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MAGIC 112, PACERS 110: Reaction with Mike Rich (2.129.3) · The Central Indiana Sports Report

• 0:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: You are listening to a special edition of the Pacers Report.
• 0:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: Mike Rich's reaction to the Pacers of 114-12 home loss to the Orlando Magic on the final day of 2025, and it's only on the central Indian sports report.
• 0:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome back to the Central Indiana Sports Report Pacers fans for the final Pacers report of the year.
• 0:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: My glitches reaction to the Pacers of 1-12, 1-10 loss to the Orlando Magic on Wednesday evening Mike, probably, after noon, more accurate than evening.
• 0:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, more afternoon, but
• 0:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks.
• 0:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: I will say this Mike, there's the pace of the 6th and 28 worst record in the NBA, but these players aren't tanking.
• 0:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Now, the players aren't tanking, but gosh, Mike, we have someone like Ben Caro on our team.
• 1:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, Mike, God.
• 1:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I mean, they played a good game.
• 1:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Overall, it was a really good game to watch.
• 1:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was fun to watch.
• 1:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Again, the crowd was into it, Indiana fans continue to come out.
• 1:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: support this team.
• 1:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think we all know kind of what to expect and it's been pretty consistent this year.
• 1:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: They've been a lot of games and they can't finish them and it's because they don't have the resources to do it.
• 1:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Hey, we had some good highlights this evening and for late afternoon,
• 1:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: The good news is that you could continue to build around Pascal Siakum, Andrew Nimhard, in particular, but the last couple of games in Zaire and East Smith has come back.
• 1:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's obvious.
• 1:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's a guy who's going to be dependable for the next few years as well, and a big part of the pacer future.
• 2:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: really excited to see niece met back and it gives a different type of defensive presence.
• 2:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think he's still just trying to get as long as back and his legs back to play in an MBA level, but it's been impressive the past two nights or he's been back three games now or two games.
• 2:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: Three games, yeah, I came back but I guess the rockets didn't need.
• 2:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: definitely promising for the future and focusing on NEM hard and East met and see off them and keeping them happy throughout the rest of this rough season is going to be to be a challenge for Carlisle, but I think I think we're going to be all right.
• 2:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: There might be some others too.
• 2:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're going to talk about here in a second.
• 2:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Before that, I want to talk about Michael Potter.
• 2:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: Plus 23 and plus minus today when he was on the floor.
• 3:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: They did good things and he was part of it Yeah, I don't know where they found he What Wisconsin guy Had a few pretty good games left kings and most NBA men.
• 3:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's had in his career is with the Pacers.
• 3:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think and Maybe the only NBA men that he's had
• 3:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: But like 38 games last year, average four points of game for the Kings.
• 3:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, okay.
• 3:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: That didn't.
• 3:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: I didn't know where he came from.
• 3:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Didn't.
• 3:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: Mike, it would be impossible for us to keep up with all the different guys.
• 3:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: The patients from bringing in.
• 3:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Just to try to feel the team every night.
• 3:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: What happened to Thompson?
• 3:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: Was it.
• 3:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Evan Thompson?
• 3:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Is he still playing?
• 3:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: Nope.
• 3:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: The decision he's on the bench quitting Jackson didn't play tonight, but Mike a Potter did.
• 3:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: Not exactly sure what they're doing here, but it's not like Carl Allen, pressure don't have a plan.
• 3:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, they definitely have a have a plan, I think, and I apologize to Ethan Thompson, I think I called him Evan, but Evan, yeah, we're going to come at them from now on.
• 4:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yep.
• 4:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: to everybody can find a film and it's right now and the ultimate goal is to stay healthy.
• 4:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: I just hate to see one of these key pieces go down anytime the rest of this year.
• 4:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would do everything I could to reserve their minutes and just keep them healthy and plan for next year.
• 4:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: In my last three or four games, it has not been the generous Walker that I wanted, that I was expecting a guy that was kind of a power forward floor general that we saw with the Mad Ants and at times with the Pacers last year, again, zero assists, but offensively his stroke is starting to look better, he's starting to make shots, and
• 5:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Again, he would still just be a senior in college.
• 5:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I think we need to be patient, but just not quite the development that we hoped for.
