Setting The Pace (A Pacers Podcast)

On today's episode of Setting The Pace, Indiana Pacers alternate Governor, Steve Simon, joins Alex Golden for a solo podcast. Here were the topics discussed on the episode:-How the Indiana Pacers overcame a 10-15 record early in the season-Why the Pacers can win a Championship this year-Myles Turner's 10 years with the Pacers, his upcoming free agency and his letter in the Players Tribune-How Indiana turned Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard into two cornerstones-What acquiring Pascal Siakam meant for this team-Remembering when the Pacers front office brought the Tyrese Haliburton trade offer to him, what Tyrese has meant to the franchise and whether or not he was nervous about moving on from Sabonis for an unproven 2nd year guard-Reliving Tyrese's Game 2 game winner against the Cavaliers-The incredible job Rick Carlisle and his staff have done-How terrific this front office has been in building a playoff contender-What he loves most about Pacers fans, and how incredible they have been this postseason-Discussing some great Reggie Miller and Tyrese Haliburton moments-A story about his dad, Herb Simon, and how he reacted to Reggie's push off on MJ and then Jordan missing a bank three that would have won Chicago the game A big thank you to Steve for joining the show! Pacers fans, if you want to be a part of the Setting The Pace Group Chat, Follow THIS LINK to join today! All things Pacers, All the time! No ads, no bots, just real Pacers fans discussing this awesome team!

On today's show Alex and Facci dive into what went right for the Pacers, how Siakam's 2nd quarter was a huge lift, playing with more force and hitting your open looks from three. The guys also discuss Facci's jersey curse, give out player awards and so forth. For our main segment, we have Chris Denari joining us. He breaks down what he sees, discusses Tyrese's words on his absence from media after Game 3 and Game 4 and more!

The Pacers returned home to take a 3-0 series lead over the Cavaliers, but the Cavaliers had other plans. With Hunter, Mobley and Garland returning to action, on top of being down 2 games to 0 in the series, the Cavaliers were hungry, desperate and ready to get back on their feet and make this a series. Indiana struggled to find ways to beat the Cavaliers zone, Tyrese Haliburton scored a playoff career low 4-points, and they got abused on the offensive glass. Alex Golden and Mike Facci break it all down in today's episode!

Alex Golden is joined by Ryan Loyd, a long time Pacers/NBA to discuss a lot on today's show. The guys revisit Reggie Miller's 8 points in 9 seconds on the 30th anniversary of the historic moment, discuss how Haliburton's moment against Cleveland will be as memorable as 8.9, what to make of Cleveland with the uncertainty of their roster's health, how Indiana can attack the Cavs even more than in the previous two games, the importance of getting Siakam established on the offense early on, and how Rick Carlisle has fared against Kenny Atkinson. 

On today's episode of Setting The Pace, Facci is joined by Bob Schmidt of Fear The Fro Podcast to discuss what in the world led to the Pacers being up 2-0 on Bob's Cavaliers. They dive into everything that has happened, what is next for both teams in this series and potentially adjustments Cleveland could make. Lastly, the guys also touch on Indiana's depth and pace! Join the Pacers Group Chat on Chat BCC by clicking THIS link! Winner of the Free Tickets to Game 3 will be announced on @AlexGoldenNBA's Twitter account, as well as @_Facci's Twitter account. 

Tyrese Haliburton DOES IT AGAIN! Alex Golden and Mike Facci are BACK to recap the Pacers incredible come from behind victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, spearheaded by an incredible 4th quarter effort. Never doubt this team! Facci and I relive this game, share our thoughts on the good and the bad, how the Pacers were able to overcome some of their mishaps early in the game and how so many players contributed to this miracle comeback win!Chat BCC Friends...CLICK THIS LINK to join in on the fun and earn TICKETS to Game 3 for FREE! Facci and I will pick the winner at noon on Thursday!

On today's show, Alex Golden is once again joined by the guys from the Group Chat to discuss what happened in Game 1 and what the Pacers can do to really take hold of this series in Game 2. Injuries are piling up for the Cavaliers, and there is serious concern if they will be without 3 of their Top 6 guys. If so, Indiana not taking advantage could be problematic for the future of this series. In addition to the injuries, the guys dive into what they have liked from the Pacers this playoff run, what stood out in Game 1 and what they expect to happen in Game 2. 

