Embedded with the Pacers: A day with an NBA coaching staff

What's it like being an NBA coach behind the scenes each day?

HoopsHype was granted exclusive access to Indiana's coaching staff during their trip to New York on October 24-25 to find out.

This venture included sitting in on a coaches meeting at the hotel the day before facing the Knicks, riding the team bus to Madison Square Garden for shootaround and the game, listening to what Pacers coaches told their players before taking the court, halftime adjustments, and after the game.

During the fellowship and talking with the coaches during their meeting, HoopsHype learned how the NBA grind affects the sleep habits of coaches and their family life, what happens on team plane rides and bus trips, how coaches prepare for games, what happens during in-game chats, and how the job has changed over the past decade.

Downtime: How does the job affect family life and sleep habits for coaches?

“There’s a perception sometimes that the league is glamorous, and I’m not complaining, it’s not bad, but these jobs are not glamorous,” Pacers assistant coach Jim Boylen – who began coaching in the NBA in 1992 – told HoopsHype. “You have to embrace that kind of grind and togetherness.”

Family Life 

Part of the grind Boylen mentioned includes being away from your family often as an NBA coach while on the road and traveling across the country during the season.

To help combat the long-distance dynamic, FaceTime has become a “godsend” for coaches to see their kids and remain connected, according to Boylen.

Pacers assistant coach Jenny Boucek is raising her 6-year-old daughter, Rylie, as a single parent. Mike Weinar and his wife Noelle have two children, Wesley and Gavin, who are seven and 10. Lloyd Pierce and his wife Melissa have two girls, Londyn and Maya, who are three and six. Boylen has two girls, Layla and Ashlen, who are 18 and 19.

“This is obviously a blessing and an incredible opportunity for everyone to work in the NBA, but we’re parents, uncles, and brothers first,” Weinar told HoopsHype. “When I land home on a Saturday, I’m going to three kids' basketball games for my family to watch my kids play. I’ll watch my kids play soccer. We’re those people first. I think we’re gone a lot, but to me, that comes first.”

So far this fall, Carlisle has made two one-day trips flying to Virginia to see his 20-year-old daughter, Abby. Boucek also has Rylie fly out and join her on the road with the team since she struggles when her mom is gone for more than three straight nights.

The coaching staff also looks out for each other as a second family. While Pacers coaches have dealt with family health issues where taking some days off was necessary, the staff has covered for each other and worked through those moments.

“Something really cool in our particular organization is how Rick has permitted us to cover for each other in that way for our families,” Boucek said. “JP (Jannero Pargo) covers for me with the players I work out if it’s hours I can’t do because I’ve got mom duty. Some staffs can be very competitive and territorial, whereas this staff has each other’s back in that way because we all respect the value of family, and we have great husbands and fathers on this staff. It’s one of my favorite things about these guys. There’s a real collaboration with that.”

The Pacers also have collaborated with the staff’s families for a plus-one trip every year to come on the plane, stay at the team hotel, and attend a game. This year, the family trip will be when the organization heads to Paris in January.

Sleep

If you can’t function on little sleep often and you’re not an early riser, working as an NBA coach probably isn’t the job for you.

Weinar wakes up around 5 a.m. each day. If he’s home, he’s usually helping his kids get ready for school so they can be out of the house an hour later. If he’s on the road, his morning begins by watching an NBA game of an upcoming opponent from 6 to 7:30 a.m.

Road trips are particularly brutal. After flying out of Detroit shortly after Indiana’s win, landing at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, and arriving at The Dominick Hotel in New York, Pierce fell asleep at 3 a.m. He woke up at 6:15 a.m.

To combat the lack of sleep -- especially when traveling on road trips -- 45-minute naps on game days are pivotal for most of Indiana’s coaching staff.

Boucek, however, doesn’t usually nap before a game. While in New York, for example, she watched a Philadelphia 76ers game to prepare for an upcoming scout assignment in the coming days. If it’s an off day, she’ll work out and spend time with her daughter in the afternoon.

Travel: What happens on team plane rides and bus trips?

