June 3, 2025 • 37 mins
In this episode, I bring on Pacers superfan Steven Bitzilis discuss the Indiana Pacers' historic journey to the NBA Finals, exploring the excitement and significance of this achievement for fans and the franchise.
We also delve into Steven's personal fan journey, key players like Tyrese Halliburton and Pascal Siakam, and the impact of coaching under Rick Carlisle. The conversation also covers defensive strategies, the importance of role players, and a preview of the upcoming Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
What is going on everybody? And welcome to this week's
episode of The Huddle Within podcast.
As you can probably tell by the sound of my voice, I've lost my
voice. I'm pretty sick at the moment.
It was a lot worse on Friday when I went to the footy and
pretty much lost my voice completely.
But I had to get on the podcast today.
(00:23):
I had to do this recording because it's quite a special and
historic moment that has happened.
And given that our podcast is about fans going behind the
deeper meaning and our passions,what better way to kind of
express that with with the guests that I'm about to have?
He's a very good friend of mine.He is an Indiana Pacers fan and
his name is Stephen. Bertillis basically.
(00:46):
For those that do not follow thebasketball, the Indiana Pacers
have qualified for the NBA Finals.
They have a chance to basically win the NBA championship.
It's their first NBA Finals in in almost 20 years and it's also
the second ever time the IndianaPacers have made the NBA Finals.
And the city that actually invented basketball was Indiana.
(01:11):
So this is a big, big moment forthose that are Indiana Pacers
fans and especially those livingin Indiana where basketball was
originated from. This city, this team, this town
is a massive basketball city. So definitely going to have
crazy atmospheres in in the games where Indiana are playing
(01:32):
on in their floor. And before Stephen obviously
comes on, thoroughly deserved. Indiana was very solid these
whole these whole playoffs, defeating the Knicks in six.
Tyrus Halliburton and Pascal Siakam, and notably they're role
players of Andrew Nebhart. Andrew Nebhart, sorry Aaron
(01:54):
Naysmith and also Miles Turner and a few others as well have
shown has shown that class in this series.
And Rick Carlisle has proven to be an exceptional coach.
Having an opportunity to win another championship with a
different team is no steep feat.But anyways, I'm about to
welcome on Stephen Patillis to give his fan perspective on this
(02:16):
and really excited to yeah, havethis episode.
And if it's your first time listening in, be sure to
subscribe. My voice doesn't always sound
like this for those that are listening for the first time.
But if you do like what you're listening to, be sure to leave a
five star review as well. But without further ado, let's
get on the way. Welcome to the Huddle Within
podcast, where we go beyond the surface to uncover the real
(02:36):
impact of sports on our lives. Whether it's fascence of
resilience, the passion that fuels us, or the stories that
can connect us all, this is where the game gets personal.
I am Daniel, a regular sports fan just like you, and together
we'll explore what sports truly means beyond the surface.
So step right into The Huddle and let's get into it.
(03:10):
So this is history. For the first time in 20 years,
the Indiana Pacers are in the NBA Finals.
It's their second ever time in franchise history.
And I've got the biggest Pacers fan I know Down Under in
Australia, Mr Stephen Battila. Stephen, what's going on?
Yes sirs, let's go. Yes, Pacers are finally in the
Finals. First time in a lifetime and we
(03:31):
are ready to go. Yeah, Kane, we've had some
technical issues the last two days.
So you're actually downstairs inmy house at the moment, wearing
my headphones, using all my gear.
But you did bring me a coffee, so I do appreciate you for that
one. But thanks for being on today.
No worries. Thank you.
Thank you for having me. No worries.
So sort of how we're going to dothis is basically I'm just going
(03:52):
to kind of run through your journey, the excitement of, I'm
thinking about my last pod, the excitement of obviously getting
into the finals. And then we're going to sort of
preview the finals as well against OK C.
And then we'll do a bit of rapidfire at the end, which never
ends up being a rapid fire, so is longer than what it's
expected. But yeah, some few questions
(04:14):
about that. And I guess I'll start with,
yeah, your fan journey. So take me back to, I guess your
earliest paces memory when you started to really fall in love
with. The team earliest Paces memory
would be mid twenty 10s. I've never really followed
basketball as a little kid. I got into it more myself when I
(04:34):
was a teenager. I had a mate who was a heavy
LeBron lover. So I've always naturally been a
LeBron hater. And the early twenty 10s with
the rivalry with our PG team that we had with the Miami
LeBron sort of fuelled my love for Paces.
And then I just fell in love with that team and unfortunately
(04:56):
my favourite player was Paul George.
But at the time, after all the chaos that happened with him, I
was just stuck with the Pacers it.
Was probably a good decision because if it wasn't for that
Paul George trade, don't think you guys would be in the finals
or OKC either for that matter. So it's quite funny how.
Things are moving off the back of Paul George.
(05:18):
Yeah, it's true. I wanted to say obviously it's
been a crazy run to the playoffsand obviously having a strong
kind of first round and then surprisingly to beat Cleveland
with the first seed and are now beating New York in six as well.
But when was it that you realised that you could
potentially get into the championship?
Match. Or series.
(05:40):
The way we ended the regular season was just a completely
different team from the one thatwe started.
Obviously we had a few key players out in the first half of
the season, our main defenders on ball defenders, point of
attack defenders, so we were down on the defensive end from
the get go. Once we got everyone back and
(06:00):
everything started flowing in the new year, the way we entered
the regular season, I knew we'remaking a serious push.
Yes, William, when do you think during that regular season, once
you started bringing those defensive players back, which
we'll talk about I guess later on, did it start to sort of
click for you guys in a sense that you could really be a
(06:23):
contending team? Obviously the fact that you guys
started rough, you probably would have never expected to
make the finals, but there wouldhave been some spark there that
would have thought and assumed that that could be a definite
possibility. Yeah, exactly.
Well, obviously last year we made we made it to the Eastern
Conference finals as well, losing to Boston.
So we always knew we could get there.
(06:45):
But the way we started, once we found some rhythm, got some WS
in a row on the ball because we're very one win, one loss, 11
loss at the start of the year. Once we got the and WS in our Rd
everyone started to click and pick up and find some form as a
team. Yeah, I really didn't notice
that and it really showed in in the playoffs as well.
(07:07):
And I think one of the main players that was probably at the
head of that was your franchise player, Tyrese Halliburton.
Just talk to me about him and and kind of how you felt
originally when the trade went through.
Obviously losing Sabonis was a pretty big thing at the time,
but he's clearly changed the culture and the trajectory of
the franchise. His peers voted him as the most
(07:27):
overrated player in the NBA. He has certainly proved those
guys wrong. So take me through the the
Tyrese Halliburton effect and, and I guess all the criticism
has come with that and, and I guess the surprise that's also
come with that as well. Yeah, well, obviously that trade
for Sabonis and Halliburton, at the time, everyone was a bit
sceptical on it because Halliburton obviously just
(07:48):
entered the league. He wasn't really a true point
guard at Sacramento. He was more of a 2 because of
the Aaron Fox had the ball. He's shown some flashes, but no
one really knew he could be likethis and such a superstar like
this. So obviously training some
bonus, who was our best player at the time for an unproven
(08:09):
point guard with a very strange shot form.
Everyone was a little sceptical,but he's obviously proved all
that is wrong because he's the best point guard in the NBA by
by mile. His kiss.
Yeah, he is. Don't give me that.
So then, yeah, obviously he's a true superstar.
(08:31):
He's the meaning of the true superstar.
He's good with the media, He's agood guy outside of basketball.
There's no troubles with him outside of basketball.
He's the true face of the leagueand the true face of our
franchise, definitely. When you're getting a
Halliburton shirt, I've got one.I'm just going to when's the
upgrade? I'm.
Just going to find it. Actually perfect.
(08:52):
Well, I think with having him, you always need a secondary
superstar or even someone that'sat equal level.
