Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle believes the NBA has shifted away from relying solely on star players to a style that values depth and relentless effort.
Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle sees a shift happening across the NBA—and he’s not just observing it, he’s coaching through it.
In a recent interview with Caitlin Cooper, Carlisle laid out his belief that today’s league isn’t just about top-tier talent anymore. Depth, energy, and effort are becoming just as vital.
“The NBA game has now become a play hard league,” he said. “It’s not just being top heavy with stars. Roster construction is changing.”
Carlisle’s comments come after leading the Pacers to their most successful playoff run in 25 years. Indiana reached the 2025 NBA Finals for the first time since 2000, taking the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games in a tough series.
Credit AP - Scanpix
For Carlisle, success wasn’t about stacking All-Stars, but rather building a balanced, resilient squad.
“It’s become more important to have more good players than be top heavy with two or three great players that get all the touches,” coach explained.
Indiana’s journey to the Finals reflected that mindset. Despite losing several big men throughout the year—including Jalen Smith, Oscar Tshiebwe, James Wiseman, and Isaiah Jackson—the Pacers held firm in the frontcourt thanks to new additions like Thomas Bryant and Moses Brown.
Carlisle leaned into a rotation built on shared responsibilities, ball movement, and defensive effort. That structure helped Indiana finish the regular season at 52–30—its best record since the 2013–14 season—and survive three playoff series against the Bucks, Cavaliers, and Knicks.
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