Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle knows it is going to be a challenge to repeat their feat of reaching the 2025 NBA Finals without star point guard Tyrese Haliburton. But he knows what his team has to do to survive without him.
Haliburton tore his Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals after re-aggravating a calf injury he suffered earlier in the series. The Pacers are going to have to replace his 18.6 points per game and 9.2 assists per game from last season, and that is going to be a tough task ahead of them.
Carlisle was candid with reporters when asked what would need to be done to survive without Haliburton.
The Pacers coach said that there will need to be adjustments to his team's style of play with Haliburton out for the season, per Forbes reporter Tony East. He said that speed and physicality will still be important, but they will not be able to replicate what they were doing en route to an NBA Finals berth last season.
Indiana will also be without Myles Turner after he left the team in free agency to join the Milwaukee Bucks.
Carlisle also told reporters that he did not have any preconceived notions as to who would step up to replace the missing stars in the starting lineup this season. According to East, he did point to center Jay Huff's ability to space the floor and guard Quenton Jackson's experience with the team as important additions to Indiana's rotation.
The Pacers will also have guard options in Andrew Nembhard, Benedict Mathurin, T.J. McConnell and Aaron Nesmith as options to help fill Haliburton's large shoes. All three of them had standout performances in Indiana's playoff run at some point.
McConnell was the man who stepped up after Haliburton departed from Game 7, putting up 16 points and three assists in the loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