“Sometimes, you’re playing a 7 p.m. game at home, and then we’ve got to travel to Washington,” Pierce explained. “We won’t get to the hotel until at least 2:30 a.m., and it might be for a national television game that day. That’s what Boylen is talking about. You think it’s glamorous until you realize, ‘Well, sh*t. What time did these guys get in last night?’”

Plane Rides

It’s roughly 9:30 p.m. The Pacers have narrowly defeated the Detroit Pistons 115-109 on the road. The team has about 50 minutes to shower, change, finish media availability, and board the last team bus headed to the airport. At 11:15 p.m., the Pacers take off on a flight to Newark Liberty International Airport.

Generally, flights are a good opportunity to grab players and watch film of their playing time to discuss what worked well and needs improvement, Carlisle explained. While on board this flight, Pierce discussed strategy with All-NBA star Tyrese Haliburton.

“After a win, the players will come up to you on the flight,” Pierce told HoopsHype, laughing. “After a loss, you’ve got to track them down and send them a text message or go find them on the plane (laughs).”

“Lloyd Pierce is a great leader, communicator, and problem solver who has a great feel for the game,” Carlisle told HoopsHype.

After chatting with players, coaches either spend the rest of the flight getting film work done or go to sleep. On a long West Coast flight back to Indiana, every coach sleeps on the plane at some point, whereas they’re more likely to get film work done on a shorter East Coast flight.

“I told myself a long time ago that if I find myself having to rewind the clip and I’m dosing, just close the computer,” Pierce explained.

The Pacers landed at the airport and took a team bus shortly after at 12:52 a.m. to The Dominick Hotel, where they arrived at 1:23 a.m. After unpacking and getting ready for bed, Carlisle finally falls asleep at 2:45 a.m. Pierce heads to bed at 3 a.m.

Bus Rides 

On the 15-minute bus ride to shootaround, Boucek and Boylen sit together towards the front of the bus, catching up on what each other did on their off day. After chatting, Boucek begins to multi-task as she watches film of the Orlando Magic for an upcoming game she’s scouting for the coaching staff and feverishly takes notes. It’s mostly quiet throughout the ride after a long night of travel and an early start to the day.

Later in the day, ahead of Indiana’s game against New York, the first bus leaves at 4:20 p.m. where hearty laughter breaks out after a hilarious mixup between the players. Towards the back of the bus, players talked about Lil Durk's arrest, but others misheard it as Thunder guard Lu Dort instead, causing surprised reactions.

After rounds of laughter and then a clarification, one Pacers player yelled, “Even Mike (Preston) knows who Lil Durk is, and he’s like 50.”

Preparation: What happens during coaching meetings and shootaround?

Coaches Meeting

It’s 11:30 a.m. in a conference room at The Dominick Hotel where Carlisle, Pierce, Boucek, Boylen, Weinar, Pargo, Pacers assistant coach Issac Yacob, and coaching analytics manager Lauren James meet to discuss the game plan against the Knicks.

Indiana’s coaching staff outlines each assistant’s scouting assignments once the NBA schedule is released to get a head start on preparation, such as film study by clipping plays from the previous season and outlining possible defensive matchups. Weinar was tasked as the primary scout for this matchup against the Knicks and led most of the discussion.

During the meeting, Carlisle discusses his views on suggested defensive matchups proposed by his assistants while analyzing comparable physiques, analytics, and film clips of the matchups where applicable.

The coaches discuss the progression of certain players, including Jarace Walker on defense, T.J. McConnell’s leadership in the huddle during a conversation with guard Ben Sheppard, and how to continue getting Bennedict Mathurin – who Carlisle affectionately calls “Beast” – effective offensive touches.

Finally, the group outlines how they’ll utilize shootaround minute-by-minute, including how much film work will be devoted to defensive concepts, skill work drills, etc., as the meeting concludes an hour and a half later.

Shootaround

With a crispy chill in the air, the Pacers leave The Dominick Hotel at 9:45 a.m. and arrive at Madison Square Garden in exactly 15 minutes.

Coach Carlisle and center Myles Turner walk together up Madison Square Garden’s circular ramp to the event level, talking about music and their lives off the court. Carlisle saw five-time Grammy Award winner Robert Glasper, a jazz musician and fellow pianist, the night before at the Blue Note in Manhattan. As the pair walked up the ramp, Carlisle asked Turner if he knew of Glasper. Turner wasn’t familiar with his music but told Carlisle he would definitely check him out.

