Setting The Pace: A Pacers Podcast

Alex Golden and Mike Facci are joined by Dustin Dopirak of the Indy Star to discuss what to make of the Indiana Pacers 20-games through the season. The guys specifically touch on: Waiving of RayJ Dennis, Signing Ethan Thompson to a 2-way dealPascal Siakam's All-Star Level PlayHave the Pacers found something with Huff and I Jax?Early Impressions of Andrew Nembhard being the primary point guardWhat Jarace Walker needs to improve onPacers Defense has been solid the last 3 games, why is that the case? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alex Golden goes solo to discuss the Pacers defeating the Bulls on Pascal Siakam's game winning buzzer beater. In addition to the play of Siakam, Jay Huff was phenomenal on both ends of the floor and Alex shares how his play on both ends of the floor impacted the game for the Pacers. Alex also touches on Isaiah Jackson's solid bench performance, what makes TJ McConnell so impactful, Andrew Nembhard returns from injury, and the one area Alex wants to see him improve, as well as the play from Benn Mathurin.Later in the show, Alex discusses the runs both the Pacers and Bulls went on in this game. How close the statistics were for both teams and how it came down to which team was going to have the last positive run was going to win. Lastly, Alex also points out how the lineup of TJ, Drew, Benn, Pascal and Jay have played well together of late and why that lineup has had success.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alex Golden goes solo to recap the Pacers 33-point victory over the Washington Wizards, breaking their NBA Cup losing streak! Pascal Siakam was dominant, Benn Mathurin had another 20-point game, 6 Pacers scored in double figures, with 2 other Pacers scoring 9-points. Jay Huff and Ben Sheppard start with Andrew Nembhard out with an injury, and they both played well. Alex also discusses recent rumors that linked the Pacers to Jonathan Kuminga, again. In addition to that, he discusses some college hoops, because on Thanksgiving, Caleb Wilson and Cam Boozer had impressive games for UNC and Duke. These are 2 of the projected Top 5 picks in the upcoming NBA Draft.To end the show, Alex shares why he hasn't been the biggest fan of the NBA Cup and what changes he would make to it to improve it. The Pacers have added two games to their schedule with the result of the NBA Cup and Johnny Furphy was assigned to the Boom for his ankle injury rehab.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Happy Black Friday Pacer Nation! On a special episode of Setting The Pace, Alex Golden brings on twin brothers, Jake and Isaac as our Fans of the Week! Today, we dive into why Jake is such a believer in Benn Mathurin, why Isaac isn't as big of a fan despite liking him as a player and what it is about him that is so intriguing. Then, the guys dive into a discussion about Jarace Walker and why it is so hard for him to put consistent effort into each game.To wrap up the show, Alex continues his annual "What Thanksgiving food represents each Pacer" to have a fun, unique, conversation as to how guys fit into this team. Example: What Pacer player is the Mac and Cheese of the Thanksgiving meal. We each bring a different approach to this topic, and you will never guess how Kam Jones was brought into the conversation without playing a single minute for the Pacers this season. We hope everyone enjoys this not-so-serious gimmicky topic and had the BEST Thanksgiving! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alex Golden is joined by Bryse Colwell to discuss the Pacers 97-95 loss to the Raptors, where Brandon Ingram hit the game winning shot with 0.6 seconds left. The guys discuss how a 22-0 Raptors run to end the 2nd quarter and start the 3rd was ultimately what did the Pacers in. McConnell was phenomenal off the bench, Mathurin had a strong 4th, Sheppard had a really nice game, Jarace started off strong but had some lolls in the 2nd half and Pascal had won of his worst games of the season. Then, Alex and Bryse discuss Keon Ellis being linked to the Pacers in Mike A. Scotto's recent article on HoopsHype. What type of deal would it take to land the talented, defensive minded and three-point shooting guard? Then, they discuss Kevin Pritchard publicly laughing at a "report" on twitter suggesting Indiana could trade TJ McConnell.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alex Golden and Mike Facci go back-and-forth with the Pacers roster, sharing what they are thankful for with each Pacers player. With it being the "Thanksgiving Season", the guys felt this would be a fun and good way to spread that Thanksgiving spirit before tomorrow's holiday.