The Indiana Pacers shock the Cleveland Cavaliers with a decisive Game 1 Victory! Alex Golden and Mike Facci break it ALL down on today's episode recap! The guys also give out player awards, talk about what stood out the most from certain players/lineups and how special this Pacers team truly is. 

On today's episode, Alex Golden is joined by Es Baraheni from The Athletic to get his thoughts on Game 1 between the Pacers and Cavs, what he likes from both teams and what questions he has from both teams. To closeout the show, Es shares his prediction for the series and discusses why he likes said team over the other. Myles in space on pick and roll defensive coverageMake Evan Mobley beat you?Siakam vs. Mobely matchup the keyNembhard and Nesmith making the Cavs guards defend oftenTyrese attacking Strus, getting attacked on defenseWhere Es sees Benn Mathurin fitting in during this seriesCavs bench vs. Pacers bench...who has more depth?Series Predictions!

Today on Setting The Pace, Alex Golden and Facci are joined by Derek Schultz to discuss the Pacers upcoming playoff series with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Derek discusses how Indiana can win this series, what he is looking to see from Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, how Bennedict Mathurin can impact this series, what Obi Toppin could do, how Andrew Nembhard needs to be effective on both ends of the floor, three point shooting, assists/turnover ratio, rebounding and more!Join in on the fun with the BEST APP on planet Earth! Talk Pacers basketball everyday with the guys on the Setting The Pace Group Chat on Chat BCC!

On today's show, our good friend, Bob Schmidt joins Alex Golden and Facci to breakdown what makes the Cavaliers so good, how they matchup against the Pacers, what he thinks Cleveland will do to defeat Indiana, discusses the Siakam-Mobley matchup, why the front court matchup is the most intriguing, Darius Garland and Ty Jerome's impact and his prediction of the series.  Join in on the fun by becoming a member of the Setting The Pace group chat on Chat BCC!

On today's show, Alex Golden is joined by Kevin Bowen from 107.5 The Fan to put a bow on the Pacers-Bucks series, digesting everything we saw and who stood out in that series. Then, the guys briefly touch on the upcoming Cavaliers series and why this Pacers team is a force to be reckoned with in the postseason. 

On today's show Alex Golden and Mike Facci recap the Pacers game winner by Tyrese Haliburton to overcome a dog fight of a game with the Milwaukee Bucks. The guys praise the team for sticking together during rough stretches, using their depth to help propel them at the end and discuss how each player performed in the game. The guys also discuss the unfortunate after the game stuff that went down between Giannis and John Haliburton. At the end of the show, the guys give out player awards and more!

On today's episode, Alex Golden is joined by David Cole, Lincoln Anderson and Carson Stafford to dive into what the Pacers did well in Game 4, what they're looking forward to seeing from the Pacers in Game 5. The guys also discuss the importance of winning Tuesday night and how allowing Milwaukee a chance to extend this series would be a horrific outcome. 

On today's episode, Alex and Facci dive into the Indiana Pacers 129-103 victory in Game 4 over the Milwaukee Bucks. The guys discuss the incredible play from Myles, Tyrese's insane stat line, Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith making strong contributions again, a solid showing from the Pacers bench, a quieter night from Siakam and injuries to two key guards, Benn Mathurin and Damian Lillard. 

On today's episode, Alex Golden discusses Game 3 and Game 4 of Pacers-Bucks, with Brian Sampson, the man behind Bucks Film Room and writer for Forbes. The guys dive into all that Milwaukee did well, how Rick Carlisle's coaching staff can counter what the Bucks showed in Game 3, how Indiana needs to get more from their role players in Game 4, looking at defensive matchups for the Pacers that they can change for Game 4, defending Giannis and allowing for other shooters to get wide open looks, and what makes Pascal Siakam so hard to guard and what ways Indiana can utilize him even more! PLEASE join the Setting the Pace Group Chat over on Chat BCC. Here is the link to the GROUP PAGE where you can join in on all the Pacers fun without the ridiculousness of social media. 

