Pacers fall apart late vs. 76ers in bid to earn Rick Carlisle milestone win

Indiana led inside the final 5:00 but struggled to execute and was victimized by tough foul calls in falling short.

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle didn't get the benefit of some key calls late in the fourth quarter as his team struggled to finish in Philadelphia. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

1. Uphill battle proves too tough for Indy on off night for Mathurin

Dec 12, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Vj Edgecombe (77) drives for a shot against Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (00) during the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Rick Carlisle didn’t get win No. 1,000 against the 76ers on Friday night, but the fight was there. 

His next crack at history will come Sunday against the Washington Wizards, so there we’ll be expectations there since you can imagine he doesn’t want the spotlight to linger long. 

The Pacers nearly got to the finish line in Philadelphia, but were outperformed down the stretch in a 115-105 loss in the latest reminder that this whole season is going to be an uphill battle. Carlisle deployed a closing lineup featuring Jay Huff and Garrison Matthews, fringe NBA guys who have clawed their way to this spot for years, so it would’ve been special to pull out a win with those guys helping close it out.

Instead, the talent gap Indiana was trying to overcome proved too great. A game that was tied at 90 after three quarters and even at 102 inside 4:00 ended poorly. Ethan Thompson, who Carlisle handpicked from the team’s G League affiliate, the Noblesville Boom, specifically because of his defense and energy, fouled out after picking up a few dubious whistles. It was a sign of things to come.

Carlisle picked up a technical with 3:17 remaining after arguing Andrew Nembhard should’ve drawn a foul on a drive into the paint where he drew contact and missed badly, and Pascal Siakam was T’d up a little later for voicing his displeasure with the refs.

Looking to win back-to-back road games and three straight for the first time, Indiana struggled in its 11th clutch game of the season after coming through in Monday’s upset of San Antonio. More was needed from Bennedict Mathurin, who uncharacteristically finished with just seven points on a 2-for-7 night. The Pacers definitely battled, but simply aren’t going to win many games when they shoot 40 percent from the field.

2. Rested Sixers vets feast after lengthy layoff

Dec 12, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) reacts with forward Paul George (8) after a victoryagainst the Indiana Pacers during at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

You can count how many times Joel Embiid has looked like his vintage self this season on one hand, so it was unfortunate for the Pacers that he added a finger to the tally in a big way on Friday night.

Embiid’s massive third quarter kept Indiana from pulling away in a fourth quarter where it otherwise outplayed the 76ers. He had a season-high 39 points in just over 32 minutes, thrived at both ends by flashing the versatility that makes him an elite big when healthy, and performed like the final boss in a video game should.

Paul George played with a heightened energy level as a result of an extended break courtesy of the NBA Cup. Philly hadn’t played since losing to the Lakers on Sunday in a game that came down to the final few possessions and used a 15-3 finish to avoid an upset loss on a night star point guard Tyrese Maxey didn’t play due to an illness.

Embiid exposed Indiana’s lack of defense inside and got the better of Pascal Siakam down the stretch despite the smaller forward doing his best to make him work. A huge offensive rebound helped put the game away.

It would’ve been nice for win No. 1,000 to come in a game that featured George, but the former Pacers lottery pick who blossomed into an All-Star after being the NBA’s Most Improved player in Indy under Carlisle turned back the clock too, shooting 4-for-7 from 3-point range while stuffing the stat sheet with 23 points, six rebounds and five assists.

3. G League gem Thompson continuing to prove he belongs

Indiana Pacers guard Ethan Thompson has provided the scrappy play his depleted team needs since arriving from the G League. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Thompson scored a career-best 12 points and again looks like he’ll play a large role until Aaron Nesmith and Ben Sheppard can return. Although most of his damage came in the first half and foul trouble ended his night, Thompson is a difference maker capable of making opponents work for everything they get, which is something the Pacers lack otherwise and need since they don’t have the weapons necessary to outscore teams. 

Thompson has played in Mexico and bounced around the G League, so his drive is undeniable and the desperation he plays with is infectious. Expect him to see more time than Johnny Furphy and potentially stick in the rotation even when Nesmith and Sheppard are back. 

Isaiah Jackson was especially active with seven points and nine rebounds, but Jarace Walker’s inconsistent season continued. Indiana is going to need both of those guys to deliver off the bench to help turn things around since this team simply has little margin for error.

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