting threes tyres of course doing what he does Ma’s getting 11 rebounds what does that feel like we

Might call it a complete game I’m sure you guys know that there’s things you can improve on always but but how would you describe what it feels like out there when everyone’s contributing yeah I mean in my opinion there thing is a perfect game there’s always stuff you

Can improve upon but I just think our guys did a good job just with our resiliency tonight and I think that they have some special players over there when they start to make you know plays it can get discouraging but you know we stay the course and um uh I really think

That our second unit you know they really H it down to that as well you had that season eye 33 Rick and Ty were kind of talking about how you and Ty playing off of each other led to a lot of that as he’s getting trapped and you finding

The right spots what has gone into your reads when he’s TJ what does gun into your reads when you seeing that pressure when it’s popping or rolling or attacking a small whatever it may be um I think the guys’s been on me just making emphasis to get around get around

The basket and whatnot and um you know I try to just um I don’t know cert myself there a little more tonight you can always read when to pop or shoot your threes and whatnot but you know I think the team needs to be more of a presence

Down low and um honestly just whatever the team needs at this point you know they need me to go down there and shoot and shoot that’s um stay by the pass and do that as well so I first of my game and I’m a three level scorer and I try

Just to you know you know displ my strengths how much of that being around the basket let you 12 free throw attempts for you today most you’ve had in three or four years yeah um just aggressiveness man I tricked that one off you know I was trying to go from the

Line but you I look right at my dad when I did it too like um but uh yeah no just um well being around the basket you know it’s a result of that obviously and just um you know making yourself more Pres down there something about go against

Dallas you still really love even this late in your career yeah man be for Texas man shout out I know everybody know everybody back home is watching everybody in back HB was smooth and um you know it was just a it was a good opportunity for me tonight how do you

Just see that continue the partnership between you and Tai on the screen and real stuff on on the pick stuff improving over time in terms of what you’re going to do find you just experience you know playing more together um I think Tai is a special

Player I mean I think we um you know it’s like it’s almost we have like we have a Synergy like I know where he’s going to pass it before he passes it he knows where I’m going to go before I go and that type of stuff just comes with

You know playing off each other and just establishing a relationship together so um you know things have been good for us you and um continue to keep improving upon it last few years after the allar break you’ve dealt with a few injuries the team’s been destined for the lottery damn

We what’s it what’s it mean for you to keep back playing meaningful games this time of year yeah no it feels great honestly just contributing towards something bigger than myself you know I think the biggest goal for all of us in here is to get to the playoffs and you

Know uh be effective and you know make a run in the playoffs so um being a contributing factor to that is something that means a lot to me I know it means a lot to the city so just continue put on and uh you know be the best version of

Myself only 108 for that Dallas team who’d been red hot recently they still shot well from three what do you think clicks so well for you guys defensively throughout the night today um just I feel like just not getting discouraged you know I feel like um you know you got

Guys great Playmakers like Luca and Kyrie out there making you know hellacious shots at times you know like I said it can get discouraging but but I think we all kind of just bunkered in you know was times where we bickered at each other but you all came out of love

And that’s the best thing about it you know we can get on each other and hold each other accountable and um you know still be able to move forward and um you know expect the best from each other so like I said it just comes with um like

Playing well together I sorry playing together with that experience resiliency and just continuing to um you know up the anti a bit bunch of young guys had those primary assignments whether it was Drew whether it was Ben Matan or Shepard you know I think each had a turn on

Either luk or kyri or both I think through in particular just what impress about how each of those guys brought some presence to those matchups and you know fought them made them work yeah I mean I think it’s just the I mean our intensity within the second unit with

Our younger guys is something that’s definitely take note of you know I think guys are fearless you know guys um put in so many hours in the gym and um a lot of a lot of that game shows when they’re out there hooping so um I’m proud I’m

Proud of Chef tonight especially you know he came out there he plays his role so well plays with a lot of energy um I think he went five for five tonight you know his career highs you know across the board I mean it’s just uh it’s cool

For him to get that experience so early you know I think that that’s one of the best things that helped me in my career is you know my rookie year and my early year is getting out there to be able to play um early and um you know contribute

To a winning team you know playoff team and I’m glad he’s getting that experience

Rick Carlisle, Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard, Ben Sheppard and Myles Turner speak with the media following the Pacers win over the Mavericks on Sunday night.

0:00 – Rick Carlisle
6:39 – Tyrese Haliburton & Bennedict Mathurin
13:39 – Andrew Nembhard
14:59 – Ben Sheppard
19:56 – Myles Turner