On today's episode of Setting The Pace, Alex Golden and Facci dive into the Pacers 117-101 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, allowing the Bucks to make this more of a series. Gary Trent Jr. had a playoff career high 37-points, Giannis was spectacular as per usual, and the Pacers absolutely stunk on wide open threes. The guys dive into what caused Milwaukee's success, why the Pacers were unable to hold onto a 12 point 3rd quarter lead and what Indiana can do better for Game 4. Alex shares how many open looks GTJ got from Pacers overplaying to prevent the Bucks easy baskets from Giannis and how many wide open 3s the Pacers missed in this one. 

Alex Golden and Rohan Katti from The Gyro Step Podcast dive into everything Game 3 has in store. What adjustments will the Bucks make? How dominate Indiana has been this series in Games 1 & 2, what winning or losing this first round series means for the future of the Bucks, why the Bucks can still win this, why Indiana is the better overall team, what to expect from Milwaukee's crowd, lineup changes and more!

Alex Golden is joined by James Boyd, from The Athletic, 107.5 The Fan's Morning Show with Kevin Bowen and his own podcast, the James Boyd Podcast. The guys discuss at length what has led to the Pacers success, what Indiana will need to do to win Game 3, what different adjustments Milwaukee could make to shake things up for Game 3, and so much more. The guys also dive into Bobby Portis' stellar night in Game 2, what to expect from Dame Lillard in Game 3, how Indiana should attack Milwaukee, Tyrese Haliburton not having a great shooting night yet and why winning one of Game 3 or 4 is SO important to this series. 

Alex Golden, Facci and Derek Schultz went LIVE on YouTube to recap Game 2 of Pacers-Bucks. Indiana takes a commanding 2-0 series lead behind the strong play of their starting 5, clutch shot making from Siakam and Nembhard, and strong play from their bench. Indiana was able to overcome a 13-0 Bucks 4th quarter run, and rallied to put this team in the control of the series. We discuss what Milwaukee did, how Indiana overcame that, the scuffles and more! A LOADED show for you today!

Alex Golden is joined by Kyle Taylor, an occasional writer over on iPacers.com to discuss and preview Game 2 of Pacers-Bucks. Kyle does a good job of "putting the antlers on" to see what type of adjustments Milwaukee could make and how with or without Dame they can make it difficult on Indiana. On the flip side, the guys also look at how Indiana can go up 2-0 and take this thing into Milwaukee with a solid series lead. 

On today's episode, Alex opens up the show by announcing the WINNER of the Game 2 tickets, for those who joined the Setting The Pace Group Chat in Chat BCC. You can join in on all the Pacers conversations with us at Chat BCC! For the winner of the tickets, please email me at AlexGoldenNBA@gmail.comNext, Alex is joined by his friends from the Pacers Group Chat, Lincoln, David and Carson, to discus what happened in Game 1, what the Pacers did well, what the Bucks did not do well, and more. Then, they dive into what adjustments can be made from Milwaukee to counterattack what Indiana did in Game 1 and what Indiana needs to do to overcome those adjustments. 

On today's episode of Setting The Pace, Alex and Facci start the show off by discussing the exciting news with the Facci family. Then, we dive into the game, highlight the great games from Turner, Siakam and Nembhard, read comments from our live youtube watchers and discuss what Indiana did so well to help them get the 19 point victory. The guys give out their player awards, discuss how awesome the Setting The Pace group chat in Chat BCC was and more!IF you want to interact with Facci and I during the game, please follow this link to the Group Chat.Thanks for being the BEST Pacers fans in the world and for interacting with us on whatever platforms you prefer. Have a blessed day, and LET'S GO PACERS!

On today's show, Alex Golden goes solo to preview the Pacers-Bucks series, as Facci was unable to make it, but for a GREAT reason! Baby Facci #2 is HERE! Michael J. Facci will be back Saturday to recap Game 1, but Alex went solo here to preview the series by sharing 5 things he wants to see the Pacers do in this series, and then 5 things he fears the most about the Milwaukee Bucks. At the end of the show, Alex shares his series predictions! #LetsGoPacers

On today's episode, Alex and Facci are joined by Keith Smith from Spotrac and the NBA Front Office Show to dive into the Pacers-Bucks series from a National Perspective. After chatting with Ti about the Bucks, and Chris Denari about the Pacers, we wanted a neutral, unbiased analysts to give us his thoughts on the series upcoming and what both teams must do to win. At the end of the show, Keith gives his prediction for the series!