• 5:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: Not as fast as we hoped for.
• 5:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, if he's gonna have plenty of opportunity in the rest of this year to continue to develop and continue to prove that he deserves a spot on this team, you know, seeing Johnny Furfie and the starting line up and him continuing to get more and more minutes is, you know,
• 5:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: that.
• 5:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: He only had five minutes just tonight.
• 5:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that's because my computer was playing really well.
• 5:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I guess.
• 5:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, because Potter got 26 minutes.
• 5:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it is good to see for if you continue to get minutes.
• 5:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's good to see Walker continue to evolve.
• 5:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: And and you're right.
• 5:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, he's still pretty young.
• 5:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: He was pretty raw coming out.
• 5:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: He was, I think, a development project, not somebody you were going to see start in a second here or whatever, but
• 6:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: Give it time and that's what he's got.
• 6:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's got time.
• 6:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: They got time this year to really see what they got and see what pieces they want to keep and what they want to build around.
• 6:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think they're going to definitely stick with Siak and Nem hard.
• 6:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Hopefully McConnell and Neesmith and everything else on this team is kind of up up near.
• 6:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think they're pretty high on Murphy as well, but I think everything else is up near what where those players are going to be next year.
• 6:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: But hopefully we we have, see, I'm named hard.
• 6:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Furfee and McConnell on these Smith next year.
• 6:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: I just want to point out Ben Shepherd is back as well.
• 6:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: Had 12 points tonight.
• 6:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, to get back to his back.
• 6:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's up for OB right.
• 6:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: Except for OB and of course.
• 6:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Help, of course.
• 6:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: Help.
• 6:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're not counting him.
• 6:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's 0% chance he's coming.
• 6:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 6:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's great to see them competitive and or I know it's a good team, but again, they were down, they're best player.
• 7:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Second best player.
• 7:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know.
• 7:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think why.
• 7:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's probably their best player.
• 7:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Hello Ben Caros without question, they're best player.
• 7:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think he's the best in the future, but I think and maybe right now because he's playing.
• 7:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: But in all storm for sure, he should be definitely again.
• 7:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: the top of this podcast is why can't we have someone like that on our team.
• 7:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: I guess we have three albums.
• 7:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, that's right.
• 7:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: Tonight we've got to be by a guy named Jamal Kane who I've never heard of.
• 7:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: So yeah, and different spirit and go go get a good game.
• 7:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's right.
• 7:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, some of those
• 7:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: pretty fantastic and exciting to watch, but former Pacer, of course, and we knew when he was with the Pacer's that he was a nice player.
• 7:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: Unfortunately, we also had Miles Turner and Joe Massabonus, and he wasn't breaking that line up.
• 8:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Now, not breaking that.
• 8:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: But what he, he could start now.
• 8:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, he could.
• 8:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: Pacer's might be one of those centers of the
• 8:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: He continues to play like he did tonight.
• 8:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know how he's done the rest of the year, but he's a good road.
• 8:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's looked really good.
• 8:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: He looked really good tonight.
• 8:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: When I talk about the upcoming schedule here, Mike and I are going to react to the spurs game.
• 8:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're going to talk about a lot of the Pacers, but also the spurs, because I think they're a year or two early, maybe, as NBA contenders, because they are legit.
• 8:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: and our first look at him as pacers fans this year.
• 8:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: Before we get to that one and mention that I saw the day, I finally took the time to see how the draft lottery works.
• 8:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: I guess to address tanking, being the worst record in the league isn't that big of an advantage anymore.
• 9:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: So losses aren't going to really matter unless they get to, unless they pass five teams basically, their odds are going to be the same, whether they win or lose these games.
• 9:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: So might as well start cheering for wins.
• 9:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm always cheering for a win and 10 losses in a row, it's really difficult to watch a game and you know what the outcome is going to be.
• 9:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: It seems like it's, you know, but.
• 9:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: And we look at this future schedule and you know we're not we're close to February picking if they even have a chance of winning any of the future games unless somebody has a horrible game.
• 9:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that's the only way they're going to win is if somebody is going to have a bad game.
• 9:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: If I don't know anymore, with niece Smith back, I'm not sure that's the case anymore.
