Indiana Pacers Media Availability | February 24, 2024

Indiana Pacers Media Availability | February 24, 2024

I view my role uh the same every time like whether I’m starting when I’m coming off the bench I know what I got to bring U I feel like everybody on this team know what they got to bring every time they touch the court and that’s why

We’ve been so successful so uh we going to continue doing that and yeah win more games Doug came in how has that transition been and obviously seeing Ben get some additional minutes as well but the second unit is always changing it seems yeah uh Doug Doug’s great uh uh an

Amazing shooter uh he he brings a lot of attention to uh himself because he’s such a great shooter which opens up a lot of uh opportunities for other people and Ben’s been doing great ever since he he’s been getting the opportunity he’s been showing that he belongs out there

Uh playing great defense doing the right things offensively uh staying within the system and uh yeah everybody I just been uh feel like been doing their job you got some praise after the game from your teammates for making the right play is it tough to to get in there and not want

To do too much but all to make the right play I mean I’m I’m going in there I’m not trying to force anything I’m just going in there making the right plays uh making the extra pass to the corner or or driving or rolling to the basket uh

Creating to allow someone else to get an open shot uh I feel like I know my job U out there and every time I go out there I’m going to do that so one of TJ’s passes I felt like there was a chance that was too high did you remember that

One the one that hit the backboard right yeah nah he that was a good pass any any pass within the the backboard is a good pass and I told TJ that so if he keeps it within that we good yeah so that’s the goal I mean it’s not the top of the

Square it’s the it’s any any part of the backboard we good I’m going to catch the ball for sure good vibe at practice today how would you say this team is with 25 games to go where they’re at mentally and physically yeah definitely always good vibes um we always coming in

Here to work uh get better and I feel like the coaches has been doing a good job uh coming in coming in here preparing us uh for each and every game and and uh that’s why we we’ve been successful so we’re going to continue doing that and win more games will you

Be watching the standings over the last month and a half just see where you where you guys are is that something you do uh nah I just play basketball that’s it facts uh we just got to keep working at it I mean we spent a lot of time

Today you know I mean it’s not great timing that you know the best offensive team in the league right now is coming in um you know with with Luca and Kyrie um you know they’re really Dynamic and so they’re really going to put a lot of

Stress on your defense but this is you know these are the kinds of challenges that we need and um you know as always we’ll kind of see where we are is it any different for you playing against Dallas still or is it has enough time that it’s

Just another game on the schedule yeah it’s you I’ve been in big 40 years I me you know I changed teams a bunch of times it’s I I have great respect for them um you know Jason kid is a close friend and doing a great job there um

And you know quite a few of their players are guys that that were were there with me and I and I love all of them so you know that’s it’s it’s another game and unfortunately it’s another hard game when you’re playing I’m sure you’re not thinking about the coaching career but

Was there a point when he was playing that you and he had discussions about what he could do when he was finished um not really I I you know I back back then um in all honesty I thought he was going to be an owner I I really didn’t didn’t know that

He had an interest in coaching um I’m really glad that he that he that he did and that he’s gotten into it and that he’s been so successful because his mind and his experience are things that you can’t the that are just very unique and he he brings elements to the game as

A coach that are born of experience and Championship experience too so uh you know along with being one of the all-time greats at his position you know Jason is also a champion and uh you know that that carries a lot of weight like we’ve seen the two-way guys

Around with you guys a little more specifically Kendall and askar is there a specific reason for that just like getting the development in with them practicing or am I just seeing things do you see him here today not today no which is funny but I wrote the question

Down a couple days ago yeah um it just depends I mean they’re they they left yesterday for a trip so those guys need to go play if we get into in a roster situation where we need bodies you know they’ll be back um but we try to get them as many as

Many games suited up as possible um because it’s just great experience even if they don’t play um they’re part of The Scouting Report you know they’re learning they’re you know they’re sitting there they don’t know and and there’s a chance they get the game so um

But yeah that’s kind of the thing they un aable to do anything today practice wise yeah he did a little bit did a little bit let’s let’s have some uh leads praise we’re in great form right now we started off the season slow but it’s

Best to get hot towards the end of the year um you know all I can say is it’s a joy to watch and um it’s been really fun um supporting the team and we’re supporting the club and um watching them you know just continue to play really

Well and especially at home you know I think we’re the only team in all the English leagues to not lose at home um so you that’s speaks volumes about the supporters we have and it’s been it’s been fun and want to keep it going and you have your hands full you have you

