Coach Rick Carlisle Puts Pacers on Blast for Major Issues in Preseason Loss

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 head coach Rick Carlisle had a relatively simple explanation for why the Pacers fell 124-108 at home to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.

"We did a poor job of transition defense in the first quarter. Second quarter it was a variety of different things that we were having problems with," Carlisle said after the game. "We had a better start to the third quarter and then didn't finish the third quarter well. And then a 20-point fourth quarter, I mean, when you score 13, I mean, there's not much to get excited there."

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The Pacers allowed 34 points to the Spurs in the first quarter. In the third, the Pacers climbed back ahead but were unable to build on a nine-point lead early in the quarter. Instead, the Pacers finished the third down nine-points themselves, as the Spurs took a lead they would not surrender.

The Pacers allowed 27 Spurs free-throw attempts and had 27 total personal fouls.

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"Right now, we're fouling too much and that's leading to problems," Carlisle said. "We have to play a cleaner game. It's clear that we have some challenges and we just gotta work on them."

One bright spot for the Pacers on Monday night was the play of shooting guard Bennedict Mathurin. The fourth-year player finished with 31 points, missing just one of his 12 field goal attempts and making all four of his three-pointers — all in just 23 minutes on the court.

"He took the shots that were the right shots. The game came to him and he read the game really, really well," Carlisle said. "When he runs and lets the game come to him and makes simple reads, his scoring is a major factor."

Another player who caught the attention of fans and reporters on Monday is newly-signed guard Cameron Payne. The NBA journeyman had 10 points in 17 minutes, adding a pair of assists.

Carlisle said that conditioning is a major separating factor that the Pacers possess, and that Payne is learning that over the preseason.

"He's working at it," Carlisle said. "Coming to our team is not typical of most teams. You have to be at a very high level of conditioning to play in our system with the physical demands. He'll get there. So far, provided that he's not banged up at all, there are better signs every time he plays."

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