Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle confirmed that he is making a subtle roster move after the team's 119-105 win over the Charlotte Hornets. The Eastern Conference's No. 4 seed is gearing up for a postseason run and on pace to have homecourt for its first-round series. The Pacers are coming off a surprising Conference Finals appearance and are looking to reach that stage again in 2025.
Indiana is already reshaping its roster ahead of this stretch with just six games left. According to Forbers Sports Pacers' report, Tony East, Carlisle has confirmed that rookie guard Johnny Furphy is heading down to the Indiana Mad Ants tomorrow for their G League playoff game.
Indiana will need to show another gear to make another deep postseason run
Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson (2) looks to pass the ball against Indiana Pacers forward Johnny Furphy (12) during the third quarter at Barclays Center.
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Furphy was a second-round pick out of Kansas in the 2024 NBA Draft. The 20-year-old has appeared in 44 games so far in his career as a two-way player. The Melbourne native is an athletic wing with high upside but is not expected to be a part of the playoff rotation. The Pacers have largely maintained their health throughout the regular season and now will enter the postseason with as many as eleven quality rotation players.
The two headline players are Pascal Siakm and Tyrese Haliburton, who both need to be at their best in a few weeks. Siakiam has had an All-Star season after signing a long-term extension with the franchise this offseason. Haliburton, on the other hand, has gradually grown into the season but will need to elevate his game in the playoffs. The Eastern Conference is a lot stronger and a lot more healthy than it was last season.
If the season were to end today, Indiana would face off with its long-time rival, the Detroit Pistons, in the first round. The Pistons have had an extraordinary turnaround under head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and are a young, dangerous team that would have nothing to lose in this hypothetical matchup. If the Pacers were to get by this clash, a likely matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers looms.
The Cavs have had a terrific season, completely changing the league's perception of them. This roster, which was thought to have a second-round-at-best ceiling for years, now looks like it can win the title. It will, therefore, take a monumental effort for Indiana to return to the Conference Finals. But this group should not be underestimated.