Rick Carlisle Uses Surprising Word to Describe Pacers Regular Season

The Indiana Pacers will be taking on the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the postseason, giving them a rematch against Milwaukee. Indiana took down the Bucks last season in the playoffs, and they will be looking to do it once again.

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But before that series can take place, the team looked back at the successful regular season. Indiana clinched the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and they battled back from a tough start to the year.

When asked how he felt about the regular season, head coach Rick Carlisle didn't mince words. In a one word answer, the coach perfectly summed up the Pacers' season.

"Eventful"

Coach Carlisle joins @PacersJJ for an exclusive pregame interview to reflect on the regular season, today's matchup against the Cavs, what he saw from the two-way guys this season, and gives a shoutout to Spokenote for their help spreading the word about Drive & Dish powered by… pic.twitter.com/ZbaC5HyeIv
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) April 13, 2025

The entire year has shown the fight in this Pacers team, and they will look to display that even more in the playoffs. This team is coming off a surprising appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals a year ago, so they will want to at least get back to that spot.

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This core group will need to fully come together if they want to make more noise in the postseason. Indiana is one of the better teams in the NBA, but they can be inconsistent at times.

The Pacers' depth will be tested, and the bench will need to step up. Unlike last season, the Pacers' bench hasn't been a major strength of this team, and it could cause some issues for Indiana.

This Pacers team also won't surprise anyone, unlike last year. Teams are well aware of how good they are, so it won't be a surprise when they take the court.

The Bucks will be a challenge for the Pacers, especially since Milwaukee took three of the four games played this year. Star Damian Lillard did play in those contests, and he is likely to miss this series, barring a big change.

Indiana has all the tools to find success in the postseason once again, but they will need a total team effort for the next few weeks to make it take place.

More Pacers news:

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NBA History Shows Pacers May Not Have Great Shot at NBA Finals

Pacers Rick Carlisle Brutally Honest About Facing Bucks in First-Round Rematch

Can Pacers Repeat Last Season Playoff Success?

For more news and notes on the Indiana Pacers, visit Indiana Pacers on SI.