Rick Carlisle optimistic Indiana Pacers can improve on the glass

The Indiana Pacers like to run in transition. They ranked second in transition frequency last season and added talent in free agency this summer that can help in the open floor. All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton is one of the best fast break playmakers in the game, and the blue and gold like to get him the ball on the run.

That strategy largely worked. Only the Sacramento Kings were in transition more often than the Pacers, and only three teams averaged more points per possession than Indiana in those instances. They were a brilliant and efficient team in the open floor.

To actually have transition opportunities, a team has to get stops and get rebounds. That's an area where the Pacers are held back. They ranked 26th in defensive rating last season, and they are working during training camp to improve on that end of the floor.

They also want to improve on the glass. Indiana ranked 30th — dead last — in defensive rebound rate last season. For a team that wants to get the ball and get moving, being poor on the boards is a hindrance.

There is a tradeoff involved in being a good transition team and pulling down defensive rebounds. The Memphis Grizzlies, who have one of the best rebounders in the league in Steven Adams, ranked 22nd in defensive rebound rate last season as they tried to run (third in transition frequency). Oklahoma City ranked fourth in transition frequency and 28th in defensive rebound rate. It's a natural tradeoff.

But it isn't required. The Kings were first in time spent in transition, yet they grabbed the sixth-highest percentage of opponent misses. The Los Angeles Lakers were also top-10 in both stats. It's possible for a team to snag the ball off the rim at a great rate without sacrificing their ability to run.

The Pacers hope to do that this season. "To run, you have to have the ball. It's pretty simple," head coach Rick Carlisle said on Thursday. "We're looking to get better. I don't know what our rank in defensive rebonding was, but it was in the bottom third of the league. We need to get better."

The Pacers brought in size this summer in Obi Toppin and Jarace Walker, and there's a chance Daniel Theis, one of their best rebounders, wins the backup center battle. Talent and size infusions could boost the Pacers' abilities on the glass.

"I'm optimistic that we can do it," Carlisle said of rebounding improvement. He added that, like he noted with general defense earlier in the week, talk is cheap. Indiana has to actually grab misses and prove that they can balance doing so with their identity.

The Pacers play Adams and the Grizzlies during the preseason. They also take on the Cleveland Cavaliers, who start both Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, during the tune ups. The blue and gold will get to test their rebounding growth early in the campaign.

Finding the right balance will be tricky. If they send too many players to the boards, the Pacers could be worse in transition. If they don't send enough, or there isn't much skill improvement, then they may not be able to get into transition at all. Managing those competing factors will be something Carlisle has to do throughout the season, and what they emphasize could depend on their opponent.

The head coach is optimistic his team will improve, though, and he will continue to stress it along with defense during training camp.

"We've got to keep convincing this team how difficult it is to make jumps defensively," he said at media day on Monday. "A lot of it comes down to simply being able to close out, guard one-on-one more effectively, and go get the fu—ing ball off the rim."

Winning the possession battle is becoming a focus for many NBA teams. Not turning the ball over and dominating the glass can swing a game. Even beyond the Pacers fast-paced identity, there are benefits to being good on the boards.

But for a team that thrives in transition and wants to run, snagging rebounds is extremely important. The Pacers have to, like Carlisle said, have the ball if they want to push it. Indiana will hope they can grow in that area this season without sacrificing what makes them great on offense.