When Pacers coach Rick Carlisle went to the pregame podium before Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Celtics, he got two things out of the way:
1. Tyrese Haliburton wasn’t playing.
2. A Game 3 play he’d credited the design to one assistant coach should have been credited to another.
Carlisle spent the rest of his time remembering Bill Walton.
Fanatics Sportsbook
10X$100 BONUS BET
BET MATCH BONUS
Must be 21+. GAMBLING PROBLEM? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (CO, KY ,MD, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV); (888) 789-7777 or ccpg.org (CT); 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA); (800) 327-5050 or gamblinghelpline.org (MA), mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1800gambler.net (WV)
His team’s season and dream playoff run were on the line later in the night, but like most of the basketball world, Carlisle was thinking about his former Hall of Fame teammate, who died after a battle with cancer earlier on Monday.
Everyone’s recollections of Walton seemingly existed ontwo levels, his basketball brilliance and his unique personality.
Carlisle played with Walton on the 1985-86 Celtics, which is arguably the best team of all-time. Carlisle said players from that team are on a group text together. Their phones were all buzzing on Monday with stories of Walton, who was the NBA Sixth Man of the Year on that team.
“Some, some of the memories are just beyond priceless,” Carlisle said.
Carlisle said Walton had been following the Pacers’ run.
“He’s been texting me a lot throughout our playoffs. I read some of his text messages to our players during our prep session before we went out on the court, just so they could realize the impact that they’re having on people all around basketball. Bill really likes our team, likes the way we play.”
Carlisle said Walton, one of the best passing big men in basketball history, deserves an assist for his to Donna Carlisle.
Carlisle called Walton in September of 1987. He had a date with a woman he was excited about and wanted to impress her. He wanted to take her to the sold-out Grateful Dead show at the Capital Center in Washington.
“I called Bill, I said ‘I got a date with a girl that I think is pretty cool. I’d love to go to the Dead show at Capitol Center. I don’t have any tickets can you help?’”
Walton, whose love of the legendary band might define him more than his basketball career, gave Carlisle a name to ask for and sent him to the loading dock.
Donna was skeptical when Carlisle headed for the back door. But he came back, not with tickets but all-access passes.
“We were actually on stage watching the show. During the break, we kind of just wandered into the back and just opened up the door and ended up sitting down with Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir and Mickey Hart for about 15 minutes just shooting the shit. It was an unbelievable night and obviously, it’s a good first date. So anyway I’m thankful to him.”
For Carlisle it was an amazing night, but he marveled that for Walton it was the way he lived every day.
“He was a living breathing event in history, just walking around,” Carlisle said. “He was involved in so many events, pop culture and sports. He played drums for the Grateful Dead at the pyramids in Egypt. He’s a guy that did everything. There’s been a lot of talk today about how he speaks in hyperbole so much. He defiantly competed for every moment in life to be the greatest it could possibly be.”
Which is why Walton cherished being part of the ‘86 Celtics.
“The joy in his face when the final buzzer went off in game six of the ‘86 finals, he just was just absolutely exuberant,” Carlisle recalled. “The competition, the level of competition, the great players he was playing with and playing against, that’s what it was always about. How special could those moments be? I’m fortunate to have been somebody to be around that team.
“What an amazing man,” he added. “There will never be another one.”
