Indiana Pacers Postgame Media Availability | November 24, 2025

Indiana Pacers Postgame Media Availability | November 24, 2025

It’s a tough league. What did you make of the fight late after, you know, falling behind by that much to be able to get back in and have a chance to tie? Yeah, the second half was was terrific. Um, the first half we didn’t we didn’t play well. Uh, they played great. Um, we had some controllable things that we didn’t do well and you know at 16 points at halftime and we had we threw away two balls in transition. You know those are controllable. We had situations where we were fouling unnecessarily. Those are things that we need to fix. You know second half we we played with a lot more presence and it it was uh the difference was obvious. I know it’s not hasn’t been about stats for you with Jarus, but he did have quite a few of them tonight. What did you like about his process and the way he played today? Yeah, he played well. What uh what do you think has just changed from him since Ben’s got him back? It seems like there’s been he’s been kind of in more comfortable situations. He’s been more efficient. What’s Jarus? I feel like since Ben’s been back, he’s come off the bench a little bit. It seems like he’s been in some uh situations where he’s been a little more comfortable. He’s been a little more efficient. Certainly seemed like he was more efficient tonight. How has Ben coming back changed things? And also just how have you seen his approach change? How has Ben coming back changed Jarus? Jarus. Yes. Yeah. I I don’t I’m not sure about that. Um but look, we need everybody. Um Jarus really gave us a lift in the second half. Um and we need what he can do. You know, he he’s uh he can he can make shots on the perimeter. Uh he drove the ball well. um he has the ability to be a differencemaking defender and rebounder and he showed that uh some in the second half. And I think with everybody on our team, you know, everything’s got to start with your level of of presence, your your disposition, um defensively, um friction, all those kinds of things. And then, you know, offense flows from there. Um, you know, it’s a hard league to score in right now. And the the best thing to help you score is is stops and rebounds. But you mentioned him driving. Uh, it it seemed like he got he got to the rim, I think, for three three big layups in that stretch. Just what did you like about um it seems like sometimes he stopped for floaters in the past. It seemed like he was really had some conviction getting to the rim tonight and finishing there. What did you like about his drive game and how have you seen him grow as far as far as driving the basketball is concerned? Yeah, I he was taking he was taking direct angles at the hoop. Um, you know, his his outside shooting is is a is is an enormous threat. So, people are coming up on him and that that opens up wider gaps and the opportunities to read the defense and and drive and and get downhill. So yeah, I mean those those situations um are are awesome for us and for him and we just got to try to facilitate ways to create more of them. TJ obviously has been working his way back through this hamstring thing. I mean, what did you just It seemed like this was kind of the freshest he’s been maybe physically. What did you like about his game and how much did do you think just the steals he got, especially in that stretch, help key the rest of that group and get everybody going? Well, you know, he he’s a major um he’s a he’s of major importance to us because of the energy he brings, how he sparks the crowd at home. Um he gives his teammates a lift with whatever is happening, you know, good or bad. He’s just an upbeat guy, you know. So, and um it’s pretty clear that he’s starting to feel a lot better and a lot more in rhythm and uh you know there’s no NBA player that isn’t a rhythm player on some level and and it’s important and so he’s worked hard at it. Um he played great tonight. He kind of kind of got to the point where you know he was pretty well spent and so um we got to get him recharged for the next one. Just how important was it to get I guess a lot of contributions from a lot of guys tonight? We talked the other night about there wasn’t a whole lot of production from the bench or the guys outside of Ben and Andrew and TJ and Pascal. You know, you had some big buckets from Jay Huff from Jeremiah Robinson Earl. We talked about Jarrison TJ. Just what did it mean to get a lot of guys involved tonight? Yeah, I mean this is this is a we thing. This is an us thing. Um and you know difficult difficult times. um we really got to be together and in the second half we were um but there’s some avoidable things that we’ve got to do better with. You know, there was there was a like less than 30 seconds in the second quarter where um Jay picks up an illegal screening foul where he just moves slightly but it’s a foul. And then the next time down he he