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today's episode of Setting the Pace, Alex Golden is joined by Casey Johnson to recap the Pacers 122-117 loss to the Detroit Pistons. Indiana had a solid effort in the 2nd half to try and overcome a 16-point deficit, but their efforts fell short in regulation. Jarace Walker had a career night, Pascal Siakam continues to play at an All-NBA level and the bench showed up BIG. However, the starters other than Pascal failed to put the ball in the hoop (outside of the free throw line) and Detroit's monster 2nd quarter gave them the distance in scoring they needed to withstand Indiana's 2nd half rally.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alex Golden and Mike Facci recap the Pacers 120-109 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Andrew Nembhard dropped a career-high, Pascal and Benn were efficient and impacting the game in multiple ways again, TJ McConnell played well off the bench, Huff and Sheppard show solid stuff, but the rest of the roster failed to carry their weight to help Indiana outlast Cleveland. Today the guys discuss:Nembhard's career high, plus solid assist/turnover ratioLineup that went on big run: TJ, Drew, Benn, Pascal & HuffHuff's recent play and leading the league in blocks per minuteGarrison Mathews debuts!Struggles continue for young Jarace WalkerSheppard still can't make a shot, but had impact on the gameWould you rather have Pascal Siakam or Evan Mobley to win a Championship this season?Alex shares his thoughts on JRE signing to a standard contract Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mike Facci is joined by Kyle Taylor to discuss the Pacers elevating Jeremiah Robinson-Earl to a standard deal, waiving Monte Morris, signing Garrison Matthews to a 10-day hardship exception, recent stats and trends for the Pacers and diving into the two guards Indiana took in the 2022 NBA Draft (Mathurin and Nembhard).  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alex and Facci each ranked the roster from 1-15 determining who they view as the Pacer that is most likely to be traded versus the Pacers they see as the least likely to be traded. The guys start from 15 and work their way up to 1, comparing their notes and sharing their opinions on why they had the player ranked where they ranked them.15 Players Eligible for trade:MathurinHaliburtonToppinNembhardMorrisWalkerK. JonesMcConnellFurphyBradleyI. JacksonNesmithSheppardHuffSiakam Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alex Golden and Facci are finally reunited, and they get to cover a Pacers WIN! Jay Huff was fantastic off the bench, Mathurin and Siakam shined on both ends of the floor, TJ McConnell looked like vintage McConnell, and the Pacers get a convincing victory over a Charlotte Hornets team who has been their kryptonite in years past. The guys also give out player awards at the end of the game and have a lengthy discussion about Nembhard as the primary ballhandler and the importance of Benn Mathurin not only this season but moving forward. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alex Golden is joined by David Cole to discuss Mathurin's Return, the Pacers Losing By 15+ Points AGAIN & Diving into the Top 3PT Shooting Centers in the League by Percentage and Attempts.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today's episode of Setting The Pace, Alex Golden is joined by Derek Kramer of iPacers and Evil Pacers Recap Live to discuss the Indiana Pacers 1-12 start. The guys dive into other situations where a team the previous year made the NBA Finals but then had a really bad season the year after. How do these teams compare to the 2025-2026 Indiana Pacers, had did the season end and where did they end in the NBA Draft Lottery and more. Then, the guys discuss how the 1974-1975 Milwaukee Bucks and the Indiana Pacers are tied together in history...for all the wrong reasons. Then, to end the show, Derek and Alex talk about Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard. These two first round picks from the 2023 NBA Draft have struggled to take advantage of a great opportunity with so many injuries, yet they are getting in their own way with overthinking the game and playing timid. How does this play factor into the long-term plans the Pacers have for them and will they be able to recover.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alex Golden goes solo, talking about the Indiana Pacers WORST start in Franchise History, falling to 1-12 on the season with an 18-point loss to the Toronto Raptors. Transition defense was nonexistent, playing without any resistance by allowing 78 points in the paint, and not playing with enough force to take advantage of opportunities that these players may never have again once this roster gets healthy.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today's episode, Alex Golden is joined by Destin Adams to discuss the Pacers 35-point loss! Aaron Nesmith goes down with a scary injury in the 3rd quarter, and Indiana falls to 1-11 on the season. Alex and Destin look at the future of this season and discuss if the Pacers would be wise to be sellers at the trade deadline to really give themselves more bites at the apple in the NBA Draft. Alex shares a trade idea; Destin talks about what players seem the most untouchable and whether or not the Pacers should be taking phone calls on any of these guys and Alex asks Destin if this roster was fully healthy aside from Tyrese, would you rather have Q Jax and Furphy in the second unit, or Sheppard and Jarace. The guys conclude the show talking about the success of Indiana Football, Basketball and the Colts.