Indiana Pacers Postgame Media Availability at New York Knicks (Game 1) | May 21, 2025

Indiana Pacers Postgame Media Availability at New York Knicks (Game 1) | May 21, 2025

This is day one of 13 days and um remarkable resilience by our guys hanging in, finding a way to get the thing to overtime and then made enough plays. Um but it’s a long series. We’re not going to get too excited about this. Um we got things to clean up. They got things to clean up. Um, you know, game two is going to be another war going all the way back to the first round and now this poise that your guys Well, we’ve had a lot of these games this year. I mean, we’ve had we’ve probably had a dozen of them throughout the season. A lot of the games early where we were struggling um were games we had to pull out. They were clutch games when we weren’t playing particularly well. And you know, it’s just it’s it’s a it’s a muscle. The more you exercise it, the stronger it gets. And it’s uh it’s not easy. It’s not easy. There’s been a lot of um wild swings and scores throughout the season and the playoffs. Um but you know you certainly um don’t take anything like this for granted. This is very very difficult to do but it’s a 48minute game and we just we always say you know pacer basketball is 48 minutes and tonight it was 53 minutes. What did you make of Aaron shot making run in that last five minutes of the game? Well, Aaron um you know, the thing that put him in position to do that was um Shephard going in there and giving us, you know, seven or eight really strong minutes just just playing at full capacity, picking up full all that. It allowed Aaron a chance to rest a little bit. So, he came back in the game fresh and he had his legs and I don’t know how many he made down the stretch. It was seemed like it was five or six or seven. Six. Um, they were all very much needed. Um, and look, NBA players are amazing. I mean, you know, these guys get on a roll and they do amazing things and so, you know, Brunson makes stuff like this look routine. Um, Aaron Aaron got hot certainly at the right time. You obviously, you know, this is about today’s game and this year, but you’re familiar with NBA history. Was there a part of you when Tyrese said the choke gesture and Miller’s on the call that’s you appreciate the historical tieins here? I’m not getting into any of that stuff. Doesn’t make any sense. Um, you know, this this this fan base is difficult difficult enough to deal with without getting into, you know, a lot of a lot of unnecessary words. I mean, we have great respect for these guys. They beat us two out of three during the season. and I’ I’ve been watching them plow through great teams. Um it’s day one of 13 days. When Tyres shot was up in the air, did you think the game over? I mean, I at first I thought he was behind the line, so I thought maybe the game was over. Um everybody reacted, you know. Um but look, it’s it’s the emotions of the playoffs are such that you expect there to be um some reason that that it’s not total exuberance, you know. So, look, we got to overtime. That’s good. And we had five more minutes of life and uh and found a way. So, when the ball went up in the rim, did you think game over like did you had any shot of coming back down and going? It looked it looked like it had a chance. It was awfully high. Um, you know, I when we were playing in the bubble, um, in 2020 when I was at Dallas, Damen Damen Lillard hit a shot just like that. There was a crunch time shot that went way up in the air and dropped straight in. It was about a minute to go, a minute and a half ago. It wasn’t quite at the end like that, but it was a similar thing. And so those things happen. At least 1998 were down by What was it about previous environment didn’t seem to get by at all? I I think we’ve already talked about it. I mean, we’ve been through a lot of these situations. Um, we’ve, you know, it’s it’s it’s set us up to execute well and and try to give ourselves a chance and that’s all that’s all you can do. against them. Listen, players players can do what they want, you know, and it’s it’s a it’s it’s it’s an emotional thing. It’s it’s not a big deal. It’s not a big deal. I mean, we we got to go out out there. It’s the place is unlikely to be any louder than it was tonight. I mean, it was crazy out there. Um and the environment, it it it never disappoints here. It never it never disappoints here. I mean I mean at this time of year you you want to go into the most hostile the most difficult environments and and and test your metal, you know, and and go against Brunson and Cat and Bridges and these guys. I mean this is this is uh this is a difficult time of the year. So uh it’s not a big deal to me. to go and and I you know I you know Tyres has earned the right to do whatever he wants. To go on that 140 run when run checks out early. What did you guys have to do to stabilize obviously making those shots across the board you guys have to do right? Well I mean we were very much teetering on the edge. Um, you know, we we talked in the huddle, you