On today's episode, Alex and Facci are joined by the voice of Pacers TV, Chris Denari, to discuss the Pacers-Bucks series through the eyes of the Indiana Pacers. Home Court AdvantageMathurin's first PlayoffsImproved Pacers DefenseWhat Nembhard can do without the Dame assignmentNesmith's hot shooting and what he bringsJarace's potential impactMyles and TJ leading as vetsObi Toppin's importanceThe Stars: Tyrese and PascalOvercoming GiannisMORE

On today's episode, Alex and Facci are joined by Ti Windisch of the Gyro Step Podcast to look at this upcoming Pacers-Bucks series from a Bucks Perspective.Post Trade Deadline Additions: KPJ & KuzmaDamian Lillard's Injury and Potential ReturnBobby Portis suspension, play since returnGiannis dominant play this seasonMilwaukee's size and athleticism versus Indy's speedBrook Lopez pros and consRyan Rollins stepping into a bigger roleLooking Back at the regular season seriesPredicitionsMORE

On today's show, Alex Golden and Mike Facci discuss the Indiana Pacers overcoming a 27-point deficit to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 126–118 in double overtime, securing their 50th win of the season! This is the Pacers first 50-win campaign since 2013–14! Alex and Facci then give out their Season Awards using these 8 categories: MVP, Surprise Player, DPOY, Underrated, Best Play, Best Single Game Performance, Best Celly and Funniest Moment of the season. 

The Pacers clinched home court in the first round of the playoffs with a narrow defeat against the Cavaliers! We discuss the feat that was to clinch home court, discuss the game briefly and pick our winner for the FREE tickets to the Orlando Magic vs. Indiana Pacers game on Friday, April 11th. To our winner, please email me at AlexGoldenNBA@gmail.com so I can transfer your tickets. The Finalists for the tickets are mentioned around the 7-minute mark of the episode.After I pick the winner, we dive into the final few minutes of the game and discuss how Indiana was able to pull this one off. We discuss Haliburton's near triple-double, Jarace Walker's play, Turner's blocks and more! We also hear from Tyrese Haliburton and Aaron Nesmith and give out player awards, with the help from our fans who shared their thoughts in the Chat BCC app.To join the chat and discuss Pacers with us throughout the games and for chances to win more prizes, follow this link and become a Setting The Pace Chat BCC member! https://chatbcc.com/pacers?u=alexgoldennba

On today's show, we start things off with a Smothered Chicken montage, thanks to the great Alex Riley. Then, Alex and Facci chat with Jeremiah Johnson from Fan Duel Sports Network about the Indiana Pacers remaining schedule. how this season has gone for the blue and gold, takeaways from specific players this season, the potential playoff matchup with the Bucks and MORE!JJ also tells us WHEN he listens to Setting The Pace, why he has an extra pep in his step and dissects how Quinn Buckner goes about calling certain blocks a Smothered Chicken. 

On today's episode, Alex kicks things off by updating Pacers fans on the crazy Tuesday night in the NBA and where the Pacers are currently in the hunt for homecourt. Then, Facci is joined by Kami to discuss the Pacers narrow victory over the Washington Wizards, who were without half of their key rotation guys.  Haliburton's big 4th quarterWelcome back SiakamUgliest win of the season?Where's Jarace?

On today's episode, Alex and Facci discuss a handful of things:First up: we're ranking the bench players we trust the most right now — whether it's playoff-tested vets or rising role players making a leap. Who's closing games? Who's earned real trust from coaches and us? We break it all down with a mix of eye test, stats, and context.Then, we shine the spotlight on Aaron Nesmith, who's quietly put together a strong post-All-Star break stretch. What's changed in his game? Is this growth sustainable? We get into how he's fitting into Indy's system as they get ready for the playoffs.Finally, we take a look at the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons, and how they have played since March. We dive into the current standings, playoff seeding watch, and what these trends mean heading into the final stretch of the season.