And you definitely found that inPascal Siakam, who's been there
for a year and a half and basically since he's come there
Finals or Eastern Conference Finals MVP and has also since he
arrived got used to back to backEastern Conference Finals.
(09:13):
So talk to me about Pascal and his impact to the team to take
use to that next step and how you felt are with that trade as
well. Yeah, again, definitely.
We, we definitely wouldn't have been where we are if we didn't
acquire Pascal. Another star, consistent star,
averaged I think 20 points for the past five seasons in a row.
(09:33):
You know what you're getting with him every game and it's
just a vet with the championshipexperience, with his run with
with Toronto back with Kawhi, with the experience, you know,
you can see he's hard fought because he's coming from the G
League all the way to NBA championship.
So he brings that experience, that dog that everything that
(09:57):
you need to win a championship. The trade was it was a great
trade on our end. It was definitely a wind down
move, which I saw coming. I didn't think it was going to
be Pascal, but it was we'll definitely looking for a wind
down move with offloading Bruce Brown and who was it?
(10:17):
Jordan Narola and a couple firstround picks for Pascal.
That's that's a bargain in thesedays NBA.
Oh. For sure.
I think people really overlook Pascal Siakam and his impact to
the team because I think when that trade came through, I know
that a lot of fans would have thought that, yeah, that makes
the team better, but it doesn't get them to a potential
(10:40):
championship. Given that obviously there's
there's so many high profile stars, but Siakam has just
proven to be a player that's just super consistent and always
flying under the radar. But he truly is a bona fide All
Star and a bona fide winner as well, as you mentioned.
And he's proven that. And I think after the fact that
he got this award, which Halliburton did think that he
(11:01):
was going to he was going to get, but which is quite funny.
He did average basically, as yousaid, pretty much over 30 points
per game in the whole next series just proves how how
effective he is as a player. And I think that gets, yeah, as
mentioned, overlooked. And it's, it's really good to
see that one player, 11 star to pair up with your franchise
(11:21):
player can really make a difference.
And, and I think that's what I love about the league at the
moment. It's not super teams that are
that are going ahead at the moment.
It's really teams that are constructed with one or two
stars and then filled around with really solid superstar
defensive and and and solid roleplayers.
So I was going to also talk about the effect of the role
(11:42):
players they have on the team. Obviously you have Miles Turner,
who's been a long serving memberof the Pacers.
He's been the only one there since being drafted.
But then you have the likes of Aaron Naismith and Andrew
Nemhart, who offensively are notseen as unbelievable players,
but defensively in in this series, in these playoffs have
proven that they are super effective role players.
And Aaron Naismith got drafted by the Celtics and was
(12:05):
overlooked too. So I think it's just
inspirational to see that. And and it does tie into how
important role players are and defensive players can be.
So talk to me about the impact of of them and how they've kind
of contributed to getting you toan NBA championship.
Look, again, like I said earlier, at the start of the
season when we didn't have Nemhard, we didn't have
(12:25):
Naismith, we didn't have Ben Shepherd.
Those are our three on point attack defenders, on ball
defenders, ball head offenders, guarding the best player on
their team every night. We didn't have that.
We're left with Matheran and Obie Tobin and they're just not
cut it on the defensive end likelike them do.
(12:48):
The trade for the Naismith was was a brilliant trade because
obviously Brogdon at that time, look, he was a good player but
availability is the best abilityand that bloke's made of butter
and he always has been and he always has been.
Yeah, he's been fast at the moment and he's proven that.
And he's also on a high salary as well.
I think it was 80 million for four years.
Because we signed him last Rookie of the Year with the
(13:12):
Bucks. So then we signed him and gave a
bit of a deal. And then look, it was good.
You know, it was, you'd say he averaged 20 points a game and
you know, it was a good point guard to control the ball.
But we were never getting anywhere with him.
And then everyone was saying, oh, we traded him for a bag of
chips and blah, blah, blah. Because we got Naismith and a
bunch of other scrubs who never saw the score.
(13:33):
But Naismith has just blossomed with game time and opportunity
into literally one of the top tier two way wings in the league
for sure. Is he is he out of contract?
Nate Smith, no, we signed him last year.
We signed up to an extension last year.
I think it was like a three year, 40 something $1,000,000
deal. Yeah, and that's looking like a
(13:54):
real bargain. Honestly, he's on the mid level,
so that's that's great value theway he's going to be.
He's been playing and he will beplaying next year.
That's great value for him in today's NBA.
It's huge, yeah. I was looking at like obviously
been watching the playoffs heavily and I'm very big on
these role players that make impact as I've mentioned before.
(14:15):
And I really find that Aaron Naismith has made a massive
impact. It's been hard in this series
with with the Knicks because he hasn't been getting going on the
offensive side. But then that's when I saw
Nemhard come in and get pretty much 6 deals in Game 6, which is
pretty crazy as well. And you drafted Nemhart, so kind
of talk to me about him as well,because I guess he got drafted
and I'm not sure what he was kind of moulded to be or
(14:37):
potential, but it seems like he's just elevating his role.
And I find that a lot of people do say that he talks a lot of
trash on the court as well. And you wouldn't think it, but I
give such a mental edge to his team.
And yeah, talk to me more about that because obviously you watch
these guys. On a regular basis.
Mahad was a second round pick. I believe it was a very late
second round pick. We got him from Gonzaga.
(14:59):
It was his college days. So he's obviously come from a
winning, a winning system and a winning culture.
He spent multiple years in in Gonzaga.
So it was more of a mature age rookie and ready to go, ready to
go. NBA ready, NBA body is mindsets
ready to go, which is what we'vesort of been targeting the past
(15:22):
couple NBA draughts, which I'm sure we'll target again, NBA
ready players who are a bit older.
Last year we drafted Ben Shepherd, who are getting the
same thing he was four years at college, defensive guard, older
guy ready to go. So you can see that's sort of
the system that Rick and and themanagement team is working with
(15:46):
this year. I think we need to get a big guy
right, definitely because we getsmacked on the rebounds all the
time and and it's killing us, especially with Miles Turner as
well. Free agent this year, after all
this talk of every season he's on the trade block now he's a
free agent. See where he ends up going or if
he comes back to us, that I willnot be happier.
(16:08):
I will not at all if he comes back to us because yeah, he's a
Pisces legend easily. Most turn off for sure.
But the way Nemhard's improved from when he's coming to the
lobby to now, you can see when how he's there or the ones that
he has to step up. He steps up every time. 100% I
(16:30):
find that when you're talking about second round picks, the
reason why I think a lot of these teams are now stockpiling
those second round picks is they're finding that those
pature aged players are going out of the second round.
And if they can be NBA ready, fit into a role, they become
really valuable in this league. And I think that's where kind of
the league is shifting as well. Obviously you've got your first
(16:51):
round full of especially in the lottery full of freshman players
and there's occasional second round, second new players that
are that are like elevating to higher levels.
But the very the model is very much getting in NBA now ready
players in that second round andand you guys have shown that
getting those players have proven to be of good use and the
Wizards have a lot of second round picks.
(17:13):
So I'm hoping that we obviously need some experience.
Obviously not we don't have NBA ready experience, but having a
second round player that that has done the four years in
college and have proven to have some maturity might impact our
team as well. And it's definitely impacting
yours. Exactly.
You spoke about the management and Rick Carlo.
I've got to talk about him. So he obviously started with you
guys. Then he went to The Mavericks,
(17:34):
got a championship there and made it to an NBA Finals as
well. And now he's with.
Yous. How does it feel?
Having Rick Carlisle and how much of an impact has he made to
I guess the Pacers organisation?Well, yeah.
Well, Rick's obviously Indiana born and bred.
He bleeds blue and gold, obviously.