goes up to block a shot on Duncan Robinson and comes down like this instead of just staying vertical. And you know, those are those are discipline things and and it it was him in those two particular instances, but we’re having similar type things that that happened throughout the game that that we need to avoid. I guess what do you guys think you did well as far as correcting that? I mean, I think you mentioned we talked about third quarters after the last game and you said we got to do better at halftime. What do you think you guys did better to cut down on some of those in the second half and sort of I guess refocus everybody? I mean, we had it we had it down, I think, to eight and then it ended up being 13 at at the end of the quarter, you know, and we, you know, we we’ve just got to work to to maintain a consistent disposition on the game. So, in other words, it’s always better to play from in front when you can. Um, you know, last week against Charlotte, we were able to do that. Um and and right now, you know, we’re playing we’re playing good teams that are hot and so you when you dig a hole and then and then you’re able to get almost out of the hole and then they make that 40 or 5 run right back at you, it’s it’s a killer. So, you everything’s connected. Everything’s connected. Um you know, I really believe our guys understand that and they’re all trying. You know, they’re all trying. Maybe they’re in some ways maybe they’re trying too hard, you know. Um but we we’ve got to just be fearless and just let it all hang out. Um it’s it’s always nice making shots, you know, especially when you put so much time and effort into it each and every day. So it’s it’s nice. I mean, a win would have been nicer, but it’s part of it. Rick keeps telling us with you about process and all the things that he’s having you work on tonight. For example, he talked about straight line drives. So, in a game like this, where where do you feel like you had your successes and as you’ve worked through the process, those things that you’ve really been working on with him? What do you feel like clicked for you today? Um, I feel like just um just not thinking. Not the word I was looking for, but just not thinking, just kind of just just hooping, being in kind of a flow state, and then just whatever happens from there, just accept it, learn, and then move on. As a team, you guys have almost every game had it feels like one stretch, like today was the second quarter where it’s 256 Pistons. What what to you is the reason that keeps happening for you guys or what can you do to prevent that from being a trend? Um I feel like it always starts with our defense. Um just got to defend at a high level no matter what’s happening on the offensive side. Um just let that defense carry us um even when we’re not scoring. So we could work on that and always grow in that area. Oh J the driving, I guess. What I think you were able to get to the rim all three times. I think in the past you’ve settled for some floaters sometimes and just what did you what what do you feel I got better tonight and what have you like really tried to to dive in on as far as driving the basketball and getting into the rim? Yeah, I would just say reps and the feel, you know, I’m obviously playing more this year, getting more opportunities. Um I’m out there on the floor more. So, I mean, just the more night in night out, just playing um driving the ball each night, getting to the free throw line, did it tonight, but um just continue to to learn myself, keep the game simple, and just um make quick uh quick decisions. What Rick always talks about playing with force and playing with, you know, confidence and and conviction and stuff like that. Do you feel like you’ve improved in that regard, especially the last couple games? Is that something you feel like you’ve you’ve dialed up a little bit and and how, I guess, do you feel like you’ve done that? Um yeah, I definitely feel like that’s growing. Um just that force that intent um and just that that’s really the word I was looking for just intent just know what I want to get to um knowing what I’m doing on the floor and then just having a positive impact on both sides. What’s what do you think’s changed for you since Ben Matine got back? I mean obviously you’ve come off the bench a little bit more. There’s it seems like you’ve you’ve found kind of a comfort level since then. I mean would you agree with that? basically. Do you feel like you’ve it’s put you in a role that fits or not? Or or am I making that up out of nowhere? N you might be making that up. But um I feel like it’s just just more reps and just getting more consistent. You know, it’s a long season. It’s a lot of ups and downs. Um maybe when Ben was out, I might have been down and he’s back. I guess it looks like I’m up, but I mean, it’s just part of the process. Um but I mean, obviously, he’s a great player. um he frees up the floor. Um the defense