On today's episode, Alex and Facci recap the Pacers 125-120 victory over the Denver Nuggets, ending a 5 year losing streak to the Joker and company. It was truly a strength in numbers type of victory for the Pacers, as they relied on multiple players to step up and have big moments throughout the entirety of the game. Myles Turner led the team in scoring, Jarace Walker and TJ McConnell shined off the bench, Haliburton found ways to impact the game despite a low scoring night, and key rotational pieces like Toppin, Nesmith and Nembhard lifted Indiana to a big time victory. 

This was truly a tale of two halves. Indiana was abysmal in the first half, but completely dominated Utah in the 2nd half, outscoring them 83-53. Tonight, Alex Golden goes solo to discuss the terrific games of Myles and Pascal on both ends of the floor, Tyrese Haliburton recording 11 assists and 0 turnovers, as well as trying to decipher the Pacers rotation with Ben Sheppard and Jarace Walker. 

On today's episode of Setting The Pace, Alex and Facci have a lengthy discussion with Ted Wu about the current state of the team, individual players and how they've fared this season, some of the struggles from the bench this season, potential playoff matchups between Milwaukee and Detroit, Myles upcoming free agency, pros and cons to a No Trade Clause and a message for the fans!

Alex Golden joins Mike Facci to recap Pacers-Hornets! Alex was on the phone version of Zoom, and the audio was not crisp as per usual. However, the guys dive into what happened to help the Pacers win, what the Pacers have done of late that's been so impressive, give out player awards and MORE!

Alex Golden is joined by Kyle Taylor to discuss the Pacers recent decision to insert Jarace Walker back into the rotation. How can Jarace lift the Pacers bench, what has gone wrong with these units since Nesmith was made a starter for Mathurin, is there an underlying issue with the inconsistent bench play, why has it taken Jarace this long to get back into the rotation consistently and how Pascal has played since the ASB. 

On today's show, Alex Golden and Mike Facci recap the Pacers terrific second half come from behind win against the Sacramento Kings. The Pacers trailed by 16 points, but rallied back to pull out another victory against a veteran loaded Kings team. How the Pacers were able to get this dub, why the Pacers bench was the reason they were even in this game, and clutch play from Haliburton, Siakam and Nesmith. 

Today, Alex and Facci recap the Pacers-Thunder game, dive into the remaining schedules for Detroit, Milwaukee and the Pacers, survey the current standings race between the 3 teams and discuss some other interesting NBA storylines. 

On today's show, Alex and Facci discuss the Pacers dismantling of the Wizards, with a 162-109 victory. How the Pacers were able to destroy the Wiz, what is there to really take away from a game like this, the pros to winning by so many, who stood out and more! Then, in Segment 2, with the NCAA Sweet 16 currently being played, the guys drafted a starting 5 of players who played for the Pacers based on how they performed in college. Let us know what team you think wins head to head and what players we clearly left out!

Alex Golden and Mike Facci are back to recap the Pacers heartbreaking loss to the Lakers at the buzzer. Why the Pacers lost this game, how holding timeouts continues to cost Indiana chances to win close games, how special Jarace was in the 4th, Mathurin's night off the bench, Haliburton's 18 assists and just 1 turnover and so much more were discussed on today's episode!

On today's episode of Setting The Pace, Alex and Facci dive into what makes the Haliburton-Mathurin fit up and down, what changes could be made to unite both forces to lift each other up, why Mathurin is the one who has had to make the adjustments more than Tyrese, how the two have played together and what lineup combinations have succeeded with Tyrese the most. 

On today's episode of Setting The Pace, Alex and Facci recap the Pacers 119-103 victory over the Timberwolves. Obi Toppin continued his hot shooting against Minny, Aaron Nesmith had himself another awesome offensive performance, Tyrese Haliburton extended his double-double streak to 11 games in a row and the Pacers 3rd quarter eruption lifts them past the Timberwolves for an important and needed victory. 

