Indiana
It’s been a predictably tough year for Indiana, even with Pascal Siakam playing like an All-Star
Indiana’s Pascal Siakam went 1-on-1 against Boston’s Derrick White as time was running out, backed into him a couple of times near the foul line, spun into the lane and then watched his shot kiss off the backboard and fall for what became a game-winner.
For the Pacers, it was joy.
There hasn’t been much of that this season.
Monday night’s 98-96 victory over the Celtics — one where Boston coach Joe Mazzulla answered every question in his postgame news conference by saying “illegal screen” — sent Indiana’s record to just 9-31 on the season, still the worst in the Eastern Conference. And that’s even with the Pacers now on a three-game winning streak.
It’s a far cry from seven months ago, when Indiana was in Game 7 of the NBA Finals and fully believing it was about to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder for the title. Then Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in the first half, Myles Turner left in free agency and … well, everything is different.
Except, that is, for Siakam. He was an All-Star last season, his third selection to the league’s showcase game, and has even better numbers this season. And with the debut of another new All-Star format this season — U.S. vs. the World — the forward from Cameroon is hoping to get another invite.
“It’s going to be an honor if it happens,” Siakam said. “I’m not too focused on it. I just try to be the best player that I could be out there every single night. Some nights are going to be great. Some nights are not. But I just stick to the work and hopefully it comes with some accomplishments.”
Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam, right, works the ball inside against the defense of Boston Celtics guard Jordan Walsh, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. Credit: AP/Doug McSchooler
Indiana coach Rick Carlisle has been campaigning. Siakam’s heroics on Monday night made it easy to keep it going.
“Just further makes the case for the All-Star team,” Carlisle said.
Siakam is averaging 23.5 points and 6.8 rebounds; only nine other players right now have numbers like that per game in both categories. It could be argued that he’s putting up those numbers for a team where he’s often the go-to option with Haliburton out for the year, and that’s fair. But Carlisle also points out that Siakam is leading by example, helping young players in new roles as the Pacers try to figure out who can best help them going forward.
“Pascal Siakam is one of the favorite players I’ve ever been around at any level,” Carlisle said. “He’s just amazing.”
Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) drives to the basket against Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. Credit: AP/Nell Redmond
The Pacers beat Sacramento on Dec. 8 for what was their sixth win of the season and the 999th in Carlisle’s career as a head coach. The milestone celebration was looming. The Pacers went into the next game wondering if that would be the night. It wasn’t. They did the same the next game. Again, it wasn’t. And so on. And so on. And so on. They lost 13 in a row. Carlisle was stuck on 999 wins for a month. It was Jan. 8 when the streak was snapped and the celebration finally happened.
“It took way too long,” Siakam said. “Yeah, too long. I mean, I think it was great, obviously, because he’s an amazing coach. It’s a great honor for him. And again, we’ve been trying not to think about it too much, but obviously, we’ve lost a lot of games. There’s just too much losing for my liking and for the liking of the team. So, I’m glad that we got that out of the way and hopefully we don’t find ourselves in that situation ever again.”
The Pacers are 3-0 since that losing streak. Siakam — a champion with Toronto in 2019 — has no delusions about what the rest of the season may bring. Haliburton will be back next season and Indiana should be vastly improved. Siakam isn’t thinking about that yet, though. For now, it’s just about what happens each day, with this team, and this three-game streak is a reminder that work is paying off.
“Definitely one of the most challenging years for me, I think, on the court and also even emotionally,” Siakam said. “All I really want is to win. And I’ve been so used to being in a winning situation, so this situation, it’s hard. It’s tough.”
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FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – The ‘Big Boy’ Locomotive is making its way back west from Philadelphia, and is in the area on Wednesday and Thursday.
It has a 30-minute stop tomorrow morning at 11:30 in Continental, Ohio, about an hour east of downtown Fort Wayne. Then, it will travel into New Haven from the east.