is definitely keyed on him um because he’s a great high level player. Um so I feel like when the defense focus is focused on a guy like that definitely makes my job a lot easier. What do you think just having TJ back and and him playing back I guess into conditioning has done for the second unit. How do you feel like you guys are operating better as a group? Um yeah, I just feel like we’re getting better shots. Our offense is more in control. um less free flowing, but even though we have play calls, we still know that um he’s a guy we got to give him the ball, give him space, let him get downhill, let him create. So, it definitely takes the pressure off of us um us wings just trying to get downhill, make plays every possession. I’m just having a guy like that that could do it so easily, so free willing. So, definitely definitely a great piece of back. Just want to go back one more thing. Where do you feel like you’ve where do you feel like you’ve grown defensively over the course of this? Just the assignments you’ve had, playing with more force, where do you feel like you’ve come along in that regard? Yeah, I would just say being more physical on that side. Um, use my body. Um, pressing up into people, firing over ball screens, fighting over chess screens, whatever it may be. But just staying solid, just staying in between, um, my man and the ball. Yeah, I don’t know. I think, you know, this time making a little bit of runs. um our offense, you know, gets a little un unorganized and and you know, all of a sudden one mistakes and and like it just keeps on going, you know, like we have to find a way to to stop that. And um when they make a little run, get get organized on offense, you know, trying to stop the run. Um but it’s yeah, it’s it’s tough. We got to we can’t have those those moments in the game because you know if we can just keep the game at a you know at a distance you know I feel like we can we can always give ourselves an opportunity to win but when when the game goes like the other way pretty quickly like that it’s it’s hard to recover from it. Just watch one of your videos where you talked about patience giving yourself and your teammates grace. How hard has that been for you this year? Uh yeah it’s been it’s been challenging. Um, I think I naturally I’m just I’ve always been most of the time been a part of, you know, like winning and um and so it’s it’s it’s hard. It’s hard when you’re losing. Um, I want to be the best version of myself. I want to I want to, you know, be better. Like I promise you, that’s the first thing I do every time I the game is over. It’s like, what what can I do better? Um, how can I be better for the team? Um because at the end of the day like all I care about is really winning. And um just being in a position where you feel like you know you’re not getting the wins. It’s it’s it’s hard. It’s tough. And um I have to just have a positive attitude about it. Continue to find different ways every single day to be better. Like that’s that’s that’s what it is. It’s it’s not I can’t run from it. Um and I think that you know I think in this period of time a lot of people you know run from that from that situation. and you know, you go hide. Like, we can’t hide. Like, you know, this is this is the NBA. We we in front of it. Like, we got to we got to be able to to tackle it and um fight every single day. I’m just trying to get out of this situation. And and for me personally, I’m just Yeah, it’s a hard situation because I I want to win so bad and I want to I I you know, I I do everything for that and and when you don’t get that, it’s it’s it’s hard. So, I have to continue to be a leader, a better leader. Um find ways to bring guys together. Um, so I it’s it’s my fight every single day. How does that make a game like tonight feel where winning is very central to you, but you know, you guys did show fight, you did, you know, have some things go better, but it didn’t end it. Yeah, I think I think, you know, obviously when you look at the second half, you know, you just you know that we had capable of doing these things. So, um, I think that’s what makes it harder because it’s like, you know, why aren’t we doing it, you know, for four quarters? Um and and that consistency is what’s needed to win. Um and we’ve done it in the past. Obviously, we have a lot of different people out there playing, but um we have to continue to aim for for that and and there’s no excuse that like that fight every single game. Teams are getting better around the league. And um and I said that the other day, it’s like teams that you beat up before, you know, they’re coming for you. They don’t care what your what your record is. They don’t care who’s out there playing. They don’t care about none of that. Um they see us and they, you know, they they want blood. So, we got to be able to to go out there and with that mindset in mind and and fight like we did in the second half. Um and have