know, we had a couple of timeouts that we had to take. We talked in the huddle about keep working the game, right? Keep trying to make it hard on these guys. Um, you know, find find good looks. I mean, they had their best defenders out there during much of that stretch and it was really difficult and they had some of the guys with foul trouble out of the game, you know. So, um, but you know, Pascal kind of started it off with a with a play where he drove it in there and just found a way to to make a bucket and then he got a chance, I think, um, at an and one. And, you know, you just got to keep playing. I mean, the game is the game is long. you think about the reputation now gets into the head of Yeah, I mean that we just we try to play pacer basketball, you know, and we got we got really good guys um who play hard, unselfish, and you know, we it’s day one of 13 days. Thanks. Uh yeah. Yeah, for sure. Uh but quickly in my celebration, somebody said it was a two and uh yeah, then my focus just became winning it. You know, how we how we could, you know, win the game. And I thought we did a great job of sticking with it in overtime, just making big play after big play. You know, obviously, you know, Aaron’s heroics aren’t I mean, I hope they’re talked about. They can’t be talked about enough. You know, he was amazing down the stretch. Obie had a big putback dunk. Um we just had a lot of different guys contribute, make plays, and uh yeah, just really proud of our group. idea to come to you in the moment. I mean, I wasn’t like plotting on it or anything. I just everybody wanted me to do it like last year at some different point. Um, but it’s just got to it’s got to feel right and it felt right at the time. If it would have been if it if I would have known it was a two, I I would not have done it. Uh, so I think I I might have wasted it. I if I do it again and I might be people might say I’m like orura farming, so I’m not uh I don’t plan on using it again. What’s it like to watch do what he did? Yeah, special man. I think double A works his tail off. Uh, you know, I think each shot that he made just kept giving us more confidence that we could, you know, really win this game. So, uh, he was really big for us and I think to do what he did today while also having to guard Jaylen Brunson for probably 30 minutes is very difficult to do. So, uh, like I said, he what Aaron Eastman did today can’t be talked about enough. And uh yeah, I was really proud of of his effort and our group’s effort. When your shot at the end of regulation goes up in the air, are you conflated? Honestly, no, I knew it was I’m like it’s it’s going in, you know? It just felt like got stuck up there though, you know, and honestly when it like went in I was like I thought my eyes might have been deceiving me in the moment. Uh but it felt it felt good when it left my hand. So uh you know I thought it was going to go in and you know I just the ball felt like it was up there for eternity. But uh man, just a a spe special moment. You guys have talked about this a lot over the past couple weeks. What is it about you guys doing that? Yeah. Well, I mean, I would I would like to not keep being in this situation. Um but I I I think we’re just a group that has spent a lot of time, you know, with each other. And I think the front office’s decision to keep, you know, the majority of our group together, basically our, you know, our whole team together essentially after last year, I think was really big because we’ve been through everything together. We’ve been on like, you know, big losing skids, big winning runs, uh had to win in so many different ways. So many guys had to step up and make big shots. Um, and I think that’s just, you know, I think in the NBA, you don’t see a ton of continuity from year to year, right? It’s, you know, many teams are changing from year to year. And I think our front office did a great job of keeping this group together. And I think that this just gives us all confidence in each other. Like we feel like we know where everybody’s going to be. Uh we expect, you know, we have high expectations for each other, but I think we also have like we hold each other accountable at the same time. You know, I think that’s important. And I’ve seen people joke about us and call us like we’re like a college team a little bit because of how close we are and you know, how we’ve been together and we’re all super young and whatever the case may be. But man, it’s just uh it’s special and uh just, you know, I’m love playing with these guys and um you know, look forward to, you know, keep this run going. You’re obviously a student of history. You know about the tro gesture. How much do you know about where that came from, the game did it? Um I’ I’ve seen that winning time doc probably like 50 times growing up. Um, so I I know that they didn’t win the series, so uh I would not like to repeat that, but um you know, I think that’s just a historic moment and that was obviously more him versus Spike, kind of the one-on-one. And uh that just felt like