Rick Carlisle emphasized poise, toughness, and team-first mentality following the Indiana Pacers’ 130-121 Game 4 victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night.
“This was a very, very tough game,” Carlisle told reporters. “Some of the shot-making in this series has been really beyond belief.”
Carlisle praised OG Anunoby’s contested step-back three in the second half, calling it “an unbelievable shot,” before pivoting to how difficult getting stops has become at this stage of the postseason.
“We did some things to get some key stops,” he said. “We’re still pretty young, so we’re learning from the experience.”
Tyrese Haliburton posted a rare playoff stat line: 32 points, 15 assists, 12 rebounds, four steals, and zero turnovers — a first since turnovers began being tracked in 1977-78.
“I know Ty did some historic stat stuff tonight,” Carlisle said. “That’s great, but it’s tough talking about stats when it’s such a team thing right now.”
The Pacers head coach made it clear Haliburton’s performance went beyond numbers.
“He was the leader tonight,” Carlisle said. “We had some difficult film stuff yesterday — not fun. But our guys, they’re authentic and they want the truth.”
Carlisle also praised Haliburton’s defensive contributions, noting that the steals and rebounds were all executed “within the system,” rather than through freelancing.
“He’s remained remarkably resilient and steadfast in his belief in what we’re doing and who he is,” Carlisle said.
While Haliburton’s triple-double captured headlines, Carlisle focused on Indiana’s depth, calling Bennedict Mathurin’s 20-point performance off the bench “a huge lift.”
“He’s a confident young man,” Carlisle said. “He’s legitimately tough… in a tough playoff series against a tough opponent like this, he fits into this.”
Carlisle added that Mathurin stayed ready by getting extra work in the day before, and that mentality paid off.
Another key contributor was Aaron Nesmith, who played through an ankle issue and posted 16 points with a plus-minus of +20.
“I was really concerned after Game 3 what today was going to feel like for him,” Carlisle admitted. “He was determined to be in this game. Very meaningful that he was able to do it.”
The veteran coach underscored the importance of Indiana’s all-in mentality, particularly in a series where momentum has shifted repeatedly.
“You can’t exhale at all in the playoffs,” Carlisle said. “We’ve got to stay in the moment.”
With the Pacers now leading 3-1 and Game 5 set for Thursday at Madison Square Garden, Carlisle’s message remained consistent.
“It’s day seven of thirteen, and tomorrow’s day eight,” he said. “We’ve got to keep our eye on the ball and go day-to-day and moment-to-moment here.”
