Rick Carlisle To Rebuild Pacers On Solid Defense

Returning Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle says he wants to get the team playing better defense next season. 

Last season, the Pacers missed the playoffs for the first time in six years with a 34-38 regular season record.

Nate Borkgren was fired as head coach in June in what was a failed experiment. Luckily for the Indiana Pacers, Rick Carlisle became available.

The noise coming out of the organisation makes one thing clear: The Indiana Pacers want to win now.

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“This is my kind of team. As I look at the roster and as I’ve talked to all these guys, I have an even greater feeling that it’s a group of guys I will have a blast working with,” Rick Carlisle said.

“I like the way they’re talking. We’re going to find a way to play better defense and we’ve got to get back to the playoffs and win in the playoffs.”

He plans to do this by getting the most out of the Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis combination. 

“My goal with this group is to develop it to a point where we take great joy in getting good shots on the offensive end and take great joy in playing good defense,” he said. 

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“I think there are ways we can work with their individual games and help them mesh with other guys on the floor. I’ve talked to both of them about it, and they’re open to it. Myles is such an elite rim protector and that’s such an important part of the game if you’re going to get better defensively. And Domas, as I mentioned earlier, can do so many things.”

After two previous spells with the Pacers, it feels like Carlisle is coming home.