it was to everybody, but but to him, too. I wanted I wanted him to see it more than anything. Uh but I think it’s just really cool to continue to, you know, make my own history and this group to make our own history, uh while also showing, you know, respect and love to the ones who came before us. So definitely a special moment and um yeah something I won’t forget. He said this is the best fourth quarter closer in the game right here. Is he right? Who? It’s whoever you want it to be. Yeah. Yeah. That’s not boring. I love talking about that. Come on. Um, I think maybe you could say that, you know, they missed a couple free throws there down the stretch, had a couple short misses there at the end of the game. Um, I’m sure for coach’s sake, for coach speak, yeah, the wear down effect was, you know, in full effect right there. Um, but I think the way you got to approach this game and approach this series is that it’s going to be a seven game series that can be played in 13 days, right? So, that’s how we’ve been that’s how we’re approaching it and looking at it and you got to take it one day at a time. So, um, you know, I think just trying to wear on these guys as much as we can. Obviously, their starters play a lot of minutes. Um, you know, I thought, you know, obviously with some foul trouble, some other guys had to play a little bit more. They had a lineup out there, uh, that probably hasn’t played together a ton, but was really effective from for for them there. Um, so we just got to do a better job there. But I think, um, yeah, I I think it’s hard for me to discredit and say that the wear down effect wasn’t there, you know? Uh I think from everything you’re seeing that that’s a part of it and I think that’s a part of our identity. How can we wear on teams for 48 minutes uh obviously picking up full court but you know as well as our offensive pressure getting downhill moving playing fast. Um you know I thought that we did a good job offensively of playing our style you know they went on that little run there and obviously got a pretty big lead there. Uh, but I thought we did a great job of, you know, Pascal had the and one on cat and we just, you know, kept coming and kept coming and kept coming and I think that was really big for us getting making extra extra plays, getting extra possessions with offensive rebounds or finishing getting rebounds on that side. I think they were all big down the stretch. So, um, yeah, I think uh, for coach Carlo’s sake, we’ll say the wear down effect was was was in full effect. moment. Yeah, I mean I uh I think every person who enjoys basketball or probably everybody in here imagined at one point that they would be an NBA player or something, you know. And I think the biggest thing when you’re growing up is everybody’s in the in the on the playground or in the driveway or in the gym by themselves. you’re 5 4 3 2 1 shooting it and if you miss it nobody’s around so put more time on the clock right and I I think uh for me I was always encouraged me was just to have an imagination right so I would be running down the hallway in my childhood home pretending there was a hoop and you know playing basketball and all those things and I think that the biggest thing for me is I already have the confidence to take the shot in the moment but I have that confidence from my group my group wants me to take those shots my coaching staff wants me to take those shots Um, you know, I think our organization wants me to take those shots. I think now we’re at the point where our fans want me to take that shot, you know. So, I think everybody’s living and dying with it at that point. That gives me a lot of confidence. And to be honest with you, like when I got traded here, you know, we weren’t very good. And so, we would be in these moments where I would have to take these shots and I would miss them and nobody would care. Maybe Paca fans would, uh, but like we weren’t very good. So, it didn’t matter. We weren’t a playoff team or anything. So I feel like that kind of like baptism by fire almost to to to do that and then now be in these situations where obviously they matter on such a bigger scale I think is important for me. So I really think that experience is the best best teacher for me and I’ve I’ve had that as as time’s went on we have time for like a couple more. We have a bus here in about four minutes. You obviously have a lot of recent history going back to World Cup and then last year in the playoffs and then you guys each ring and now you’re back in conference finals. Just have a game like this. What does it mean for you? I mean he’s a great player. I love competing against him. Um you know I know maybe I’m not supposed to say that like we’re friends. Um, but I I I love competing against that guy and I think just love competing, you know, in general. And I think the story rivalry between the Patriots and Knicks is is really cool. But I think where we are right now, it’s that could, you know, how much does it really matter, you know, we’re writing our own stories right now. And so I