Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle previewed Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Saturday, touching on the team’s defensive approach, evolving offensive trends, and how January’s Paris trip played a role in the Pacers’ postseason turnaround.
Speaking to reporters in Oklahoma City, Carlisle emphasized how the modern NBA’s skill level has transformed offense and made defense more complex.
“The skill aspect is the most compelling part of the game,” Carlisle said. “More and more of the five men can now shoot, drive, and make plays. That’s made the game much harder to defend, but more beautiful to teach.”
Carlisle pointed to guard Andrew Nembhard’s defensive performance in Game 1, noting his approach to guarding MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 38 points but had limited support down the stretch.
“He loves the challenge,” Carlisle said of Nembhard. “He has a great intellectual curiosity about defense. You’re not going to stop a guy like Shai, but Drew has equal focus on both ends of the floor. That’s rare today.”
Indiana forced six fourth-quarter turnovers and erased a 15-point deficit, winning 111-110 on Tyrese Haliburton’s jumper with 0.3 seconds left.
Carlisle downplayed suggestions that the Pacers intentionally allow high usage from opponents’ stars. “We’re not looking to get Shai going. That doesn’t make any sense,” he said. “We’ve got to make it hard on him.”
Addressing Indiana’s 25 turnovers in Game 1, Carlisle acknowledged the challenge of maintaining possession while still dominating the glass.
“They had 20 more shots than us,” Carlisle said. “If we didn’t win the rebounding battle, there’s no way we could have hung in and had a chance.”
The Pacers outrebounded the Thunder 56-39 despite their turnover issues, a swing factor that helped seal the comeback.
Carlisle also reflected on the team’s January trip to Paris, where Indiana played two games against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs. After a lopsided loss in the opener, team meetings and conversations helped spark what became a season-changing stretch.
“It was literally us against the entire world,” Carlisle said. “We had to galvanize. That month was key.”
Indiana, now 4-0 in one-point playoff games this postseason, will try to take a 2-0 lead before the series shifts to Indianapolis.
“We’re not planning to foul,” Carlisle added when asked about the team’s aggressive defensive style. “The game’s gotten more physical, and we’re still working to get better. We want to defend without sending guys to the line.”
Game 2 tips off Sunday night at Paycom Center, with Oklahoma City looking to bounce back after its first home loss of the postseason.