Know this job you’ve got busy family young family how do you balance also following what’s happening across the pond um multitasking uh may be saying you got to use the restroom and go to watch the game a little bit um you know just uh

Trying to help out as much as you can at home and be a good dad and husband but also support the club as best you can and the little free time that you have in your role are there responsibilities interactions that you have or you kind

Of just a fan when your season’s going on yeah I mean I don’t really there’s not really that many responsibilities um you know just kind of you know keeping a presence social media wise um you know just like like you guys see you know updating everyone with the scores and

And what’s going on and um I try to do my best with all that and support the club and and the players and the manager we have and just in in in any way I can safe to say since you joined it’s gone as well as could be expected the entire

Experience um I have had nothing to do with it um but yes it’s been it’s been incredible and really fun what’s your energy like watching a game I mean are you even able to sit have you have you seen me play just imagine that but like in a

Living room I’m all over the place um it’s for people that watch the sport um 1 minute you’re sitting on your couch the next minute you’re 3 Ines away from the TV um you’re changing spots you might be switching kits because you feel this one’s unlucky um it’s a roller

Coaster ride of emotions but it’s incredibly fun how did you get connected to this opportunity of the first place last year um I can’t reveal my sources um and uh the opportunity was brought to my attention and with a club like leads it’s you don’t pass up something like

That you feel like as a player you have a different perspective on you know you talked about their slower early season form to now like since you play a different sport you have a different perspective on that kind of stuff there’s similarities for sure um you

Know I feel like a little with us you know it’s been we’ve been you know there’s been inconsistencies and we’ve won a couple games in a row then we lost a few games in a row um you know but the whole relegation and promotion thing um it it

Adds a lot more um to the sport over there obviously you know we’re fighting to go back to the Premier League and um you know dropping points is especially at this time of the year is is tough to recover from but like I said we’re in great form and it’s been awesome have

You been to one in person yet no I’m hoping to go catch one after our season is done but you know hopefully you know we’re playing deep in into the playoffs so did ask you a question half time about the different combinations of the second unit that we’ve seen all season

Long do you take much stock into who you’re out there with or do you just play and everything kind of falls into place I just think there’s a a way that the second unit plays um know even when I wasn’t playing in the beginning of the year I don’t think the second unit

Changed the way they played um you know it’s just really a style of play and everyone kind of adapts to it play really fast get up and down and share the ball and you know I’ve said this my whole career when you’re in the second unit

Um you know if you go in and there’s a lead you there should be a lead when you come back out kind of hold down the fort in that aspect but you know if we need some energy and and that’s the second unit’s job to inject energy in there and

And create a lead for us when the starters come back in so are you cognizant of that sometimes the score when you check in and your group’s in and then when you go to the bench just to make sure you at minimum stayed even yeah I mean I think we’re all talking to

Each other and you know if the starting group starts slow we kind of look at each other and it’s like we need some energy let’s pick pick this up and and pick them up and then go from there um but you know when we go in and like like

What the starters did they had a great first quarter and kind of just either increase the lead or or keep it to where it was and just hold down the fort one of those passes to Obie I I thought maybe it was too high out of his reach

But he just told us anywhere in the backboard is fine you remember that play and is that accurate yeah I mean I kind of dropped it um before I went to pick it up and then just threw it um but when you got a guy like o you kind of just

Throw it up and let him go get it and that’s certainly what he did have you converted any of your teammates to leads fans this year um I don’t know I mean maybe uh if they want to join great but they don’t have the passion to enough to

Support leads I’m just being honest with you hey one ask one last question about tomorrow you played against Luca a lot Kyrie a lot those two together what kind of a challenge is that uh when they’re on the floor at the same time it’s a challenge that you don’t

Face a whole lot in this league um when you got guys like Luke and Kyrie two guys that are incredible with the ball and finding their teammates and getting into the rim and you know practically no weak weaknesses um it’s a challenge um not not just for the guy that’s guarding

Them it’s it’s for the whole group you know there’s not going to be one guy that shuts them shuts them down it’s going to be a that’s going to be a collective to to try to slow them down

Obi Toppin, Rick Carlisle and T.J. McConnell speak with the media following practice on Saturday.

0:00 – Obi Toppin
2:14 – Rick Carlisle
5:15 – T.J. McConnell