think where we are is is a special time and something that it’s going to be remembered by, you know, fans of the Pacers, fans of the Knicks, you know, moving forward. So, uh, just really, really special to compete against him and just compete in general. the team when you were down, huh? Did you have a message to the team? Uh, when we got down like was I 16 17 or let’s get it to 10. Let’s get to five, you know. I think just trying to walk walk them down, you know. There’s no 17point shot, you know. So, I think we did a great job of just chipping away, chipping away, chipping away, and good things happen for us. We have time for one more. Did you get a chance to interact with Reggie? Lock eyes with him after you wanted to see it uh after me after I did my postgame interview. We locked eyes and had a little moment. I didn’t want to go over there because it’s obviously pretty hectic over there, but um we communicate pretty often. So, uh definitely a special time and um yeah, really cool he was in the building for that. Can you take us through what’s going through your head during a a heater like that? Six threes in just four or five minutes at the end. Uh, I was just doing what the team needed of of me, you know. I was just letting them fly. I was in a good rhythm. Um, didn’t really realize what I was doing in the moment. Was just trying to win the basketball game. Your emotions of winning games like this? You guys done it three times in three weeks now. Are they still the same as it was after the Bucks game or is it It’s always the same. It’s always special. It’s always fun. Um, you know, this is what we live for. This is what we, you know, work every day for, work so hard for is to perform and to show up in these moments and, you know, we just continue to do it time and time again. I ask you defense what you were explaining there will be on the floor in those moment. It’s unreal. Um it’s probably the best feeling in the world for me person. I love it. Like when that basket feels like an ocean and anything you toss up, you feel like it’s going to go in. It’s just so much fun. What was the player sequence that kind of changed maybe individually for you but for the team back to the point? Uh I can’t I’m sorry. I just know I just remember in those last three minutes kind of a blur to be honest with you. Just fighting, scrapping for every loose ball, boxing out, making shots, making plays um and doing whatever he can to to win. When Tyres’s shot goes off the wrench, did you think it had a shot? Honestly, well, I was right under the basket. So when he shot it, in all honesty, when he pulled it out and shot, I was like, “Oh, wow.” And then it bounced up straight up and I just watched it and I was like, “Oh, that’s good.” And it went straight in and you know, that’s he’s a special talent. He’s a special person and he continues to amaze me every time. What did you guys What was the biggest challenge tonight? Um fouling, offensive rebounds, um you know, making life as hard as possible for Brunson and Towns. you know, he had 43, Towns had 35. Like, we got to do we got to find ways to be better on those guys. Uh find ways to be better on the boards and um you know, there’s a lot lot to learn from. Like we were losing the game, so we have a lot to clean up, a lot to get better from. Um and we’ll we’ll do that. What do you guys just have to do to stabilize? You guys give up a 140 run when Brunson comes off before I think 10 minutes to go. Um I imagine have sensing out. What do you guys have to do to stay in that stretch and keep it going from there? Um just fight. I know we we flipped a little bit and uh we just we never stopped believing. We were able to just I think we called a timeout and we flipped it from there. But um just continue to believe, continue to play our game. Um and once we were able to get stops, rebounds, and play pacer basketball and push, you know, the game changed. You said you run to the basket. Did you have enough of a view Tomy Reese’s play like it looked like the same play from Cleveland? Yeah. Yeah, I was right under the basket. I saw it go straight through the net. It was crazy. Yeah. Crazy. Three. What? His three today. You think it was? No, I was looking I didn’t see it. I was looking at the ball going in the basket. How’s your knee? Uh knee’s fine. How much does each of these comebacks kind of build on the next? I mean, do you feel more confident in these moments after everyone believing? Uh yeah, you know, yeah, it’s, you know, it’s good to be up one, but that’s just one game. Um like I said, we got a lot to clean up and a lot to do better at going into game two. Um so we got to get off to a better start. Can’t put ourselves in that position. Um, so yeah, confident from it. But yeah. Were you get that shot? I mean, the way you were. A little bit. A little bit. