Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle addressed the media Thursday as his team prepares to host the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, holding a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Carlisle confirmed that Tyrese Haliburton, who hit the game-winning three-pointer in Game 2, is dealing with a sore wrist but remains on track to play Friday.
“Yeah, it’s a little sore,” Carlisle said. “But he’s going to—he’s going to be okay. He’ll play.”
After rallying from a 20-point second-half deficit in Cleveland, the Pacers are emphasizing key areas they must improve as the series shifts to Indianapolis.
“Rebounding, big thing,” Carlisle noted. “We’ve got to do better against their pressure. And obviously, Mitchell’s a big, big concern.”
Indiana is preparing for the possibility that Cleveland’s injury-depleted roster could be at full strength for Game 3.
“It sounds like all their guys are going to play… So we’ve got to be prepared for that,” Carlisle said.
In response to Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson’s comments regarding Indiana’s physicality, Carlisle highlighted the free throw and foul disparity through the first two games.
“In two games, we’ve been called for nine more fouls than them, and they’ve shot nine more free throws than us,” he stated. “We’re not expecting any gifts from the referees.”
With back-to-back comeback wins in hostile territory, Carlisle praised the mindset of his roster while stressing the importance of maintaining intensity.
“We’ve got a resilient group of guys that play hard,” he said. “You’ve got to summon up every resource you have this time of year.”
Indiana’s depth has been instrumental this postseason, wearing down opponents late in games—a trend Carlisle attributed to team conditioning and balanced rotation.
“You want to take advantage of all the guys that you have,” he said. “You want to keep energy in the game… just make it hard.”
Carlisle also urged fans to match the energy Cleveland brought in Games 1 and 2, citing the role of home-court advantage in high-stakes matchups.
“It was so loud [in Cleveland],” he said. “We need our fans to bring every last ounce of energy and noise and everything that they have.”
With Game 3 looming, Carlisle emphasized the need for leadership from his stars and a collective mindset focused on the next opportunity.
“Everybody’s got to elevate their game this time of year,” he said. “It starts with your best players—Tyrese and Pascal and Miles.”
