Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle says NBA In-Season tournament makes a lot of sense, chats offseason
Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle recently did a question-and-answer session with NBA.com's Steve Aschburner, and the two discussed several things about the Pacers outlook.
Carlisle shared his thoughts on the Pacers direction and offseason additions, the improvements his team has made at the power forward spot, Tyrese Haliburton's talent, and more. Indiana is about to enter its third season with Carlisle at the helm during his current stint. He had prior experience with the franchise.
The veteran head coach has seen a lot in his three-plus decades in the NBA, so he offers a quality perspective on the league's biggest topics. When Carlisle joined the association as a player in 1984, the NBA had 23 teams and the first round of the postseason was a best-of-five series. The league has changed dramatically in the years since.
That's why his view on the NBA's new In-Season tournament is valuable. He has seen new ideas from the league and is the President of the National Basketball Coaches Association.
Aschburner asked Carlisle about the NBA's added competition. "This is another trophy. The Premier League in soccer has been doing this for decades with a high level of success, so it's time to jump in," the Pacers head coach said. "It sounds to me like it's very well organized and makes a lot of sense. I'm sure a lot will be learned in year one that will be adjusted for year two as needed."
The In-Season tournament is almost entirely merged with the regular season. Teams will play four games that have added meaning as a part of their 82 game slate, and if they do well in those outings, they move on to the playoff bracket of the In-Season Tournament.
Teams that qualify will play additional meaningful games there. The first two rounds will be regular season games, but the title game is a standalone event outside of the season. It will be easier to follow as it happens. Indiana shares a group with Cleveland, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Detroit for the tournament. Their schedule can be found here.
The championship game will be played in Las Vegas in early December, and there are cash prizes for each of the top-eight finishing teams. It's a great way to boost intensity and meaning for regular season games, and Carlise's Pacers will be prepared. It's an opportunity for the new-look group to get off on the right foot as they build forward.
Indiana begins their In-Season Tournament journey in just 40 days when they take on the Cavaliers. Every win goes a long way since there are only four games played in the group stage, and the playoff bracket is all best-of-one series. Every squad will have to be on their A-game as off nights will be punished.
Carlisle has coached for 22 seasons, including seven with the Pacers. His 23rd will be the first with the In-Season Tournament, and he's excited to see it. He is 14th all time in wins by a head coach and could move into 13th this season with 40 wins. A 49-win campaign by the Pacers would allow him to move into 11th place all time. Some of those wins could even happen as a part of the NBA's new competition.
All of Carlisle's quotes as a part of the Q&A can be found here.
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