Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle reflected on his team’s 137-130 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday. “It appeared to me guys were trying to make things happen on their own. That’s not the kind of team we are,” Carlisle said in reference to his team’s early turnovers.
The coach emphasized team play on both ends of the court. “We got to be a ball movement team. We got to be a together defensive team. The turnovers were killer and the rebounding deficit… was pretty significant most of the night,” he added.
Carlisle acknowledged offensive improvements despite the loss. “For the most part, we’ve moved the ball pretty well and we’ve shot it better. But it’s nothing to pat yourself on the back about when you’re giving up this many points,” he explained. Indiana has shot 50% or better in seven or eight consecutive games.
He praised individual efforts, highlighting T.J. McConnell and Andrew Nembhard. “TJ… he was eight of 10 tonight. Seems like he’s getting to the rim a little bit more in the last couple games. He’s been playing well since before the All-Star break,” Carlisle noted. Nembhard recorded a career-high 19 assists along with 14 points in the game.
Carlisle also addressed the challenge of guarding elite talent like Luka Doncic. “We kept him under his average against us… with guys like that, the defense is always wrong. That’s the gift of guys like that,” he said. Doncic led the Lakers with 43 points on 15-of-30 shooting, hitting 9-of-10 free throws.
The Lakers jumped out to a 10-0 start and extended a third-quarter lead to 29 points. Austin Reaves added 25 points, LeBron James contributed 23, and Jaxson Hayes finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds for Los Angeles. Indiana cut the deficit late, but LeBron’s free throws and a timely Jarace Walker three-pointer kept the Pacers from closing the gap.
In addition to turnovers and defensive issues, Carlisle mentioned roster availability. The Lakers played without Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura, and Marcus Smart. Tyrese Haliburton returned to the Pacers’ bench for the first time in a month but remains out for the season following a torn Achilles tendon.
Looking ahead, Carlisle signaled a focus on improvement. “We got a lot of guys playing pretty well offensively, but as a group, we’ve got to do better defensively, and we’re going to work on that stuff tomorrow,” he said. Indiana hosts the LA Clippers on Friday, while the Lakers return home against Brooklyn.