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Be lying if I said I wasn’t, but you know, big time plays, made big time plays, and that’s what he continues to do on a daily basis. So, how much did he get off to a hot start of the game? So many back and forth, but how much if at all that wind up paying off down the stretch? I think it was huge. Um, you know, playing in an environment like this, getting off the good starts is great. Um, you know, just building confidence, getting to the rhythm of the game, flow of the game. Um, so that was really, really huge for us. Um, and you know, we just got to make sure we’re able to to punch first every time. How do you control like this is one of the greatest comebacks in NBA history. Final history is amazing. Like she’s got three more wins. How do you kind of put this behind you? How do you guys handle? Um to be honest with you, I think as a group we’re pretty good at that. Like this is, you know, it’s not our first time doing it. So um I think after tonight, maybe even in an hour or so, we’ll be ready to learn from our mistakes and put it behind us. Like we t the whole whole conversation in locker rooms was just one game. You know, we got to win three more. Aaron, when you said you realize what you were doing in the moment literally, did you when did you find out you hit six plus four or did you know that much? I didn’t know that much. I found out once the game was over. Yeah. You know how what happened? Who told you? Uh, a lot of people told me fing was a problem in this game. Uh, Towns and Brunson had 25, but down the stretch you guys defended. What chang um showing hands and uh yeah, I would say just showing hands. Um, we got to be able to do that for 48 minutes. But yeah, thank you guys. Appreciate it. Thank you. Down nine with under a minute to go. I know we ask you this every time you guys do this, but like what are you feeling in that moment to not think it’s over and keep fighting right there? I mean, this is the playoffs. You got to leave the court with pride with it or lose. So, we’re trying to play until the buzzer and give us the best chance to stand. What was going through your head when Tai shot bounced when it bounced up? I was like, and then went in. I was like, damn, game. at the line. You had the little KD foot on it. You guys get that review uh when you get the ball and like, you know, it goes off Brunson’s hands. It was originally rolled off yours. I mean, just did you know, I guess that that you were going to win that review basically. What kind of how did you kind of experience that play and did you have a sense it was coming back to you? Yeah, I mean it was a pin down and I shot the gap, tipped it, tipped off his hand, went out, try to get the challenge. They scored those first four points of overtime. You hit a big three out of that. Just what are you just trying to do in that moment? What are you looking for in that stretch and what kind of got you going at that point in overtime? Playing the game. I’m trying to keep my mind clear. Try to play hard both sides of the floor. Understand what we’re trying to get at. I mean, Tyrese’s shot today was going to overtime. Did it kind of last game three shots to get the win? Say it again. Like today’s shot of Tyrese’s go last year. Yeah. Bill, excuse me. What’s What’s it like to silence the crowd like that? They came here ready to see something. You guys just take it away like that. Yeah. I mean, I guess it’s nice. I mean, we don’t really care about size of the crowd or how they’re how they’re out there. We’re just trying to play the game or stay as connected as possible on the floor, not let outside things affect us. The feeling after games like this changed from the Bucks one or is it stayed the same? was just like, “Oh my gosh.” Every single time. Um, feels good. Feels good. It’s one game and we’re definitely not going to try to hang on this one too long. Where did you guys just kind of have to stabilize after that early run they went on in the fourth quarter? I think they had a 140. Just what did you guys have to just get past and do to sort of get right in that? Um, what did we have to do? Um, just stay stay the course, you know, finish the game with pride, like I said, and and let the chips fall where they fall. Like to see what Aaron did in that stretch. Six threes in like 5 minutes. Went unconscious. It was obviously very much so needed and um he makes those types of plays. He’s he’s a big time booper for sure. What’s the biggest point of emphasis? I know you guys haven’t watched the film yet, but just heading into game two, just initial advice on what you guys need to improve on. Um, I got to figure that out after watching. Um, we still know that we have a lot of work to do, a lot of stuff we can get better at, but man, we just we’ve been in these situations, you know, many times before, been battle tested. So, you know, I always have the ultimate confidence in this group. I mean, just what you just saw from Aaron in that stretch. Obviously, that’s that’s a big lead to kind of cut up and for him to go off like that. I mean, you’ve seen him make big shots before, but to string those together, what was like to watch him real time, man? Yeah. this uh this stage, you know, this moment like he stepped up, you