Rick Carlisle Explains How Pacers Plan to Rebound From 19-Win Season

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle kept his injury update short Tuesday, the day before the Indiana Pacers open the 2026-27 season at the New Orleans Pelicans.

"Check the injury report when it comes out," Carlisle said.

The report filed at 5:30 p.m. ET lists T.J. McConnell out with a right hamstring strain after he missed all four preseason games. Aaron Nesmith is out with a left hamstring strain after sitting out the preseason finale against the Milwaukee Bucks, and Johnny Furphy is out as well. Furphy tore his right ACL in February.

Braden Smith had five assists at Oklahoma City on Oct. 13, tied for the team high, and Haliburton has compared him to McConnell.

Indiana went 1-3 in the preseason. It opened with a 123-112 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves at Iowa State on Oct. 7, then lost to the Atlanta Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Bucks, the last two in overtime.

Carlisle said the team did some good things during that stretch and is still working on the things it needs to work on.

"We're just a process team," Carlisle said. "And outcomes are distractions. And we just got to keep our eye on the ball with how we do things on a day-to-day basis. And the results hopefully take care of themselves."

Indiana went 50-32 in 2024-25 and reached Game 7 of the NBA Finals, then finished 19-63 last season, the worst record in franchise history.

Tyrese Haliburton's torn right Achilles, suffered in the first quarter of that Game 7, cost him all of 2025-26. At media day in September, Carlisle said Indiana needs to "reclaim our position as a competitive team".

This is his sixth season in his second stint with the Pacers. Carlisle coached Indiana from 2003 to 2007, then spent 13 seasons with the Dallas Mavericks and won the 2011 championship there before returning in 2021. He has coached in two NBA Finals, winning in 2011 and losing to Oklahoma City in seven games in 2025.

Carlisle said he is sure Haliburton is ready, and he called "16 or 17 months" a long time.

"It's going to be a physical game," Carlisle explained. "It's going to be the first game of the season. Everybody is playing balls out, aggression and speed and impact and all that kind of stuff. So we've just got to be in an aggressive mode. We've got to have a high degree of aggression and maintain a high degree of poise."

Indiana traded for center Ivica Zubac on Feb. 5, sending Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, and three draft picks to the LA Clippers. The Pacers added Kelly Oubre Jr. on a two-year deal in July and also brought in Larry Nance Jr.

Mathurin now plays for New Orleans. He agreed to a two-year, $16 million contract with the Pelicans on Aug. 26.

The biggest difference from the last couple of years, for Carlisle, is the new guys.

"A lot of it will look similar, but when you add new guys, you're going to see some things that are different," Carlisle said. "But our fans will be able to see those things."

Carlisle was not on the bench for the preseason finale. Pacers assistant coach Lloyd Pierce ran the team in the 128-127 overtime loss to Milwaukee.

The Pelicans went 26-56 last season. Tip-off Wednesday at Smoothie King Center is 8 p.m. ET.

Indiana's home opener is Friday against Dallas at 7 p.m. ET.