Rick Carlisle Makes Vow After Pacers’ Game 3 Loss To Celtics

The Pacers were dealt a demoralizing blow Saturday night, but their head coach wasn’t feeling defeated after the decision.

Indiana was excellent for most of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, even without face of the franchise Tyrese Haliburton. But the Pacers didn’t do enough to bury the Celtics, who erased an 18-point deficit en route to a 114-111 win and a 3-0 series lead.

Rick Carlisle didn’t want to dwell on the past after his team wasted a golden opportunity on its home floor. Instead, he looked ahead to Indiana’s next challenge, where he fully anticipates his team to make life difficult for Boston.

“We got to look at what’s in front of us, you know?” Carlisle told reporters, per a team-provided video. “We have the best fans in the NBA here. We got the greatest basketball building on the planet and we got another game in front of them — to go after these guys. And believe me when I tell you, we are going after them.”

The Pacers figure to throw the kitchen sink at the Celtics as they try to keep their season alive. Unfortunately for Indiana, Boston might be fully equipped to handle anything and everything Indiana has to offer.

Game 4 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse is scheduled for Monday at 8 p.m. ET.