Setting The Pace: A Pacers Podcast

Alex Golden and Mike Facci are back, and today's episode starts with a familiar face having some trouble finding a new home.The latest reporting indicates that the Milwaukee Bucks have been unable to find a trade partner for Myles Turner, just one year after signing the former Pacers center to a four-year, $107 million contract.So…grass isn't always greener, is it?Alex and Facci revisit Turner's departure from Indiana and discuss why his current situation only reinforces the Pacers' decision to play hardball during contract negotiations. Was Indiana right to have reservations ab...

Alex Golden and Mike Facci are back, and there is A LOT to discuss after the NBA dropped the hammer on the Los Angeles Clippers.The Clippers were found to have violated the NBA's salary-cap circumvention rules involving Kawhi Leonard, resulting in massive penalties—including the loss of five future first-round picks.And somehow, the Indiana Pacers are directly involved in the fallout.One of the selections Los Angeles is losing is the Pacers' unprotected 2029 first-round pick, which Indiana originally sent to the Clippers as part of the trade for Ivica Zubac....

Cathy Engelbert is stepping down as WNBA commissioner, and Casey reacts to the breaking news on Fever Focus.This episode takes a first look at Engelbert’s tenure, the timing of the announcement, and what her exit could mean for the league moving forward. There is credit to give for the WNBA’s growth, but also plenty of fair questions about how the league has handled its biggest moments, its biggest stars, and the increased spotlight around the game.Topics include:Engelbert’s retirement announcementThe growth of the WNBA during her time as commissionerWhy busine...

Alex Golden and Mike Facci are back for Part 3 of the September Mailbag, wrapping up this three-part series with questions about trades, Jarace Walker, the future of the Pacers' core, Rick Carlisle and some fun debates to close out the show!The guys start by revisiting Bennedict Mathurin's departure. After Mathurin signed with New Orleans for $8 million per season, should the Pacers have any regrets about how everything played out? If Indiana knew a year ago that Mathurin could be retained at that price, would things have gone differently? And when comparing him to Kelly Oubre Jr...

Alex Golden and Casey Johnson are back for another episode of Fever Focus, and with the WNBA hitting pause, two of Indiana's biggest stars are taking their talents to the international stage!Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston are representing Team USA at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, giving the Fever's young duo an opportunity to compete alongside—and learn from—some of the best players in the world.Alex and Casey discuss what they're most excited to see from Clark and Boston with Team USA, what roles they could play and how spending time arou...

Alex Golden and Mike Facci are back for Part 2 of the September Mailbag, and today's questions center around one big theme: How good can this Indiana Pacers team actually be? The guys start by discussing what Indiana learned from last season and how those lessons could translate now that Tyrese Haliburton is back. After everything this group experienced without its star point guard, could the adversity ultimately make the Pacers better equipped for another championship run? Then comes one of the biggest questions of the entire mailbag: What happens if Indiana is rolling at the...

Alex Golden and Mike Facci are answering YOUR questions for the September Mailbag, kicking off Part 1 of a three-part series! Today's episode is all about rotation, lineups and roster fit as the guys dive into some of the biggest questions surrounding Rick Carlisle's options heading into the season. What is the Pacers' best five-man lineup, and how does it stack up against the best lineups around the NBA? How will Carlisle divide the wing minutes between Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, Kelly Oubre Jr., Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard? Could the numbers game ultimately force either...

Alex Golden is joined by Derek Schultz for a lengthy, loaded conversation about the Indiana Pacers as the start of the 2026-27 season continues to draw closer. A good portion of today's show centers around Tyrese Haliburton and one of the biggest questions facing the Pacers: What are realistic expectations for Hali after missing 16 months of NBA basketball? Alex and Derek discuss what success should look like for Haliburton this season, how patient fans need to be as he works his way back into form and what Indiana truly needs from its star point guard...

Alex Golden and Mike Facci are looking into the future and handing out some hardware on today's episode of Setting The Pace! The guys go through the NBA's major individual awards and look at which Pacers are actually appearing on the early betting odds lists—and which Indiana players are surprisingly nowhere to be found. For each award, Alex and Facci discuss which Pacer has the best chance of entering the conversation and what would need to happen this season for them to become a legitimate contender. But they don't stop with the NB...

It's finally time! Alex Golden and Mike Facci reveal their 2026-27 Eastern Conference standings predictions, ranking all 15 teams from top to bottom and explaining exactly why they have each team finishing where they do. The guys go team-by-team through a loaded East, discussing the contenders they believe can make a run at the No. 1 seed, which teams could surprise people, who might take a step backward and where the Indiana Pacers belong in the mix. How much will Indiana improve with Tyrese Haliburton back? Where do the Pacers stack up against the other...