that for multiple quarters and and that’s the only way out of it. You know, I think I I know that it’s going to end. There’s going to be some good moments coming. Um but it’s going to take us making it happen. Um, you know, we can’t just expect the storm to end like we have to do something about it. Pasco Jerus is a guy that you’ve obviously done a lot of work with personally. Just what did it mean to see him take a step tonight after just some of the struggles that he’s gone through so far this year? Um, yeah. I think uh wish I told him is I thought I thought today he just looked comfortable like I mean obviously it’s a make a miss league, right? So you miss shots, you know, we look at you like the worst player in the world. You make shots and you’re the best thing since sliced breads, right? So, it’s like at the end of the day, like it it is a make a miss league, but I I just thought his process was was really good. I told him after the game, I think I can count the number of dribbles he had, you know, like he just kept the game simple. Um, make the right play, you open, let it fly. Um, you don’t have it, keep moving it. You make a decision to drive, drive strong, finish. If you don’t have it, pass it. like just as simple, you know, like I think a lot of times as skill, you know, when you have so much skill, like you know, you think that you need to show it all at once. Like it sometimes it just takes the simple like just be simple, look at the game, do what’s there. And um and and again, you know, he made shots, so I’m sure that that’s that that helps a lot. But but I think the process of it is the is more important because there’s going to be games where you’re not going to make shots, but if your process is the same and you have that energy on offense and defense, like you can go back home and be okay with your with your with your effort out there on the court. So, I thought his process was really good, his energy. Um, and that’s the way he has to play. I wanted to dive into what you said about driving. It seemed like he got to the rim rather than taking a floater or something like that more than he has. And I know you talked to him in the beginning of the year about just having a purpose with every dribble you take. I mean, just what did you see from him tonight? Yeah, as far as driving the basketball. Yeah, like I said, I thought I thought it was it looked simple. It looked it looked like you make the play that’s there and when you decide to drive it, you know, make a strong drive. And um no waste of dribbles. It’s something that I keep preaching to him and um you know, I I think obviously he’s going through a lot and and and people I’m sure um I expected a lot of things from him. Um, but I I just feel like I always feel like when you have the right mindset about the game, man, and and you do it the right way, it always it always comes around and and um I just feel like for him that’s that’s what he has to do. Be free, play ball like you’ve been doing it your whole life, so this this ain’t nothing. Do you think coming off the bench has helped him find a comfort level rather? I mean, it just seemed like when it was just you and him and Aaron, it seemed he had to take a lot of shots. It seems like he’s Does he have to force less and has that allowed him to be in comfort? I don’t think he has to force anything and and and and to me I think that’s that’s what’s going to take him to that to that next step. Like don’t feel like you have to overdo it. Um especially the way we play like you you can find yourself in great positions all the time if you just keep it simple and and as you continue to grow all the little the things that you have in your in your bag is going to come out eventually and um you just can’t force it to come out. What do you think? What’s it meant to have TJ get back and get back to health? I guess he seems to be being closer to himself. What does that do for everybody else that Yeah, TJ TJ is is a workhorse. Like he he wants to be his best self, but you know, he forgets that he, you know, he older and and and he had an hing injury, right? So, it’s like you you want to go out there and just be TJ right away, but it takes time. So, um, and and I always try to tell them just be patient with yourself. Like, give yourself grace because we know what you can do, but you know, you can’t you can’t rush the process and, um, you’re going to be you’re going to get back and it’s is I’m glad to see him, you know, blow by people, do what he TJ does, but he’s just getting healthy, right? So, that’s just what it is. And, um, sometimes you can you can get caught up in mix and misses and wanting to be yourself right away, but just you forget about the things that happened before.

Head Coach Rick Carlisle, Jarace Walker and Pascal Siakam speak with the media following the Pacers 122-117 loss to the Pistons on Monday night.

0:00 – Rick Carlisle
6:36 – Jarace Walker
10:28 – Pascal Siakam