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today, Alex and Facci conclude the November Mailbag...pretty sure Alex said this was Part 3 and the graphic says Part 2, sorry for the confusion. We answered 1 mailbag question last Friday, which was technically Part 1, but whatever Part it is of the mailbag, we answered your questions and talked about this team! Here are the questions below:Nick Ogren: Quenton Jackson’s hamstring injury might be the most devastating injury this fall, given the opportunity in front of him. After a Haliburton-esque 25 pt, 6 rebs, 10 assist AND ZERO turnover masterclass against the Warriors, when will the team reward him with a standard contract?Nick Ogren: Of the (healthy) bench players from ‘24-25, which one(s) have shown the most growth thru 8 games in ‘25-26? And which players have shown the most potential to be key contributors once the guards get healthy later this year?Hoops Hub: How much money is too much money for Mathurin where you start to look at trading him/sign and trading him rather than re signing him?Meghan Ogren: I loved seeing Huff hit some 3s and give us a reverse dunk in the Nets game. Have your thoughts on Huff’s potential (or IJax’s) changed after the recent home stand? Why or why not?Liquid Meddler: If Mathurin’s first two games prove to be true of his new level of play, does Nembhard become the piece to help acquire a potential big who “could” play center (Jabari Smith Jr?) in the 26/27 season and beyond?Doug Giles: Assuming greatest need next year is center and I think it takes three years for a non superstar center to show true potential. I don’t think there is a Shaq/Robinson talent in college right now. What is the best way to address the need not through the draft?Bearable Fan: Is Aaron Nesmith's ability to draw charges and offensive fouls the most underrated skill set he has Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alex Golden is joined by Noah Rusk to recap the Indiana Pacers best scoring night of the season, TJ McConnell making his season debut and the BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL, MAGNIFICENT city edition jerseys being worn for the first time, all to lose their 5th game in a row. The Jazz CRUSH the Pacers by 24 points, scoring 152, and shooting a ridiculous percentage, to ruin any positivity from the Pacers efforts tonight. Join us for a discussion about almost every player on the team, what we saw in this game, and why things are not working.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today's episode of Setting The Pace, Alex and Facci answer questions from the Mailbag to discuss the questions listeners have about this team. We recorded this episode on Thursday, November 6th, in case any news breaks and the conversation is about something that happened previously. Today the questions were answering are from Rooster, Pacers Faithful and Paulo Borges:Rooster - What do you think the path is to next seasons starting center? IJax? Trade for Kessler (in graphic) or who else? Would you trade this years first round pick?Rooster - Which NBA team has the dumbest fan base? And why is it the Bucks?Pacers Faithful - Give us your percentage/odds for each scenario: (1) Mathurin re-signed for next year, (2) IJax remains starting center, (3) Quenton Jackson gets a standard contract, (4) The Pacers make the playoffs, and (5) Myles finishes his career with "that" team.Why did the Front Office give McClung a multi-year contract instead of a 10-day? Should the front office look to trade for a center, if this team turns it around with Drew, Benn and TJ? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Andrew Nembhard and the Nembhard-ettes get blown out on the second night of a back-to-back against the Steph Curry-less Warriors. Alex and Facci recap this horrific game, discuss why the team had no chance of winning and what to make of the 1-9 start to the season. Then, the guys discuss Myles Turner once again throwing shade at the Pacers and their fans in a postgame interview between Milwaukee and Chicago, as well as a former Pacers All-Star joining the Bucks G-League affiliate, The Wisconsin Herd.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today's episode of Setting The Pace, Alex Golden goes solo to discuss the Pacers 117-100 loss to the Nuggets. Alex discusses 10 things from the game that stood out to him, leading to the Pacers loss.Nembhard's ReturnA Terrific Nesmith GameWeird RotationsA tough Siakam nightGood Jarace, but need MORE of itThe Biggest Jay Huff Hater is back!Monte Morris' debutPoints in the PaintShot Making (or lack thereof)Transition Defense Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.