Recommended viewing spots are along Dawkins Road near Webster Road at Jefferson Township Park or in town at the New Haven City Hall parking lot.
Train officials remind spectators they should remain more than 25 feet away from the tracks to avoid trespassing and to stay safe.
After an overnight stay in New Haven, which is not open to the public, it will travel through downtown Fort Wayne around 9 am Thursday.
It will then make a 30-minute stop in Knox, Indiana, about 2 hours west of Fort Wayne, near South Bend and Valparaiso, which is open to the public at N. Main St. and W. Bender St. from 12:30 to 1p Central Time.
Crowds have been very large and officials suggest arriving early.
In June, Big Boy stopped here on its way to Philadelphia for the Fourth of July as part of the historic coast-to-coast tour in celebration of the United States of America’s 250th birthday.
Union Pacific’s ‘Big Boy’ No. 4014 is the world’s largest operating steam engine, weighing in at a whopping 1.2 million pounds. Twenty-five Big Boys were commissioned for Union Pacific, the first being delivered in 1941, where they were used to haul equipment in support of the war at the time.
You can track the historic locomotive through a live map of the train’s location, here.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WSBT) — New standards are now in place for Indiana schools to request four day school week waivers.
Operation Education told you about the pilot program at Vinton Elementary near Lafayette back in 2024.
Operation Education: Indiana elementary pilots 4-day school week
That pilot program ends next spring.
It is the only school in Indiana operating on a four day week schedule.
The state’s new standards mean schools have to earn an “A” grade to be considered.
They also have to offer transportation for students who choose to attend a school on a five day schedule, pay teachers at least $45,000 a year, and offer enrichment and remediation at no cost to parents on the fifth day.
The State Board of Education would then decide if the school can move to a four day week.
More than 800 schools nationwide now operate on that schedule.
MONROE COUNTY, Ind. – The ACLU of Indiana filed a lawsuit over what it calls “unconstitutional conditions” at the Monroe County Jail.
This comes after the advocacy group previously suggested it would take legal action to resolve a lengthy dispute over the facility’s safety.
The federal lawsuit was filed on behalf of two individuals currently incarcerated at the jail. It cites chronic overcrowding, deteriorating infrastructure, unsafe living conditions and the county’s inability to remedy the problems.
The dispute originally flared in 2008, when the ACLU of Indiana filed a lawsuit challenging conditions at the jail. That led to a 2009 settlement in which county officials promised a long-term solution. Over the years, the deadline for improvements has been extended multiple times.
While the county appeared to embrace a brand-new justice complex near I-69 and State Road 46, those plans stalled when the county council voted down the project due to cost concerns.
The ACLU said the settlement has expired and the original lawsuit has been dismissed, necessitating the filing of a new one. The lawsuit claims conditions at the jail violate the 14th Amendment rights of people awaiting trial and 8th Amendment rights of people held after conviction.
The lawsuit names the Monroe County Council, Monroe County commissioners and Monroe County sheriff as defendants.
In a news release, the ACLU cited several problems at the jail, ranging from overcrowding to “extreme temperatures, broken plumbing, mold, crumbling walls, limited disability access, and failures to safely separate people with different medical and security needs.”
Ken Falk, legal director for the ACLU of Indiana, said officials have had long enough to fix the numerous issues.
“They have had nearly two decades to find a lasting solution, yet people are still being held in unconstitutional conditions that threaten their health and safety,” Falk said in a statement. “Studies have documented that the jail is dangerous and inadequate, and the sheriff has been candid about its many problems. However, the sheriff’s role under Indiana law is limited, and the county officials who could solve this problem have not listened.”
The ACLU is asking the court to certify the case as a class action and seeks a permanent injunction “requiring defendants to take all steps necessary to ensure that the conditions of confinement at the Monroe County Jail comply with the United States Constitution,” among other relief.
FOX59/CBS4 reached out to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office regarding this lawsuit. Officials with the office stated that they are “declining to comment on pending litigation.”
Read the full complaint here.
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