I believe he started as an assistant coach with us and then
(17:55):
took over as head coach. And then, yeah, I went to
Dallas, done what he done in Dallas with Dirk and everyone
came back and bring that NBA championship experience and
championship quality, which is something we were screaming for
at the time after going through a couple of bum touches during a
rough period. But yeah, he brings in that
(18:18):
experience that know how the knowledge of what it takes and
what you need to do to get to the end goal in the NBA, which
is win the championship and raise a banner in Indiana, which
we haven't done yet. There is no banners in Indiana.
Hopefully this year is the firstbanner that goes up and in the
other. Yeah, for sure.
(18:38):
I hope for your sake as well andwe're gonna sort of get into
that now. So breaking down the NBA Finals,
you guys are coming up against avery strong Oklahoma City team.
I'm not really sure about your regular season record with them
this season, but how do you feel?
We always get pumped against Thunder.
(19:00):
Yeah, their their defence is going to be tough to crack.
But the role that we're on and the momentum and the everything
that we've got going at the moment, I think we might we
might give them a crack. Yeah.
What do you think would be the key to to winning this this
game? Because obviously I feel like in
that in that NBA Cup match, I feel like the Bucks sort of
(19:21):
figured them out in that game. I was really just to shut down
Shay and allow them to kind of just shoot open threes and put
pressure on on other guards and other players.
But it's really hard at the moment.
Given that it's A7 game series. You can't exactly account for
that, but what would be your keything to really stopping this?
This Thunder, this? The the most important thing
(19:42):
obviously is the defence on SGA,it'll leave obviously been them
hard on Nate Smith. I believe it'll be them hard
because Nate Smith loves to get into foul trouble and he does
some silly fouls and he reaches in and does things like that
which we'll just, we can't, you can't have in the finals.
Obviously with SJ being the freethrow merchant he is as well,
(20:04):
he's already going to get 15 free throws a game.
So Nemhard's going to be. I think Nemhard's going to be on
him to try Lowell as much as possible because Nemhard's got a
very good self control and his footwork is a lot quicker than
Naismith. So he can keep up with SJ on the
moves and the twists and turns and the drives.
And then Naismith will take J Dub, which that that will be a
(20:28):
very good matchup. Obviously both being the same
sort of player, J Dubs obviouslybetter than Naismith, but being
the same sort of player and samesize and same style of player,
that will definitely be a very good matchup.
And I guess on the offensive side, how do you win that so
through the likes of Tyrese CR plans?
(20:48):
Of Tyrese, I think we're going to be heavy, heavy guard minutes
in this in this series. So we'll see a lot of TJ
McConnell off the bench. So I won't see Thomas Bryant get
on there former with his. Legend.
We'll, we'll see Thomas Bryant very little, obviously, just
because Miles has a rest and he's pretty much our only
option. But you'll see a lot of a lot of
(21:11):
guard minutes. I think TJ McConnell's going to
be playing a lot to keep up thatspeed and pace on the Waker
Thunder bench. They've got a couple of good
players on the bench, but they're not as deep as we are.
So I think the pace will need tobe kept up the whole the whole
48 minutes of the game. Try to run them out, wear them
(21:31):
out, because that's the way we play and that's the way we win.
And then obviously Miles is going to be a massive, a massive
factor in this against the 2 twin towers.
If they decide to start, I heartand check which they most likely
will because he needs to get some boards ASAP Because yeah
that's what he needs to be focusing on in this series is
(21:54):
getting the boards and and trying to protect the paint a
little bit better than he has been in previous series where
he's been needed to dragged out and shoot the three to open up
the space. Yeah, for sure.
Well, the way you've broken it down with guard heavy minutes
and twin towers, it feels like this is a good opportunity for
Siakam to really take over this game.
(22:14):
There is obviously Lou Dort thatprobably most likely will guard
him, but it feels as though thatSiakam has the size on all their
guard defenders and then in terms of the height, he's
quicker than pretty much Chet and I heart as well correct.
Siakam might be the key for thisone.
It is a shame that obviously I can see also have got Caruso and
Kaiser Willis on the bench. Also quality defensive players.
(22:36):
On, on the defensive end, that'swhy I think it's going to be a,
a very good series because it's the two opposites where, you
know, one of the best offensive teams in NBA history.
If you, if you look at the numbers and they're literally
one of the best defensive techniques in NBA history, if
you look at the numbers. So it's going to be a very good
match up and it's going to come down to coach adjustments and
(23:00):
and those little sort of things that the coaches have to do
during the game to adjust to what the other team is doing.
Yeah, for sure. And I think that if the Pacers
continue to play with, as the name is called, Pace, that will
that will help out your time. And it's great that they've got
an identity. As well slowing it down or would
come out sluggish out the gates or something.
It, it, it never ends well. So we we need aggressive
(23:23):
Halliburton for the whole 48 minutes for all seven games.
And hopefully that's the case aswell.
If he's not getting you shot up,that's if he's play making and
and getting as many assists as he possibly.
Can as driving and at least break the defence and then
kicking it out rather than just standing outside the three and
just passing it around and making dummy moves and dummy
(23:45):
screens and which sometimes theycan get into the habit of doing.
But yeah, they need to stay aggressive the whole 48 minutes
or 47 games. Yeah, spot on, spot on.
Now, So I guess as we preview that, what would you think the
score's going to be? Who's going to win it?
I'm going to go unfortunately for your sake, OKC and 6:00, but
(24:07):
you can give me your your take as a Pacers fan look.
Realistically, I think, OK, so we'll win realistically because
we're just we're just not that deep and that experience to
break down a team of that such quality.
But obviously I'm a Pacers fan, so I'm going to say Pacers and
(24:30):
six like it has been throughout the season, throughout the
playoffs. And we're going to need big,
very big games from Benedict andTJ McConnell.
They're going to need a lift in this series.
Benedict's been pretty much non existent in the whole playoffs
apart from two games against NewYork, so he has to wake up and
(24:53):
and focus up to get us into the championship final at the end.
Yeah, well, we'll be looking outfor those two of the X factors
for for this series, for sure. We're going to move on to sort
of the fan base and culture. Now, obviously you're not from
Indiana, but I could tell that obviously supporting the Pacers,
you'd want to do a bit of research on the city itself and
(25:15):
the culture. I'm suppose you do know that
that is the the city that invented basketball in the
States as well. So it's a very big basketball
city, correct. So how do you think the fans are
going to be for their first everfinal series in in their in
their stadium as well? And then kind of how do you
suppose the fans will be and howexcited they are?
(25:36):
It'll be crazy over there if if we actually win and get to the
end. It's been a long time coming.
You know, we've always been somewhat good.
We've never been great. So we're always there at the
end. There's always heartbreak in
March, May, June for Pacers fansevery year.
So getting all the way to the end and winning it potentially
(26:00):
would be absolutely massive for the whole state itself.
Because as everyone says, it's not just basketball in Indiana,
but Indiana is basketball. So yeah, never, never winning a
chip in Indiana is wild, especially because we've only
been to two. This is our second finals ever.
(26:20):
The other one was 2000 with Reggie and and the choke here.
And then we've been to 10 Eastern Conference finals in our
time. So from 10 Eastern Conference
finals, we've only ever made 2 finals.
So heartbreak and misery is it is embedded into all the Indiana
Pacers fans. So winning the chip would would
(26:41):
would be massive for them. Yeah, for sure.
And how about for yourself mate?Like no philtres or what happens
if you win? That'll be, that'll be crazy,
Yeah. I don't even know what I'll do
because it's something that I could never thought that would
happen this year at least. Yeah, you're in a lot of group
chats. Yeah, basketball fantasies.
Tippings. If.
(27:01):
If we win the slander for a yearagainst all paces is is put
aside. I'm just going to say every time
someone says something bad aboutthe base on block by the
Champions. That's the way they're kind of
shut up exactly isn't. It I've copped enough from
everyone for being a Pacers fan,it's time to reap the rewards.
Oh yeah, 100%. All right, we're going to get
(27:23):
into a quick rapid fire round, just basically answering your
questions as quick as you can. Obviously these always go over
time, starting with your favourite pacer ever, which
you've probably answered, but you can answer it again.