Alex Golden and Mike Facci are back for a loaded episode of Setting The Pace, featuring a special guest appearance from Bob Kravitz! Before Bob joins the show, Alex announces the winner of the two free tickets to the Pacers-Mavericks game on opening night! Then, Alex and Facci dive into the Pacers' new television deal with DAZN and what it means for fans watching the team this season. The guys also discuss the NBA's conversations with YouTube about potentially becoming the local broadcasting partner for all 30 teams beginning in 2027-28 and what that could mean...

Alex Golden and Casey Johnson are back with another episode of Fever Focus, breaking down the Indiana Fever’s win over the Chicago Sky and everything that stood out from one of Indiana’s stronger team performances. Topics include: Caitlin Clark’s all-around game and how she controlled the flow offensively Kelsey Mitchell staying hot and continuing to give Indiana a reliable scoring punch The Fever looking a little tired, but still finding enough energy to take care of business Mercedes Russell giving Indiana exactly what it needed in her role KK’s continued growth and why her...

Alex Golden and Casey Johnson are back for a loaded episode of Fever Focus after a busy stretch of Indiana Fever basketball! Since the guys last recorded, the Fever have played four games and gone 3-1, giving Alex and Casey plenty to discuss. They go game-by-game through the stretch, breaking down how Indiana performed, which players stepped up and the biggest storylines to emerge as the Fever continue their five-game road trip with a trip to New York on Sunday. Kelsey Mitchell continues to score at an incredible level and has been one of the...

Alex Golden and Mike Facci are going through the entire Indiana Pacers schedule and making a prediction for every single game! Win or loss. All 82 games. The guys work their way through the schedule, discussing the toughest stretches, favorable runs, back-to-backs, national television games and the biggest matchups of the season. Which opponents present the biggest problems for Indiana? Where could the Pacers potentially stumble? And which stretches of the schedule could allow them to pile up wins? Alex and Facci also highlight the games they're most excited about, the opponents they're most...

Alex Golden and Michael Facci are BACK after both guys enjoyed a little vacation time, and there is plenty of Pacers news to catch up on! The guys start with Braden Smith officially signing a two-way deal with the Indiana Pacers. After months of wondering what Indiana's plan was for the Purdue point guard, we finally have our answer. Alex and Facci discuss why the Pacers ultimately went this direction with Smith and push back against some of the criticism surrounding Indiana's decision to trade for him in the second round of the NBA Draft...

Alex Golden is joined by longtime Pacers' fan Michael—with a brief appearance from his lovely girlfriend, Grace—for a fun conversation about all things Indiana Pacers! Michael shares his thoughts on the Pacers' offseason moves and his expectations for the upcoming season, including what he likes about the roster and where he still has concerns. He also tells Alex about his experience meeting Tyrese Haliburton at Fanatics Fest, what that moment was like and why Tyrese has become such a special player for Pacers fans. Of course, no conversation with Michael would be c...

Alex Golden is joined by Kyle Taylor of iPacers for a different kind of offseason episode of Setting The Pace. Instead of tackling the biggest storylines surrounding the Indiana Pacers, the guys get in the weeds and discuss some of the more niche questions that could have a major impact on how this team plays next season. The conversation starts with Tyrese Haliburton and Ivica Zubac. With Zubac bringing a much different skill set to the center position, could we see Tyrese spend more time playing off the ball to help Indiana's spacing? How will the Pacers...

Alex Golden and Casey Johnson are back for another loaded episode of Fever Focus, and there is A LOT to discuss after an eventful stretch for the Indiana Fever.   The guys start with Mikayla Timpson moving into the starting lineup at the four and what the change could mean for Indiana moving forward. Is Timpson simply the perfect answer for this specific Fever roster, or are we watching her develop into a legitimate long-term starter in the WNBA?   Then, Alex and Casey break down Indiana's impressive performance against the New York Li...

Alex Golden is joined by Tyler Smith of Indy Sports Legends and Pacers on SI for a trip through Indiana Pacers history as the guys attempt to answer a difficult question: Who are the 10 greatest Pacers of the NBA era? Alex and Tyler build their Top 10 lists and debate how to weigh longevity, individual accomplishments, playoff success, peak performance and overall impact on the franchise. One of the biggest debates centers around Tyrese Haliburton. After helping lead Indiana to an NBA Finals appearance, has Haliburton already done enough to surpass some of the franchise's longest-tenured...

If you want to watch the episode on YouTube, be sure to check it out on the Pacers Beyond the Buzzer YouTube page and subscribe to their channel! Pacers Beyond The Buzzer - YouTube Alex Golden joins Jake Riley on Pacers Beyond the Buzzer for a special crossover episode that goes 100 minutes and covers just about everything surrounding the Indiana Pacers. The guys start by taking a trip down memory lane as Alex shares how Setting the Pace began eight years ago, how the podcast has evolved and some of the memorable interactions—both good an...