On today's episode, Alex Golden is joined by Casey Johnson, a lifelong Pacers fan and season ticket holder, to recap the Pacers 108-103 victory over the Brooklyn Nets in Tyrese Haliburton's return. The guys discuss the game, Casey's interaction with Tyrese at a Meet-And-Greet for season ticket holder, what Rick Carlisle had to say about the two different styles of play for Ty and Benn, Myles big time performance, Steady Siakam, McConnell staying consistent, Mathurin's big stretch late in the game, Obi's recent play, Thomas Bryant and more! At the end of the show Alex asks Casey some trivia questions about current Pacers and their middle names!

Alex Golden goes solo on today's show to discuss the Pacers OVERTIME win against the Brooklyn Nets! This was a fun one and the Pacers pulled out another nail biter thanks to the incredible play of Benn Mathurin and Myles Turner. Turnover struggles are what kept the Pacers out of this game, Siakam was held to a low amount of points, Nenbhard got himself ejected and TJ McConnell added some key minutes in OT. 

On today's show, Alex and Facci discuss the Pacers win over Dallas! Mathurin's unreal 4th quarter, Siakam's big block and steal, Nembhard's game winner, Indiana's inability to defend without fouling, how good Aaron Nesmith was and has been, plus Player awards! Then Facci is joined by Brian Zilem to discuss the Dallas perspective of this game and he shares his thoughts on disaster Nico Harrison has caused in Dallas. 

Alex and Facci answer the final questions from the March Mailbag. We thank everyone for their amazing questions! 16). Basketball John Facci, do you think SlowMo and Jarace are similar in some ways? Although Jarace is much more athletic, he seems to have a very deliberate style. 17). Roundball Roundup How many more seasons will this organization ruin by having Turner at the C? Already at 9 & counting.The definition on crazy is doing same thing over again & expecting a different result.  even trial & error would've succeeded by now Hot Tk:TJ + Sabonis >> Haliburton + Turner  18). Matt JohnI am from the UK travelling to watch the Pacers in April - what are my ‘need to knows' about the field house?  19). Psycho T is back again HOW has Tj (a 6'1 white dude) gone his WHOLE 10+ nba career and not developed an actual 3 point jump shot? 20). Chad @ChadTweetsNBAWhat's your guys' favorite moment from this season? 21) Greg BramesOn slow starts to the 1st Quarter...Why do you think we have so many of these slow starts? Is this a sign of immaturity, focus, clubbing the night before, or what? Lately our shooting in the first quarter is abysmal too. What can they do to turn it around? 

Alex Golden and Mike Facci recap the Pacers Overtime Thriller! Obi Toppin led the Pacers in scoring with 34 points and lifted them to one of the BEST wins of the season with a game winning three over the Timberwolves. This snapped the Wolves 8 game winning streak and the Pacers did this with 4 starters sidelined, 1 ejected in the 3rd quarter and their 6th man fouled out in the 4th. Just a remarkable game from so many players and the guys dive into all of it!

Alex Golden and Facci are back to discuss the Pacers last 15 games, which is the exact amount of games ago that Indiana swapped Aaron Nesmith into the starting lineup for Bennedict Mathurin. The guys look at how well Nesmith and Mathurin have played during the past month since the switch, how the bench has looked based on multiple findings with lineup data, what has been the biggest problems for the Pacers second unit groups, Tyrese with Aaron vs Tyrese with Benn, shooting woes for Nembhard  and more. The guys also reflect on the NCAA Tournament selections, where Facci's West Virginia Mountaineers and Alex's Indiana Hoosiers were left out of the Final 4 to make the 68 team bracket. 

On today's show, Alex recaps the Pacers loss to the Bucks, the starters jelling together and the bench unit falling apart. The big runs that ultimately led to Indiana's downfall, Nesmith's career night, Haliburton and Siakam's play and what is going on with TJ McConnell. 

On today's show, Alex Golden goes solo to recap the Pacers victory over the "76ers". With 96% of the 76ers salary sidelined do to injury, the Pacers found themselves fully healthy struggling against a team that was incredibly undermanned. Alex talks about how the Pacers need to mature as a group and overcome these trap games by taking care of business. Then, Alex dives into how Indiana was able to bounce back after a sluggish start, how impressive the starters were in the 2nd half, the woeful play of the bench, an extremely tough night for Mathurin, Siakam's strong performance and more.