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Rick Carlisle speaks up on what doomed Pacers in loss to Hawks
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- Rick Carlisle speaks up on what doomed Pacers in loss to Hawks
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Rick Carlisle was not happy with how his Indiana Pacers faltered in their 132-116 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday afternoon.
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Indiana continues to struggle in the 2025-26 campaign, having suffered several injuries to their core. This remains the case as star guard Tyrese Haliburton rehabs his Achilles, which he tore in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals.
This game was competitive as Indiana led at halftime. However, their defense fell apart in the second half with Atlanta outscoring them 75-53. Carlisle explained what went wrong down the stretch after the game, per reporter Dustin Dopirak.
"We had a very poor ending to the third quarter. In fact, we just watched it (in the locker room). From the six-minute mark to the end, we were up I think 85-70 and ended up losing the lead by four going into the fourth. That was a decisive period. We didn't play well," Carlisle said.
"We made some poor decisions and missed shots. They were the opposite. They made the right plays, made good plays and put the ball in the basket. We gotta do better, gotta learn from it and not lose light of the thing we did in certain stretches of the game."
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How Rick Carlisle, Pacers performed against Hawks
Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
Rick Carlisle and the Pacers are unlikely to return to the playoff picture anytime soon this season. However, it won't pave the way for excuses to arise when it comes to how they play against their opponents.
Five players scored in double-digits for Indiana in the loss to Atlanta. Pascal Siakam led the way with a stat line of 26 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and three blocks. He shot 8-of-21 from the field, including 2-of-9 from beyond the arc, and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line. Aaron Nesmith came next with 18 points and four assists, while TJ McConnell and Bennedict Mathurin had 16 points each. Meanwhile, Jarace Walker provided 12 points and seven rebounds.
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Indiana fell to an 11-36 record on the season, holding the 14th spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They are above the Washington Wizards but trail the Brooklyn Nets by 2.5 games and Charlotte Hornets by eight games.
The Pacers will look to bounce back in their next matchup, being at home. They host the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. ET.
Related: NBA's Pacers-Hawks, 76ers-Hornets schedule changes due to bad weather
Related: Tyrese Haliburton declares 'Alex Pretti was murdered' by federal agents in Minneapolis
