Pacers' Rick Carlisle Explains Timeout Flub vs Lakers

The Indiana Pacers lost in excruciating fashion against the Lakers after Carlisle made a terrible late-game mistake.

Mar 17, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers fought back against the Los Angeles Lakers late in the game on Wednesday night. They took a one-point lead after Tyrese Haliburton converted an and-one opportunity.

After he made the free throw, Rick Carlisle decided to take Haliburton out to have a better defensive lineup out there to stop the Lakers from scoring. That makes sense, and it worked.

The issue comes after that. Once the Pacers got the rebound, they decided not to take a timeout to bring Haliburton back into the game. Haliburton was waiting at the scorer's table to check back in.

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Instead of bringing Haliburton back in to make sure they got a good shot, Aaron Nesmith took a horrible shot as the shot clock was winding down. The offensive possession didn't see the ball get in the paint once.

That led to the Lakers getting the rebound and LeBron James getting a game-winning tip-in at the buzzer. The Pacers left a timeout in their pocket.

After the game, Carlisle was asked why he decided not to take that timeout at the end of the game to bring Haliburton back in. He has regrets.

Rick Carlisle on @FanDuelSN_IND about no timeout to get Haliburton back in: pic.twitter.com/WkthXhjcvd

— Kevin Bowen (@KBowen1070) March 27, 2025

"I considered it. Looking at it now, it certainly would have been the thing to do, given the result. But there was a nine or ten-second difference. Had they scored, they probably were going to run it back at us. That group had a good run in the fourth, so I just decided to stay with it. But that was my decision. The thing that was also a big factor was that we had a foul to give. We talked about it in the huddle. Everybody on the sideline was yelling it, and we just didn't do it."

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Fouling on that last possession is one thing. They could have fouled and made it harder for the Lakers to get a good shot up late in the game.

But had they gotten Haliburton in and scored on the previous possession, the Pacers couldn't have lost in regulation. At worst, they would have gone to overtime.

Carlisle has had some big-time flubs in recent years late in games. Last year's Eastern Conference Finals came to mind when they decided not to foul up three in Game 1 against the Celtics.

This was a bad decision. Hopefully, it's one Carlisle learns from so the same thing doesn't happen during the playoffs.

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