Well, theoretically speaking, it's Paul George, but obviously
it's leaning more towards Haley these days because I'm
witnessing his whole career in Indiana, whereas I didn't really
(27:45):
witness properly the whole Paul George era.
It's sort of all overshadowed byhim breaking his leg, and that's
the only thing I remember about Paul George as a pacer at this
point because it was just so devastating.
So I'm going to, I'm going to stick with Paul George for now,
but how he's creeping up there. The most underrated pace of this
season. We've talked a lot about the
(28:06):
role players so. Yeah, I'm going to stick with my
boy TJ McConnell. He just.
Any reason for that Russian. He he just brings it every game.
You know what you're getting with him.
If he was a starting point guardon an NBA team and got given a
full 83 games as a starter he would push for an All Star.
(28:28):
I'm not even joking. His his Perth 36 minutes are
crazy. Now I've always rated TJ to be
honest, of the Benji brings a lot of energy.
Great energy, guy. Not the not the most outlandish
call. Great energy guy, he steals
good, his defence is good, he just obviously needs to work on
(28:49):
shooting from more than 10 feet away from the rim.
And one player from Pacers history you wish was on this
Finals team. I'm.
Going to go with Jermaine O'Neill because yeah, that's
(29:10):
exactly what we need right now, some big fella to just fight and
get the boards and and do all The Dirty work and bully
everyone on the inside and get get all the nitty gritty stuff
done. Yeah, that's obviously.
One of the best pacing as well so. 100% he got stitched up at
(29:32):
the malice of the yeah, yeah, orelse he had a really good pace,
his career. Exactly how to win, Reggie
thinking about it. But then, now that you've
mentioned that, I think JermaineO'Neill's the perfect.
We've got shooters we call Reggie as well.
As good as Reggie is and as great as Reggie is, we don't
need Reggie. We've got shooters.
We need some bully down there toget nice and dirty with the big
(29:53):
guys. Yeah, for sure.
And before anyone gives us shit for not mentioning Paul George,
I've seen Paul George in the clutch too many times.
Just take the shot and not and not close out.
So I couldn't have him in there taking shots away from I'd.
Like Danny Granger over Paul George on on on this basis team,
(30:14):
I'll take Danny Grandriver, PaulGeorge.
We don't need a quad shooter. We've got the best quad shooter
in the NBA already. Crazy cool.
I love it. I love it.
Well, Speaking of that, I guess my last question is probably
already answered. Game seven, last shot to win the
championship. Who takes it?
Yeah, yeah, Hallie. If it's anyone but Hallie then
(30:36):
it's there's a serious issue going on in the coaching staff.
Yeah, you're probably flying there, Yeah.
The way how he's closed out the game games all year, it's it's a
no brainer. Yeah, for sure.
All right. Now we're going to get into a
bit of a drafting system. So you're the guest that's going
to go first. We're going to select our all
(30:57):
time Pacers team and then after that we're going to kind of
predict if that team could beat this current Thunder team in the
Finals. So you can go with the first
peak starting, obviously position based as well so.
We're going to start sneezing a point guard, Howie, because
that's the best point guard we've ever had, all right?
All right. I'm going to go at shooting
(31:19):
guard Reggie Miller. I'll go powerful.
Avoid O'Neill Jermaine. Oversea outcome Jermaine.
O'Neill powerful. I'm going to go with Demontis
Sabonis. Two way win, the last two way
(31:43):
win is going to be, I'll go throw it back a bit.
I'll go CJ Miles. That's more forward I'm taking,
oh, actually at shoot guard, it's shooting guard.
I'm putting Reggie Miller point guard, shooting guard.
I'm taking Paul George. Who's my shooting guy going to
(32:06):
be? My shooting guy's going to be
Primal Depot for sure. I'm all depot at small forward.
I'm taking Pascal Siakam. What's a big line up?
That's all right. I'm going to go smaller than to
counteract you now, I said I've got to go.
(32:27):
Rick Smith, the Goat Smith. Good call and at centre I will
take because I can't really think of anyone at the moment.
It would have to be Roy Hibbert.Yeah, he was one of the options.
Just prime Roy Hibbert in the western common.
That Eastern common, that one. He was all right.
(32:49):
He was all right. I think you'll be a good rebound
role player, so you name me yourteam, I name you mine and I'll
give you the games that I think we win.
I had a Haley point guard shooting guard.
CJ Miles. CJ Miles, shooting guard.
(33:10):
You'll have Smallford. I can't remember who had a small
forward. Who did I pick?
Oh, Oladipo. Oladipo.
I I Oladipo shooting guard. CJ Miles, Smallford.
And then Jermaine and Rick Smith.
All right. Well, I think my team.
Destroys your teams. My point guard I've got.
Your team's too big. Reggie Miller shooting guard
(33:34):
Paul George at small forward, Pascal Siakam, a power forward,
De Mantis Savannas and at Senna Roy Hibbert.
I think we'd be OKC in five that.
Actually got no doubt easily we do.
Shooting Paul George can Paul George can handle not.
Here. Good luck with that.
Not here. Good.
(33:54):
Luck with that? How about what's your team
beating OKC in? I reckon your team loses, no?
No way my team in. What?
In in seven. In seven, I see close ones, so
yeah, I win already because one's in five.
No, but anyway, we'll finish it off.
So that's our line UPS. We'll leave it up to you guys to
to decide and choose who you think obviously has the better
(34:17):
line up there. I think you do make good points
in the fact that I don't have any real point guard or play
making all jokes aside, but a very stacked line up.
But I guess to close the the show today, I wanted you to give
your message to all the Pacers fans around the world in the
biggest Stephen Bittilis way possible.
(34:38):
I just we got to get this done from all the way from Melbourne
to being one of 10 Indiana, Indiana Pace supporters in
Melbourne. We need to get this done and
show that we are part of the bigtime and one of the big markets
in the NBA. We're done being forgotten and
and left out of contenders, championship lists and all this
(35:01):
other bullshit that they leave Indiana out of not mentioning
Indiana and any other talk shows.
David A Smith doesn't even know how to say the word Indiana.
He never talks about it. Put us on the map.
Let's win this and let's get thejob done.
Yes, sirs. Fantastic, fantastic.
Thank you for for jumping on today.
And I got to say, we've been having chats of you getting on
(35:23):
the pod. And I think it was meant to be
because obviously the Pacers coming into the finals, if I'm
honest, was a massive surprise for everyone in the NBA, a great
surprise and a good surprise. And the way that I know you, the
fact that your team of all people have made it to the NBA
Finals is it's just, it's quite,it's quite funny.
Yeah, look, I I didn't think previous to the playoffs, I
(35:43):
didn't think we're going to makeit to the Finals.
I knew we'll do a deep run again, but you just thought, I
just thought Boston, as per usual, would just do us again
like I did last year. But when I saw that the Knicks
had knocked out Boston, I'm like, oh, we're not like we've
got Knicks number. Like we're going straight
through. Yeah, fantastic and it's great
(36:04):
and good luck to you. I know it's going to be a
nervous watch, but an exciting one too.
It's always good to to see your own team in the finals of any
sport. I do hope that the Wizards one
day get there, but I'll probablyhave grey hairs by then.
But it's been it's been Daniel from the huddle within.
I've had Steven, the big Pacers fan.
Thank you once again for jumpingon.
And if you guys did like the episode, feel free to leave Five
(36:27):
Stars wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe and I
will catch you guys on the next one.
Make sure to leave a yes Sir as in the comment.
Yes, yes, sirs. Yes, sirs.
So that's a wrap for this weeks episode of The Huddle Within
podcast. I appreciate you for tuning in
and being part of this communitywhere we go beyond the game and
into what really matters. If this episode resonated with
(36:48):
you, make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it
with someone who sees sports just the way that we do.
