Rick Carlisle is and has been one of the best coaches in the league for quite a while now, and he just dropped a gem a month and a half after his team made a run to the NBA Finals. The head of the snake in Indiana made it clear that basketball has changed, and what's more important than stacking elite superstars is having a team full of good players who play hard for the full 48 minutes.
Hey guys, I talked to Rick Carlisle about the Pacers playing random
- drawing influence from jazz
- implementing this style in 2025 vs 2011
- why the NBA is running less PnR
- do all teams play the same?
- Siakam, always adapting
this is meaningful https://t.co/682Rtp7oVx pic.twitter.com/JFJ6jcGcGV
— Caitlin Cooper (@C2_Cooper) August 5, 2025
"Part of this is that we play a lot of guys... It's no secret," Carlisle said on Caitlin Cooper's podcast. He elaborated on that statement, and what stuck out most was when he said, "The NBA game has now become a play-hard league. It's not just being top-heavy with stars. Roster construction is changing."
That's exactly what the Spurs are building in San Antonio. Now, he didn't say that having elite players was not a priority. Tyrese Haliburton is a star in this league, and he proved that during his playoff run. Pascal Siakam may be overlooked in most circles, but he also showcased what makes him a special player time and time again, series after series. But there was much more to their equation.
The Spurs' depth will take them far this season
The Silver and Black have a deep rotation this season. All 12 guys who will be active on game days have strong claims for playing time, and that will have to be managed by Mitch Johnson, but that's a good problem to have. Nobody should have to play so many minutes that they're exhausted after any stretch of the game. That strategy should keep them as fresh as possible as the season wanes.
Hali, Siakam, and Myles Turner were the only players on the Pacers who averaged over 30 minutes per game, but nobody went over 34 minutes. Carlisle deployed three other players at over 25 minutes, and another six at over 15 minutes. It was a well-balanced attack that emphasized effort and consistency.
The result was a trip to the Finals when nobody expected Indy to be the team to come out of the Eastern Conference. Now, I don't expect the Spurs to make a run like they did, especially in the vaunted Western Conference. However, I do believe San Antonio will be much better than people think.
This is a team that will be fielding a top-10 player, a top-30 player, and will have a deep enough roster to throw guys at the opposition with relentless ambition. 50 wins or more is not out of the question for this team. Last season, 50 wins got you the 4th and 5th seed with Denver and the Clippers tying. That'll be the Spurs next year with a chance to host a playoff series, taking the league by surprise.