know what I mean? It’s that time of the year where either you fold or you step up, man. And he he did an amazing job. Double works a lot in his craft on his game. He was very confident in himself and he put that on display tonight. What did you guys just have to sort of settle down and get right after they got that that 140 run early in the fourth quarter. What did you guys just have to do to kind of get past that and kind of stabilize it? Yeah, know hardest thing is trying to keep them off the foul line. You know, you know, they always have um you know, trying to get downhill and try to make as much contact as possible. And then we got to rebound. You know, I think the rebounds hurt us a little bit a little bit down the stretch, but you know, we locked back in and we can’t depend on having to make you hellacious shots, you know, for 3 minutes straight the rest of the series. But, you know, um I think we did a good job of just showing up. What just goes through your mind when that ball is up on the on the rim for Tai basically when you’re watching that thing? What’s going through your mind? What goes through your mind when it goes in was over at that point? I mean, what I think he always has a chance and Ty, you know, in those situations, Ty always has a chance. You know, I think he he bets on himself. you know, he’s very confident and um again, these moments, you know, lives for him and he delivered once again. When you find out that it’s not over, that it’s tie going to overtime, you know, what is the, you know, message to kind of get everybody settled back down? Like what’s the emotional swing like there? Like when we got back, grab everybody by their jersey, their neck, their arm, whatever it takes, and just get them in the huddle and tell them, “Let’s go, man. You know, it’s not not over.” You know, just we gave ourselves a chance. That’s all that was. You know, we thought it was over, but you know, it’s you know, it is what it is. Elsa, have you ever I mean, has it sunk in what you guys keep doing at the end of these games? Um, it’s to the point where I’m just used to it, you know what I mean? I just I have so much confidence in this group, you know? So, yeah. How can you explain just I mean that you know the Milwaukee one, the Cleveland one, and then this is it. It just keeps happening. What do you sort of attribute it to? Yeah. Just reps being again being battle tested, being in those situations, you know. I think um there’s anybody on this on this team that can make that shot, you know, but um we have a lot of confidence Tyrese to do so and you know he’s delivered again and again and again and um you know I think that he’s just he’s on a mission right now. He’s you know so so we all are. Thomas, what is it about this team that you guys keep pulling off these incredible comebacks in the playoffs? It’s the resiliency and the togetherness that we have, man. And when you have a whole team that believes just in what you do and just taking it day in and day out, just keep going, just keep going. Everyone believes in it, man. You just start to build that confidence throughout the whole team and you know, it’s contagious when they went on that big run with Brunson on the bench. What was the message in the huddle? The message was still still stay the course, man. You know, uh they went on a big run. You know that was going to happen, you know, in a place like this facing a really great Nick team. But the thing is about us is just that we just have to keep staying together and stay the course throughout it and luckily it went our way. What can you say about what Aaron was able to do there in the fourth quarter? I say this non-stop. Even when you guys aren’t around, man, Aaron is absolutely amazing. Like I’d say like for me I feel like he’s the heart and soul of this team that people don’t really recognize that much and he needs more recognition because what he did today and what he’s been doing throughout the playoffs is absolutely amazing. is one of the toughest jobs that he has out there besides Drew guarding the best players every night. But what he does is just making threes, playing defense, uh playing physical, getting steals, boxing out, like doing a lot of the little things that don’t show up on the stat sheet besides the scoring and everything. It’s really it’s really amazing to watch and just be a part of it and just lucky to be on this team, man. What was going through your head when Tai shot bounced off the rim there? Well, it looked good. I was hoping I could see it from from straight on, but it looked good. I was hoping that bounce would come down right in the same motion, and it did. Man, it was just glad it wasn’t a KD situation. Hands up.

Rick Carlisle, Tyrese Haliburton, Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, Myles Turner and Thomas Bryant speak to the media following Wednesday’s win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks.

0:00 – Rick Carlisle
7:02 – Tyrese Haliburton
16:55 – Aaron Nesmith
22:07 – Andrew Nembhard
24:52 – Myles Turner
27:11 – Thomas Bryant