“I greatly admire Myles Turner as a guy who has wide-ranging and eclectic taste in music,” Carlisle said. “When he has his music plugged into the sound system in the weight room, you will hear everything from rap to R&B to country and even Taylor Swift.”

Once the team assembles in the locker room, the coaching staff discusses New York’s expected depth chart and defensive matchups on a whiteboard. Afterward, it’s time for a film breakdown on angles and concepts to defend Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, and Jalen Brunson and familiarize themselves with rookie Pacome Dadiet led by Weinar. Pierce then led the offensive film study.

“Mike Weinar has been with me for 17 years and is one of the best detail people you’ll find in this business,” Carlisle told HoopsHype.

As the team heads to the court, Yacob handles the music and selects “Many Men” by 50 Cent. Usually, Yacob plays one of the top rappers from each city they play. Eminem was the previous choice for Detroit.

Indiana's shootaround consisted of a short stretch, a few minutes of shooting at each end, offense and defense segments, a walkthrough of New York’s top actions, and the game’s opening play.

Game Day: What happens pregame in the locker room, during in-game chats, timeouts, halftime adjustments, and postgame messages?

“There’s a lot of strategy, cohesiveness, and conversations about one game, whether on the plane or a boardroom, at halftime, or in the huddle,” Pierce told HoopsHype. “There’s a lot more strategy that’s not presented well in our sport, and I think that’s the next layer for us as we continue to evolve as a sport. How much detail and what details go into it?”

Pregame Routine 

Before Indiana’s nationally televised ESPN game, Carlisle is pulled in many directions for an hour. However, there’s one call he always makes in that span. Carlisle always has a FaceTime chat with his 90-year-old mom, Joan, and his 94-year-old dad, Preston, before each game. If there’s time, he’ll also FaceTime with his daughter, Abby.

First, Carlisle prepares for his pregame media availability by meeting with Michael Preston, Pacers Vice President of Basketball Communications. Then, Carlisle chats with Jeremiah Johnson for an annual pregame chat. Shortly after that, he chats with ESPN, telling Michael Grady and Doris Burke that Haliburton has “changed the trajectory of the organization” when asked about his All-NBA point guard. Lastly, Carlisle tells his players that Madison Square Garden will have as close to playoff energy and intensity this early in the season as any game they’ll play.

In-game Chats

During the game, Indiana’s coaches communicate with each other as much as the players. Often, you’ll see assistant coaches and the head coach chatting together on the bench on television.

According to Carlisle, he and his staff discuss substitution patterns and try to maintain certain matchups throughout the game. In other instances, the coaches communicate the number of fouls for an opposing player and plot to attack him on defense.

For the coaches, communicating with each other on the sideline is easier than relaying messages to the players during the game due to the crowd noise and constant player movement on the court.

“We don’t have a green dot on a helmet,” Weinar told HoopsHype, referring to how NFL coordinators can speak to players in their helmets. “There’s no communication like that or cards on the side with lineups and things like that. We have to do it fast, and we have to be aligned and affirmative.”

Timeouts 

During today’s NBA game, thousands of actions are happening with less scripted offense than ever, so it’s critical not to overload players with play calls or overarching defensive principles.

“It’s hard enough for us as coaches to process things,” Carlisle told HoopsHype. “I played in the league for five years. You come over during a timeout while huffing and puffing, and it’s just survival. You’ve got to understand what’s happening in their minds with even the best players.”

Carlisle, who began coaching in 1989 as an assistant for the New Jersey Nets, emphasizes that a coach's communication with players during a game needs to be as simple and affirmative as possible.

“Instead of saying, ‘Don’t do this,’ it’s ‘Do this’ or ‘Keep doing this,’” Carlisle explained. “Instead of saying, ‘Don’t turn it over,’ you say, ‘Let’s take care of the ball.’”

While the NBA has emphasized reading and reacting, timeouts are the best opportunity for coaches to implement their strategy during the game.

