Jun 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle looks on during the second half of game seven of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Pacers HC Rick Carlisle Reveals Secret to How Indiana Became Sudden Title Contender

Originally posted on Indianapolis Pacers on SI
By Ryan Stano | Last updated Oct 1, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The Indiana Pacers did something that no one expected them to do a season ago. They were two quarters away from becoming the biggest underdog story in modern NBA history.

After falling to the Thunder in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, the Pacers turned the page and started to look forward to the 2025-26 season, even though they won't have their best player.

Rick Carlisle was the architect of the system that helped turn the team into a title contender. He recently revealed how they were able to do that.

Pacers' head coach lets everyone know how they became a title contender

While on The Ringer's The Zach Lowe Show, Carlisle reflected on how the Pacers came so close to winning the NBA championship.

"As things were going along, from January 1st on, we really improved our defense. We were a better defense team, and certainly a better overall team with all of our pieces," Carlisle said. "That was another thing. Tyrese had started to get his rhythm and his footing back. Siakam was really great all year. And, as has been documented pretty well, from January 1 through the end of the regular season, the two best teams record-wise were us and Oklahoma City."

Carlisle believes that the fact they were a healthy team starting the first of the year really helped get the team back on track. They suffered a myriad of injuries early in the year to some key guys.

The Pacers can't afford to have injuries this season

With Tyrese Haliburton already out for the season with his torn Achilles tendon, the Pacers can't afford any other injuries to key players on the team. That is already a massive injury to deal with.

If Indiana wants to have any chance of making the playoffs and making a deep run, they have to stay healthy. That's going to be tough to do in an 82-game stretch. They really have to keep their guards healthy.

Carlisle understands that maintaining the club's defensive identity is also going to be massive for the Pacers heading into the 2025-26 season. They became an actual good team on that end of the court late in the regular season.

This article first appeared on Indianapolis Pacers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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