• 9:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think they're going to sneak towards where he wins in here that you might not expect.
• 9:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: This is four games in a row, Boston Miami Houston or Lando, four pretty good teams that they were competitive for most of the game.
• 10:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think having niece Smith back is going to have them challenging in some of these games, particularly a Cleveland struggle in
• 10:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: Charlotte on the road.
• 10:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: Maybe Toronto comes in and then New Orleans at home.
• 10:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, but all tough road games in January.
• 10:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: Just a brutal January.
• 10:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's it is brutal and to start with San Antonio.
• 10:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it's going to be I mean, they may come to play.
• 10:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I would be scared to San Antonio if I was in the West.
• 10:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're going to be a tough team and a tough how and I can already show them that they're competitive against Oklahoma setting.
• 10:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: But Mike, have you seen Houston?
• 10:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, Houston.
• 10:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's long.
• 10:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: Saw them beat us, too.
• 10:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that's right.
• 10:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: But we played pretty good in that game.
• 11:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, play well and maybe we're down a man as well.
• 11:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: But man, they are so loaded with talent.
• 11:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: And it's young, but it's common.
• 11:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: throw in Kevin Durai in there a guy who can score at will where he doesn't have to do everything because he's got guys like Amon Thompson and Tari-Eason and Jibari Smith and all these young guys that are just so good and read Shepherd.
• 11:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: Ooh, maybe the most improved and sixth man of the year, let's rock its team as something else and I'll tell you Oklahoma City, Houston,
• 11:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: San Antonio, the Lakers, the timber wolves.
• 11:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think there are five teams better in the West than anybody in the East, right?
• 11:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, at least.
• 11:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I, at least, I'm, who's the best team in the East?
• 11:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, I forgot the nuggets.
• 11:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: And they're down, they're the best player for probably four to four to five weeks, but I don't know, you give me Jason Tatum in the Celtics
• 12:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: it's almost certain he's gonna play and with the tea is good as this team has been the last month or so without him you throw Jason Tatham in there maybe them but I think your answer is probably the next yeah that's that's who I would pick is the next if Tatham's playing as well as Boston has stayed afloat and above yeah they're actually playing pretty well for being down Tatham
• 12:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I would say the next, I'd probably the best team in the East, and then I don't want them to come out of the East.
• 12:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: I want them to, I want them to get to the playoffs, and I want them to lose.
• 12:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: Right here you.
• 12:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: And update the Pacers now are 6 and 28.
• 12:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: That is a game.
• 12:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, sorry.
• 12:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: Two and a half games worse than anybody else in the league.
• 13:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: The Washington Wizards are 7 and 24.
• 13:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: the pelicans and kings both have eight wins, the bottom four teams have the same odds to have the number one pick and to have a top four pick and then number five pretty much has the same odds to that's the next day of 10 wins.
• 13:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: The clippers and hornets have 11 jazz and maverick's 12 so what's your worst pick we can get six.
• 13:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you're in the top four
• 13:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: worse, but we have the same odds if we're pretty much the same odds to pick first second third fourth or fifth, and the NBA is not going to let Indiana have the first pick.
• 13:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: We'll see, maybe this is the year.
• 13:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: That would be, you said, why can't we have a guy like Ben
• 14:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: they could.
• 14:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: That would be the favor of had the opportunity to have the number one pick a couple times.
• 14:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: So why can't the pacers have that number one pick?
• 14:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: I just want to top four.
• 14:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'll take any of those four guys.
• 14:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: I take any of them.
• 14:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I think you know or trade and get something that's
• 14:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: We trust Kevin Pritchard, kind of, mostly.
• 14:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Mostly.
• 14:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 14:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 14:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: I, I, I, I trust Carlisle, I trust Pritchard.
• 14:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: Mostly mostly mostly how it's all plays out.
• 14:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks so much to Mike and thank you for joining us.
• 14:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Always appreciate it.
• 14:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: Again, we'll be back on Friday night for a reaction to the spurs game.
• 14:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I believe we're going to be back on Sunday as well for the next magic game.
• 15:00
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• 15:06
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• 15:09
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• 15:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'll often Tuesday.
• 15:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Hey, every day.
• 15:53
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