Rick Carlisle talks about what doomed Indiana’s loss to the Hawks

Rick Carlisle he was not happy with how his Indiana was doing The Pacers stumbled in a 132-116 loss at the Atlanta Hawks on Monday afternoon.

Indiana continues to struggle in the 2025-26 campaign, having suffered several heart injuries. That remains the case as star guard Tyrese Halliburton rehabs his Achilles, which he tore in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals.

This game was competitive as Indiana led at halftime. However, their defense fell apart in the second half as Atlanta outscored them 75-53. Carlisle explained what went wrong below after the game, according to reporter Dustin Dopirak.

“We had a really bad end to the third quarter. We were actually just watching it (in the locker room). From the sixth minute to the end, we were up, I think 85-70 and we ended up losing the lead by four in the fourth. That was the defining period. We didn’t play well,” Carlisle said.

“We made some bad decisions and missed shots. They were the opposite. They made the right play, made good plays and put the ball in the basket. We have to get better, we have to learn from it and not lose sight of the things we did in certain parts of the game.”

How Rick Carlisle handled the Pacers against the Hawks

Rick Carlisle and the Pacers likely won’t be back in the playoff picture anytime soon this season. However, that will not open the way for excuses to be made when it comes to how they play against their opponents.

Five players scored in double figures for Indiana in the loss to Atlanta. Pascal Siakam led the way with 26 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks. He shot 8-of-21 from the field, including 2-of-9 from beyond the arc, and 8-of-9 from the free throw line. Aaron Nesmith was next with 18 points and four assists, while TJ McConnell and Benedict Maturin each had 16 points. Meanwhile, Jerras Walker had 12 points and seven rebounds.

Indiana fell to an 11-36 record on the season, holding onto 14th place in the Eastern Conference standings. They are above the Washington Wizards, but trail the Brooklyn Nets by 2.5 games and the Charlotte Hornets by eight games.

The Pacers will look to bounce back in their next game as they are at home. They host the Chicago Bulls on January 28th at 7pm ET.