And hey, I'd love to hear from you.
Connect with me on my social medias, which will be linked
below, send in your thoughts andeven be part of a future
episode. Until next time, keep that
passion alive, stay in the huddle, and remember it's always
deeper than the game. Cheers.
What is going on everybody? And welcome to this week's
episode of The Huddle Within podcast.
As you can probably tell by the sound of my voice, I've lost my
voice. I'm pretty sick at the moment.
It was a lot worse on Friday when I went to the footy and
pretty much lost my voice completely.
But I had to get on the podcast today.
(00:23):
I had to do this recording because it's quite a special and
historic moment that has happened.
And given that our podcast is about fans going behind the
deeper meaning and our passions,what better way to kind of
express that with with the guests that I'm about to have?
He's a very good friend of mine.He is an Indiana Pacers fan and
his name is Stephen. Bertillis basically.
(00:46):
For those that do not follow thebasketball, the Indiana Pacers
have qualified for the NBA Finals.
They have a chance to basically win the NBA championship.
It's their first NBA Finals in in almost 20 years and it's also
the second ever time the IndianaPacers have made the NBA Finals.
And the city that actually invented basketball was Indiana.
(01:11):
So this is a big, big moment forthose that are Indiana Pacers
fans and especially those livingin Indiana where basketball was
originated from. This city, this team, this town
is a massive basketball city. So definitely going to have
crazy atmospheres in in the games where Indiana are playing
(01:32):
on in their floor. And before Stephen obviously
comes on, thoroughly deserved. Indiana was very solid these
whole these whole playoffs, defeating the Knicks in six.
Tyrus Halliburton and Pascal Siakam, and notably they're role
players of Andrew Nebhart. Andrew Nebhart, sorry Aaron
(01:54):
Naysmith and also Miles Turner and a few others as well have
shown has shown that class in this series.
And Rick Carlisle has proven to be an exceptional coach.
Having an opportunity to win another championship with a
different team is no steep feat.But anyways, I'm about to
welcome on Stephen Patillis to give his fan perspective on this
(02:16):
and really excited to yeah, havethis episode.
And if it's your first time listening in, be sure to
subscribe. My voice doesn't always sound
like this for those that are listening for the first time.
But if you do like what you're listening to, be sure to leave a
five star review as well. But without further ado, let's
get on the way. Welcome to the Huddle Within
podcast, where we go beyond the surface to uncover the real
(02:36):
impact of sports on our lives. Whether it's fascence of
resilience, the passion that fuels us, or the stories that
can connect us all, this is where the game gets personal.
I am Daniel, a regular sports fan just like you, and together
we'll explore what sports truly means beyond the surface.
So step right into The Huddle and let's get into it.
(03:10):
So this is history. For the first time in 20 years,
the Indiana Pacers are in the NBA Finals.
It's their second ever time in franchise history.
And I've got the biggest Pacers fan I know Down Under in
Australia, Mr Stephen Battila. Stephen, what's going on?
Yes sirs, let's go. Yes, Pacers are finally in the
Finals. First time in a lifetime and we
(03:31):
are ready to go. Yeah, Kane, we've had some
technical issues the last two days.
So you're actually downstairs inmy house at the moment, wearing
my headphones, using all my gear.
But you did bring me a coffee, so I do appreciate you for that
one. But thanks for being on today.
No worries. Thank you.
Thank you for having me. No worries.
So sort of how we're going to dothis is basically I'm just going
(03:52):
to kind of run through your journey, the excitement of, I'm
thinking about my last pod, the excitement of obviously getting
into the finals. And then we're going to sort of
preview the finals as well against OK C.
And then we'll do a bit of rapidfire at the end, which never
ends up being a rapid fire, so is longer than what it's
expected. But yeah, some few questions
(04:14):
about that. And I guess I'll start with,
yeah, your fan journey. So take me back to, I guess your
earliest paces memory when you started to really fall in love
with. The team earliest Paces memory
would be mid twenty 10s. I've never really followed
basketball as a little kid. I got into it more myself when I
(04:34):
was a teenager. I had a mate who was a heavy
LeBron lover. So I've always naturally been a
LeBron hater. And the early twenty 10s with
the rivalry with our PG team that we had with the Miami
LeBron sort of fuelled my love for Paces.
And then I just fell in love with that team and unfortunately
(04:56):
my favourite player was Paul George.
But at the time, after all the chaos that happened with him, I
was just stuck with the Pacers it.
Was probably a good decision because if it wasn't for that
Paul George trade, don't think you guys would be in the finals
or OKC either for that matter. So it's quite funny how.
Things are moving off the back of Paul George.
(05:18):
Yeah, it's true. I wanted to say obviously it's
been a crazy run to the playoffsand obviously having a strong
kind of first round and then surprisingly to beat Cleveland
with the first seed and are now beating New York in six as well.
But when was it that you realised that you could
potentially get into the championship?
Match. Or series.
(05:40):
The way we ended the regular season was just a completely
different team from the one thatwe started.
Obviously we had a few key players out in the first half of
the season, our main defenders on ball defenders, point of
attack defenders, so we were down on the defensive end from
the get go. Once we got everyone back and
(06:00):
everything started flowing in the new year, the way we entered
the regular season, I knew we'remaking a serious push.
Yes, William, when do you think during that regular season, once
you started bringing those defensive players back, which
we'll talk about I guess later on, did it start to sort of
click for you guys in a sense that you could really be a
(06:23):
contending team? Obviously the fact that you guys
started rough, you probably would have never expected to
make the finals, but there wouldhave been some spark there that
would have thought and assumed that that could be a definite
possibility. Yeah, exactly.
Well, obviously last year we made we made it to the Eastern
Conference finals as well, losing to Boston.
So we always knew we could get there.
(06:45):
But the way we started, once we found some rhythm, got some WS
in a row on the ball because we're very one win, one loss, 11
loss at the start of the year. Once we got the and WS in our Rd
everyone started to click and pick up and find some form as a
team. Yeah, I really didn't notice
that and it really showed in in the playoffs as well.
(07:07):
And I think one of the main players that was probably at the
head of that was your franchise player, Tyrese Halliburton.
Just talk to me about him and and kind of how you felt
originally when the trade went through.
Obviously losing Sabonis was a pretty big thing at the time,
but he's clearly changed the culture and the trajectory of
the franchise. His peers voted him as the most
(07:27):
overrated player in the NBA. He has certainly proved those
guys wrong. So take me through the the
Tyrese Halliburton effect and, and I guess all the criticism
has come with that and, and I guess the surprise that's also
come with that as well. Yeah, well, obviously that trade
for Sabonis and Halliburton, at the time, everyone was a bit
sceptical on it because Halliburton obviously just
(07:48):
entered the league. He wasn't really a true point
guard at Sacramento. He was more of a 2 because of
the Aaron Fox had the ball. He's shown some flashes, but no
one really knew he could be likethis and such a superstar like
this. So obviously training some
bonus, who was our best player at the time for an unproven
(08:09):
point guard with a very strange shot form.
Everyone was a little sceptical,but he's obviously proved all
that is wrong because he's the best point guard in the NBA by
by mile. His kiss.
Yeah, he is. Don't give me that.
So then, yeah, obviously he's a true superstar.
(08:31):
He's the meaning of the true superstar.
He's good with the media, He's agood guy outside of basketball.
There's no troubles with him outside of basketball.
He's the true face of the leagueand the true face of our
franchise, definitely. When you're getting a
Halliburton shirt, I've got one.I'm just going to when's the
upgrade? I'm.
Just going to find it. Actually perfect.
(08:52):
Well, I think with having him, you always need a secondary
superstar or even someone that'sat equal level.
And you definitely found that inPascal Siakam, who's been there
for a year and a half and basically since he's come there
Finals or Eastern Conference Finals MVP and has also since he
arrived got used to back to backEastern Conference Finals.