“Those huddles are one of the few opportunities where we get to orchestrate something, whether it’s a defensive coverage or offensive set versus a weak defender, and exploit something,” Pierce told HoopsHype. “We do that all the time. That’s not always what’s presented. I think it’s really important to understand how much goes into one play and why.”

If something needs to be addressed in the huddle, Carlisle will have Boucek explain a defensive adjustment, and Pierce will coordinate the offense with the players. Boylen is also nearby, showing video clips of what must be adjusted.

“Jim Boylen is a man of great humility and strong convictions who's one of the best defensive minds in our game,” Carlisle told HoopsHype.

Halftime Adjustments / Postgame Speech

Carlisle, who’s spent most of his life playing and coaching in the NBA, warns against too many rah-rah speeches during an 82-game season, ideally. 

However, with the Pacers down 16 on the road, Carlisle met with his assistants to review the box score, go over video clips with Weinar, make adjustments, and try to motivate his team with a brief speech. 

“Play for each other!” Carlisle implores his Pacers team in the locker room. “This is NOT a ‘find a rhythm’ game! It’s a smashmouth rivalry culture game! We have to be totally together.” 

Weinar and Pierce review clips with the players and emphasize in a stern and assertive voice they’re getting outrebounded, which the staff outlined as the key statistic in every win between the two teams last season. 

It was too late, however, as New York trounced Indiana 123-98. After the loss, Carlisle addressed the team about what changes were needed. Eventually, Indiana got revenge with a 132-121 home victory on November 10. 

Evolution: How have things changed for coaches?

Over the past decade, several things have changed for NBA coaches, including fewer play calls and a greater emphasis on analytics and individualized player development as staffs have grown.

Nowadays, with an emphasis on positionless basketball, the focus has shifted to reading and reacting off systematic sets within the offense.

“About 15 years ago, your point guard was your point guard, and your four wasn’t your point guard because he was a true power forward,” Pierce told HoopsHype. “Now, your four can be your lead facilitator, your two can be a combo guard, and your one can be a scoring guard. Before, what you ran was really defined because you didn’t have power forwards bringing the ball up. They were either screening or posting up. When you scouted, you went through the details of each play where they could do this or that. We could switch or keep the coverage, but now you’ve got to be more open because other teams are more open -- especially us.”

The adjustment today focuses on coaches giving the framework of a play with three concepts in it, such as trying to integrate an empty side pick-and-roll, a split action, a post up, and melding it all together. Coaches tend to save specialty go-to plays for certain key situations during the game, whereas in the past, they tried to script the game more with play calls.

With more offensive freedom now, coaches are adjusting by using analytics to combat higher scoring offenses.

“We’re using analytics a lot more to figure out tendencies so that when we’re deciding our coverages, we’re using the numbers and probabilities of what’s going to happen because there is so much randomness in the game today,” Boucek explained. “We’re trying to get ahead of the randomness with some probabilities and be as predictive as we can on coverages because there are no more absolutes anymore.”

It’s about predicting how often a player will set a solid screen, slip, or pop, for example.

In addition to analytics, individualized player development has risen exponentially, with each player having a treatment time, a lift time, and a floor time every morning as coaching staffs have tripled, according to Boylen, since he entered the league in 1992.

“There’s a lot of versatility on our staff,” Boucek said. “We have roles for the sake of order, but none of us are insecure about crossover. If Lloyd grabs a guy I watch film with, I know we’re aligned. Throughout the season, a player’s needs may change a little bit. If somebody wants to work on their shooting, Jim may throw them over to me, and I’ll work with them a little bit. We know each other well and have been together a while.”

“Jenny Boucek is the only female on the front of an NBA bench who's also a coordinator and is one of a select few who could become the NBA's first female head coach someday,” Carlisle told HoopsHype.

There’s also an opportunity for more responsibility and growth for others on staff, such as Pargo. After talking with Carlisle and expressing interest in doing more scouts, Pargo focused on the Rockets and Spurs as the Pacers went 3-1 in those matchups.

“I listen to everybody and talk to everybody about what they want to do and how to give them more growth,” Carlisle said. “It’s a good environment. We have great people here.”

You can follow Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) on X, formerly known as Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Embedded with the Pacers: A day with an NBA coaching staff