Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle spoke candidly after Tuesday’s dramatic 120-119 Game 2 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, acknowledging both his team’s persistence and the adversity they overcame.
“They hit us with a hellacious punch early in the game,” Carlisle said, referring to Cleveland’s aggressive defense and energy in the first half. “It was difficult to get the ball over half court, let alone score.”
Indiana trailed most of the night and was down by seven points with just over a minute to play before closing the game on an 8-0 run.
Carlisle credited his team’s poise and belief in tight situations: “Our group has a belief in one another. Our thing is we just keep executing, we keep playing.”
Tyrese Haliburton’s go-ahead three-pointer with 1.1 seconds left sealed the win, following a missed free throw that he chased down to keep the possession alive.
“You don’t see this very often, let alone twice in one week,” Carlisle said, referencing Haliburton’s recent clutch heroics.
Carlisle noted that the high-pressure playoff environment was a learning experience for several young players. “Mathurin’s never been in an environment like this. Walker hasn’t. Sheppard played in the playoffs last year, but this was different,” he explained.
Haliburton, who had just one assist in the first half, was challenged all game by Cleveland’s defenders Max Strus and Isaac Okoro.
“They made an effort to cut off his blood flow,” Carlisle said. “It was difficult to catch the ball, let alone get assists or score.”
Still, the Pacers adjusted in the fourth quarter, shifting momentum late. “We were able to change the leverage in the fourth quarter,” Carlisle said. “We maintained enough energy to give ourselves a chance.”
Asked about his late-game substitution strategy, Carlisle said flexibility was necessary given the circumstances. “You chart out a minutes sheet, but it’s just a framework,” he said. “Walker was told before the game, ‘You got to be ready for anything.’”
Aaron Nesmith’s hustle down the stretch, including a key tip dunk, also drew praise. “Without that, we got no chance,” Carlisle said.
Donovan Mitchell poured in 48 points for Cleveland, but Carlisle emphasized the importance of depth. “Mitchell had a heroic game, but right now we’re deeper than them,” he said. “Even when we weren’t playing well, we were playing fresh guys.”
Despite the win, Carlisle remained grounded: “You can’t look forward, and you got to be careful about how much you look back. The series is 27ths over. That’s the way I look at it.”
Game 3 will be Friday in Indianapolis, with the Pacers holding a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