(09:13):
So talk to me about Pascal and his impact to the team to take
use to that next step and how you felt are with that trade as
well. Yeah, again, definitely.
We, we definitely wouldn't have been where we are if we didn't
acquire Pascal. Another star, consistent star,
averaged I think 20 points for the past five seasons in a row.
(09:33):
You know what you're getting with him every game and it's
just a vet with the championshipexperience, with his run with
with Toronto back with Kawhi, with the experience, you know,
you can see he's hard fought because he's coming from the G
League all the way to NBA championship.
So he brings that experience, that dog that everything that
(09:57):
you need to win a championship. The trade was it was a great
trade on our end. It was definitely a wind down
move, which I saw coming. I didn't think it was going to
be Pascal, but it was we'll definitely looking for a wind
down move with offloading Bruce Brown and who was it?
(10:17):
Jordan Narola and a couple firstround picks for Pascal.
That's that's a bargain in thesedays NBA.
Oh. For sure.
I think people really overlook Pascal Siakam and his impact to
the team because I think when that trade came through, I know
that a lot of fans would have thought that, yeah, that makes
the team better, but it doesn't get them to a potential
(10:40):
championship. Given that obviously there's
there's so many high profile stars, but Siakam has just
proven to be a player that's just super consistent and always
flying under the radar. But he truly is a bona fide All
Star and a bona fide winner as well, as you mentioned.
And he's proven that. And I think after the fact that
he got this award, which Halliburton did think that he
(11:01):
was going to he was going to get, but which is quite funny.
He did average basically, as yousaid, pretty much over 30 points
per game in the whole next series just proves how how
effective he is as a player. And I think that gets, yeah, as
mentioned, overlooked. And it's, it's really good to
see that one player, 11 star to pair up with your franchise
(11:21):
player can really make a difference.
And, and I think that's what I love about the league at the
moment. It's not super teams that are
that are going ahead at the moment.
It's really teams that are constructed with one or two
stars and then filled around with really solid superstar
defensive and and and solid roleplayers.
So I was going to also talk about the effect of the role
(11:42):
players they have on the team. Obviously you have Miles Turner,
who's been a long serving memberof the Pacers.
He's been the only one there since being drafted.
But then you have the likes of Aaron Naismith and Andrew
Nemhart, who offensively are notseen as unbelievable players,
but defensively in in this series, in these playoffs have
proven that they are super effective role players.
And Aaron Naismith got drafted by the Celtics and was
(12:05):
overlooked too. So I think it's just
inspirational to see that. And and it does tie into how
important role players are and defensive players can be.
So talk to me about the impact of of them and how they've kind
of contributed to getting you toan NBA championship.
Look, again, like I said earlier, at the start of the
season when we didn't have Nemhard, we didn't have
(12:25):
Naismith, we didn't have Ben Shepherd.
Those are our three on point attack defenders, on ball
defenders, ball head offenders, guarding the best player on
their team every night. We didn't have that.
We're left with Matheran and Obie Tobin and they're just not
cut it on the defensive end likelike them do.
(12:48):
The trade for the Naismith was was a brilliant trade because
obviously Brogdon at that time, look, he was a good player but
availability is the best abilityand that bloke's made of butter
and he always has been and he always has been.
Yeah, he's been fast at the moment and he's proven that.
And he's also on a high salary as well.
I think it was 80 million for four years.
Because we signed him last Rookie of the Year with the
(13:12):
Bucks. So then we signed him and gave a
bit of a deal. And then look, it was good.
You know, it was, you'd say he averaged 20 points a game and
you know, it was a good point guard to control the ball.
But we were never getting anywhere with him.
And then everyone was saying, oh, we traded him for a bag of
chips and blah, blah, blah. Because we got Naismith and a
bunch of other scrubs who never saw the score.
(13:33):
But Naismith has just blossomed with game time and opportunity
into literally one of the top tier two way wings in the league
for sure. Is he is he out of contract?
Nate Smith, no, we signed him last year.
We signed up to an extension last year.
I think it was like a three year, 40 something $1,000,000
deal. Yeah, and that's looking like a
(13:54):
real bargain. Honestly, he's on the mid level,
so that's that's great value theway he's going to be.
He's been playing and he will beplaying next year.
That's great value for him in today's NBA.
It's huge, yeah. I was looking at like obviously
been watching the playoffs heavily and I'm very big on
these role players that make impact as I've mentioned before.
(14:15):
And I really find that Aaron Naismith has made a massive
impact. It's been hard in this series
with with the Knicks because he hasn't been getting going on the
offensive side. But then that's when I saw
Nemhard come in and get pretty much 6 deals in Game 6, which is
pretty crazy as well. And you drafted Nemhart, so kind
of talk to me about him as well,because I guess he got drafted
and I'm not sure what he was kind of moulded to be or
(14:37):
potential, but it seems like he's just elevating his role.
And I find that a lot of people do say that he talks a lot of
trash on the court as well. And you wouldn't think it, but I
give such a mental edge to his team.
And yeah, talk to me more about that because obviously you watch
these guys. On a regular basis.
Mahad was a second round pick. I believe it was a very late
second round pick. We got him from Gonzaga.
(14:59):
It was his college days. So he's obviously come from a
winning, a winning system and a winning culture.
He spent multiple years in in Gonzaga.
So it was more of a mature age rookie and ready to go, ready to
go. NBA ready, NBA body is mindsets
ready to go, which is what we'vesort of been targeting the past
(15:22):
couple NBA draughts, which I'm sure we'll target again, NBA
ready players who are a bit older.
Last year we drafted Ben Shepherd, who are getting the
same thing he was four years at college, defensive guard, older
guy ready to go. So you can see that's sort of
the system that Rick and and themanagement team is working with
(15:46):
this year. I think we need to get a big guy
right, definitely because we getsmacked on the rebounds all the
time and and it's killing us, especially with Miles Turner as
well. Free agent this year, after all
this talk of every season he's on the trade block now he's a
free agent. See where he ends up going or if
he comes back to us, that I willnot be happier.
(16:08):
I will not at all if he comes back to us because yeah, he's a
Pisces legend easily. Most turn off for sure.
But the way Nemhard's improved from when he's coming to the
lobby to now, you can see when how he's there or the ones that
he has to step up. He steps up every time. 100% I
(16:30):
find that when you're talking about second round picks, the
reason why I think a lot of these teams are now stockpiling
those second round picks is they're finding that those
pature aged players are going out of the second round.
And if they can be NBA ready, fit into a role, they become
really valuable in this league. And I think that's where kind of
the league is shifting as well. Obviously you've got your first
(16:51):
round full of especially in the lottery full of freshman players
and there's occasional second round, second new players that
are that are like elevating to higher levels.
But the very the model is very much getting in NBA now ready
players in that second round andand you guys have shown that
getting those players have proven to be of good use and the
Wizards have a lot of second round picks.
(17:13):
So I'm hoping that we obviously need some experience.
Obviously not we don't have NBA ready experience, but having a
second round player that that has done the four years in
college and have proven to have some maturity might impact our
team as well. And it's definitely impacting
yours. Exactly.
You spoke about the management and Rick Carlo.
I've got to talk about him. So he obviously started with you
guys. Then he went to The Mavericks,
(17:34):
got a championship there and made it to an NBA Finals as
well. And now he's with.
Yous. How does it feel?
Having Rick Carlisle and how much of an impact has he made to
I guess the Pacers organisation?Well, yeah.
Well, Rick's obviously Indiana born and bred.
He bleeds blue and gold, obviously.
I believe he started as an assistant coach with us and then
(17:55):
took over as head coach. And then, yeah, I went to
Dallas, done what he done in Dallas with Dirk and everyone
came back and bring that NBA championship experience and
championship quality, which is something we were screaming for
at the time after going through a couple of bum touches during a
rough period. But yeah, he brings in that
(18:18):
experience that know how the knowledge of what it takes and
what you need to do to get to the end goal in the NBA, which
is win the championship and raise a banner in Indiana, which
we haven't done yet. There is no banners in Indiana.
