Rick Carlisle Blasts Pacers’ Struggling Defense With Outstanding One-Liner

Even in this offensive-minded decade in the NBA, the Indiana Pacers are in rare company.

This season, the Pacers are surrendering an average of 124.8 points per game—29th in the NBA, and the highest average in franchise history by more than five full points. Indiana’s lackadaisical defense has severely hindered one of the league’s most exciting young teams, and the Pacers are just 16–14 despite a run to the in-season tournament final.

What does coach Rick Carlisle have to say about this? Nothing good, as he expressed to reporters in humorous fashion before Indiana's game against the New York Knicks Saturday.

“Being historically great on offense is fun,” Carlisle said, “but even dating a pretty girl gets boring after awhile if she can’t guard anybody.” 

“Being historically great on offense is fun but even dating a pretty girl gets boring after awhile if she can’t guard anybody.”

Rick Carlisle with one of the greatest quotes of all-time. pic.twitter.com/J2jVpWl5IR

— iPacers.com (@iPacersblog) December 30, 2023

The Pacers are also averaging 126.1 points per game. That’d be another franchise record, more than six points per game ahead of their 119.6 point-per-game 1969 team in the ABA.

All this scoring must be foreign to Carlisle, who in 2004 oversaw an Indiana team that averaged—if it can be believed by modern fans—91.4 points per game against 85.6 points per game for its opponents.