Hopefully this year is the firstbanner that goes up and in the
other. Yeah, for sure.
(18:38):
I hope for your sake as well andwe're gonna sort of get into
that now. So breaking down the NBA Finals,
you guys are coming up against avery strong Oklahoma City team.
I'm not really sure about your regular season record with them
this season, but how do you feel?
We always get pumped against Thunder.
(19:00):
Yeah, their their defence is going to be tough to crack.
But the role that we're on and the momentum and the everything
that we've got going at the moment, I think we might we
might give them a crack. Yeah.
What do you think would be the key to to winning this this
game? Because obviously I feel like in
that in that NBA Cup match, I feel like the Bucks sort of
(19:21):
figured them out in that game. I was really just to shut down
Shay and allow them to kind of just shoot open threes and put
pressure on on other guards and other players.
But it's really hard at the moment.
Given that it's A7 game series. You can't exactly account for
that, but what would be your keything to really stopping this?
This Thunder, this? The the most important thing
(19:42):
obviously is the defence on SGA,it'll leave obviously been them
hard on Nate Smith. I believe it'll be them hard
because Nate Smith loves to get into foul trouble and he does
some silly fouls and he reaches in and does things like that
which we'll just, we can't, you can't have in the finals.
Obviously with SJ being the freethrow merchant he is as well,
(20:04):
he's already going to get 15 free throws a game.
So Nemhard's going to be. I think Nemhard's going to be on
him to try Lowell as much as possible because Nemhard's got a
very good self control and his footwork is a lot quicker than
Naismith. So he can keep up with SJ on the
moves and the twists and turns and the drives.
And then Naismith will take J Dub, which that that will be a
(20:28):
very good matchup. Obviously both being the same
sort of player, J Dubs obviouslybetter than Naismith, but being
the same sort of player and samesize and same style of player,
that will definitely be a very good matchup.
And I guess on the offensive side, how do you win that so
through the likes of Tyrese CR plans?
(20:48):
Of Tyrese, I think we're going to be heavy, heavy guard minutes
in this in this series. So we'll see a lot of TJ
McConnell off the bench. So I won't see Thomas Bryant get
on there former with his. Legend.
We'll, we'll see Thomas Bryant very little, obviously, just
because Miles has a rest and he's pretty much our only
option. But you'll see a lot of a lot of
(21:11):
guard minutes. I think TJ McConnell's going to
be playing a lot to keep up thatspeed and pace on the Waker
Thunder bench. They've got a couple of good
players on the bench, but they're not as deep as we are.
So I think the pace will need tobe kept up the whole the whole
48 minutes of the game. Try to run them out, wear them
(21:31):
out, because that's the way we play and that's the way we win.
And then obviously Miles is going to be a massive, a massive
factor in this against the 2 twin towers.
If they decide to start, I heartand check which they most likely
will because he needs to get some boards ASAP Because yeah
that's what he needs to be focusing on in this series is
(21:54):
getting the boards and and trying to protect the paint a
little bit better than he has been in previous series where
he's been needed to dragged out and shoot the three to open up
the space. Yeah, for sure.
Well, the way you've broken it down with guard heavy minutes
and twin towers, it feels like this is a good opportunity for
Siakam to really take over this game.
(22:14):
There is obviously Lou Dort thatprobably most likely will guard
him, but it feels as though thatSiakam has the size on all their
guard defenders and then in terms of the height, he's
quicker than pretty much Chet and I heart as well correct.
Siakam might be the key for thisone.
It is a shame that obviously I can see also have got Caruso and
Kaiser Willis on the bench. Also quality defensive players.
(22:36):
On, on the defensive end, that'swhy I think it's going to be a,
a very good series because it's the two opposites where, you
know, one of the best offensive teams in NBA history.
If you, if you look at the numbers and they're literally
one of the best defensive techniques in NBA history, if
you look at the numbers. So it's going to be a very good
match up and it's going to come down to coach adjustments and
(23:00):
and those little sort of things that the coaches have to do
during the game to adjust to what the other team is doing.
Yeah, for sure. And I think that if the Pacers
continue to play with, as the name is called, Pace, that will
that will help out your time. And it's great that they've got
an identity. As well slowing it down or would
come out sluggish out the gates or something.
It, it, it never ends well. So we we need aggressive
(23:23):
Halliburton for the whole 48 minutes for all seven games.
And hopefully that's the case aswell.
If he's not getting you shot up,that's if he's play making and
and getting as many assists as he possibly.
Can as driving and at least break the defence and then
kicking it out rather than just standing outside the three and
just passing it around and making dummy moves and dummy
(23:45):
screens and which sometimes theycan get into the habit of doing.
But yeah, they need to stay aggressive the whole 48 minutes
or 47 games. Yeah, spot on, spot on.
Now, So I guess as we preview that, what would you think the
score's going to be? Who's going to win it?
I'm going to go unfortunately for your sake, OKC and 6:00, but
(24:07):
you can give me your your take as a Pacers fan look.
Realistically, I think, OK, so we'll win realistically because
we're just we're just not that deep and that experience to
break down a team of that such quality.
But obviously I'm a Pacers fan, so I'm going to say Pacers and
(24:30):
six like it has been throughout the season, throughout the
playoffs. And we're going to need big,
very big games from Benedict andTJ McConnell.
They're going to need a lift in this series.
Benedict's been pretty much non existent in the whole playoffs
apart from two games against NewYork, so he has to wake up and
(24:53):
and focus up to get us into the championship final at the end.
Yeah, well, we'll be looking outfor those two of the X factors
for for this series, for sure. We're going to move on to sort
of the fan base and culture. Now, obviously you're not from
Indiana, but I could tell that obviously supporting the Pacers,
you'd want to do a bit of research on the city itself and
(25:15):
the culture. I'm suppose you do know that
that is the the city that invented basketball in the
States as well. So it's a very big basketball
city, correct. So how do you think the fans are
going to be for their first everfinal series in in their in
their stadium as well? And then kind of how do you
suppose the fans will be and howexcited they are?
(25:36):
It'll be crazy over there if if we actually win and get to the
end. It's been a long time coming.
You know, we've always been somewhat good.
We've never been great. So we're always there at the
end. There's always heartbreak in
March, May, June for Pacers fansevery year.
So getting all the way to the end and winning it potentially
(26:00):
would be absolutely massive for the whole state itself.
Because as everyone says, it's not just basketball in Indiana,
but Indiana is basketball. So yeah, never, never winning a
chip in Indiana is wild, especially because we've only
been to two. This is our second finals ever.
(26:20):
The other one was 2000 with Reggie and and the choke here.
And then we've been to 10 Eastern Conference finals in our
time. So from 10 Eastern Conference
finals, we've only ever made 2 finals.
So heartbreak and misery is it is embedded into all the Indiana
Pacers fans. So winning the chip would would
(26:41):
would be massive for them. Yeah, for sure.
And how about for yourself mate?Like no philtres or what happens
if you win? That'll be, that'll be crazy,
Yeah. I don't even know what I'll do
because it's something that I could never thought that would
happen this year at least. Yeah, you're in a lot of group
chats. Yeah, basketball fantasies.
Tippings. If.
(27:01):
If we win the slander for a yearagainst all paces is is put
aside. I'm just going to say every time
someone says something bad aboutthe base on block by the
Champions. That's the way they're kind of
shut up exactly isn't. It I've copped enough from
everyone for being a Pacers fan,it's time to reap the rewards.
Oh yeah, 100%. All right, we're going to get
(27:23):
into a quick rapid fire round, just basically answering your
questions as quick as you can. Obviously these always go over
time, starting with your favourite pacer ever, which
you've probably answered, but you can answer it again.
Well, theoretically speaking, it's Paul George, but obviously
it's leaning more towards Haley these days because I'm
witnessing his whole career in Indiana, whereas I didn't really
(27:45):
witness properly the whole Paul George era.
It's sort of all overshadowed byhim breaking his leg, and that's
the only thing I remember about Paul George as a pacer at this
point because it was just so devastating.
So I'm going to, I'm going to stick with Paul George for now,
but how he's creeping up there. The most underrated pace of this
season. We've talked a lot about the
(28:06):
role players so. Yeah, I'm going to stick with my
boy TJ McConnell. He just.
Any reason for that Russian. He he just brings it every game.
You know what you're getting with him.
If he was a starting point guardon an NBA team and got given a
full 83 games as a starter he would push for an All Star.
(28:28):
I'm not even joking. His his Perth 36 minutes are
crazy. Now I've always rated TJ to be
honest, of the Benji brings a lot of energy.
Great energy, guy. Not the not the most outlandish
call. Great energy guy, he steals
good, his defence is good, he just obviously needs to work on
(28:49):
shooting from more than 10 feet away from the rim.
And one player from Pacers history you wish was on this
Finals team. I'm.
Going to go with Jermaine O'Neill because yeah, that's
(29:10):
exactly what we need right now, some big fella to just fight and
get the boards and and do all The Dirty work and bully
everyone on the inside and get get all the nitty gritty stuff
done. Yeah, that's obviously.
One of the best pacing as well so. 100% he got stitched up at
(29:32):
the malice of the yeah, yeah, orelse he had a really good pace,
his career. Exactly how to win, Reggie
thinking about it. But then, now that you've
mentioned that, I think JermaineO'Neill's the perfect.
We've got shooters we call Reggie as well.
As good as Reggie is and as great as Reggie is, we don't
need Reggie. We've got shooters.
We need some bully down there toget nice and dirty with the big
(29:53):
guys. Yeah, for sure.
And before anyone gives us shit for not mentioning Paul George,
I've seen Paul George in the clutch too many times.
Just take the shot and not and not close out.
So I couldn't have him in there taking shots away from I'd.
Like Danny Granger over Paul George on on on this basis team,
(30:14):
I'll take Danny Grandriver, PaulGeorge.
We don't need a quad shooter. We've got the best quad shooter
in the NBA already. Crazy cool.
I love it. I love it.
Well, Speaking of that, I guess my last question is probably
already answered. Game seven, last shot to win the
championship. Who takes it?
Yeah, yeah, Hallie. If it's anyone but Hallie then
(30:36):
it's there's a serious issue going on in the coaching staff.
Yeah, you're probably flying there, Yeah.
The way how he's closed out the game games all year, it's it's a
no brainer. Yeah, for sure.
All right. Now we're going to get into a
bit of a drafting system. So you're the guest that's going
to go first. We're going to select our all
(30:57):
time Pacers team and then after that we're going to kind of
predict if that team could beat this current Thunder team in the
Finals. So you can go with the first
peak starting, obviously position based as well so.
We're going to start sneezing a point guard, Howie, because
that's the best point guard we've ever had, all right?
All right. I'm going to go at shooting
(31:19):
guard Reggie Miller. I'll go powerful.
Avoid O'Neill Jermaine. Oversea outcome Jermaine.
O'Neill powerful. I'm going to go with Demontis
Sabonis. Two way win, the last two way
(31:43):
win is going to be, I'll go throw it back a bit.
I'll go CJ Miles. That's more forward I'm taking,
oh, actually at shoot guard, it's shooting guard.
I'm putting Reggie Miller point guard, shooting guard.
I'm taking Paul George. Who's my shooting guy going to
(32:06):
be? My shooting guy's going to be
Primal Depot for sure. I'm all depot at small forward.
I'm taking Pascal Siakam. What's a big line up?
That's all right. I'm going to go smaller than to
counteract you now, I said I've got to go.
(32:27):
Rick Smith, the Goat Smith. Good call and at centre I will
take because I can't really think of anyone at the moment.
It would have to be Roy Hibbert.Yeah, he was one of the options.
Just prime Roy Hibbert in the western common.
That Eastern common, that one. He was all right.
(32:49):
He was all right. I think you'll be a good rebound
role player, so you name me yourteam, I name you mine and I'll
give you the games that I think we win.
I had a Haley point guard shooting guard.
CJ Miles. CJ Miles, shooting guard.
(33:10):
You'll have Smallford. I can't remember who had a small
forward. Who did I pick?
Oh, Oladipo. Oladipo.
I I Oladipo shooting guard. CJ Miles, Smallford.
And then Jermaine and Rick Smith.
All right. Well, I think my team.
Destroys your teams. My point guard I've got.
Your team's too big. Reggie Miller shooting guard
(33:34):
Paul George at small forward, Pascal Siakam, a power forward,
De Mantis Savannas and at Senna Roy Hibbert.
I think we'd be OKC in five that.
Actually got no doubt easily we do.
Shooting Paul George can Paul George can handle not.
Here. Good luck with that.
Not here. Good.
(33:54):
Luck with that? How about what's your team
beating OKC in? I reckon your team loses, no?
No way my team in. What?
In in seven. In seven, I see close ones, so
yeah, I win already because one's in five.
No, but anyway, we'll finish it off.
So that's our line UPS. We'll leave it up to you guys to
to decide and choose who you think obviously has the better
(34:17):
line up there. I think you do make good points
in the fact that I don't have any real point guard or play
making all jokes aside, but a very stacked line up.
But I guess to close the the show today, I wanted you to give
your message to all the Pacers fans around the world in the
biggest Stephen Bittilis way possible.
(34:38):
I just we got to get this done from all the way from Melbourne
to being one of 10 Indiana, Indiana Pace supporters in
Melbourne. We need to get this done and
show that we are part of the bigtime and one of the big markets
in the NBA. We're done being forgotten and
and left out of contenders, championship lists and all this
(35:01):
other bullshit that they leave Indiana out of not mentioning
Indiana and any other talk shows.
David A Smith doesn't even know how to say the word Indiana.
He never talks about it. Put us on the map.
Let's win this and let's get thejob done.
Yes, sirs. Fantastic, fantastic.
Thank you for for jumping on today.
And I got to say, we've been having chats of you getting on
(35:23):
the pod. And I think it was meant to be
because obviously the Pacers coming into the finals, if I'm
honest, was a massive surprise for everyone in the NBA, a great
surprise and a good surprise. And the way that I know you, the
fact that your team of all people have made it to the NBA
Finals is it's just, it's quite,it's quite funny.
Yeah, look, I I didn't think previous to the playoffs, I
(35:43):
didn't think we're going to makeit to the Finals.
I knew we'll do a deep run again, but you just thought, I
just thought Boston, as per usual, would just do us again
like I did last year. But when I saw that the Knicks
had knocked out Boston, I'm like, oh, we're not like we've
got Knicks number. Like we're going straight
through. Yeah, fantastic and it's great
(36:04):
and good luck to you. I know it's going to be a
nervous watch, but an exciting one too.
It's always good to to see your own team in the finals of any
sport. I do hope that the Wizards one
day get there, but I'll probablyhave grey hairs by then.
But it's been it's been Daniel from the huddle within.
I've had Steven, the big Pacers fan.
Thank you once again for jumpingon.
And if you guys did like the episode, feel free to leave Five
(36:27):
Stars wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe and I
will catch you guys on the next one.
Make sure to leave a yes Sir as in the comment.
Yes, yes, sirs. Yes, sirs.
So that's a wrap for this weeks episode of The Huddle Within
podcast. I appreciate you for tuning in
and being part of this communitywhere we go beyond the game and
into what really matters. If this episode resonated with
(36:48):
you, make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it
with someone who sees sports just the way that we do.
And hey, I'd love to hear from you.
Connect with me on my social medias, which will be linked
below, send in your thoughts andeven be part of a future
episode. Until next time, keep that
passion alive, stay in the huddle, and remember it's always
deeper than the game. Cheers.
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