Rick Carlisle’s Coaching Resume Has Reached Elite Status

Taking Down LeBron

When the Mavericks reached the Finals, they faced the championship-favorite Miami Heat. It was the Heat’s first year featuring the Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.

As many expected, Dallas struggled against Miami in the beginning. After trailing in the series at 2-1, Carlisle made a crucial adjustment.

In Game 4, he decided to give J.J. Barea his first start of the playoffs, replacing DeShawn Stevenson. The reason for the change was to present a much more disruptive presence against LeBron. In the first three games, LeBron averaged 20.3 points. Carlisle’s plan worked to perfection as James only averaged 13.3 points in the final three games, including his infamous eight-point performance in Game 4.

Despite the pressure initially against them, Carlisle and the Mavericks took a 4-2 series victory, winning the first championship in franchise history.

Carlisle’s clever coaching strategies were recognized by many during the championship run. After Game 4 of the Finals, shooting guard Jason Terry showed appreciation to Carlisle and the adjustments he made.

“He’s doing a phenomenal job. He’s done that throughout these playoffs,” Terry said. “He knows his team. He knows the beat of this team. And then when we need a spark, he’s willing to make the adjustment and make a change. It’s just very gutsy. It’s very classy and, again, he’s doing a phenomenal job.”

After the Mavericks conquered the Heat and received their championship trophy, owner Mark Cuban stressed how important it is to trust the coach and the process.

“We learned that chemistry matters, that it’s a team game. That you have to have players who believe in each other and trust each other and trust your coach and that’s a process. It doesn’t happen overnight, there’s no quick solutions.”

New Beginnings

On Jun. 24, 2021, Carlisle signed with the Pacers, marking his second stint as a head coach in Indiana.

In 2023, Carlisle led the Pacers to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. But this past year, his status as a successful head coach peaked.

The Pacers began the 2024-25 season slowly, winning only 10 of their first 25 games. They had just 20 wins by the end of the calendar year, but in January, the team took the league by the horns.

On Jan. 2, Indiana began a six-game win streak that the conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers eventually ended. The Pacers ended the month with a 10-2 record. Carlisle won his fourth Coach of the Month Award.

The Pacers were 24-12 over the final three months of the season. They finished with a 50-32 record, their first 50-win season since 2014.

Same playoff run, different result

Although the Pacers failed to win the championship, the obstacles they overcame were impressive.

In the first round, they battled the Milwaukee Bucks, who they lost to three out of four times in the regular season. Even though Damian Lillard went down with an Achilles injury in Game 4, the Pacers still had to take down Giannis Antetokounmpo, who averaged 33.0 points and 15.4 rebounds that series.

After defeating the Bucks 4-1, the Pacers played the East’s regular-season champions, the Cavaliers. While Darius Garland dealt with a toe injury and Evan Mobley missed time as well, Donovan Mitchell averaged 34.2 points in the series. However, the Pacers were able to take a 4-1 series win in relatively easy fashion.

During the Conference Finals, the Pacers faced off against the New York Knicks, which proved to be a difficult matchup. In that series, the Pacers were pitted against a healthy star duo in Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, along with a variety of capable Knicks defenders.

Despite being underdogs, the Pacers took a 4-2 series win. Their victory didn’t come without some tough fights, though. In Game 1, Indiana overcame a 43-point performance from Brunson and a 14-point deficit with three minutes left in the game to take a 138-135 overtime win.

The comeback against the Knicks was the Pacers’ third miraculous comeback victory in as many series. Carlisle deserves plenty of credit for instilling in his team a “never-say-die” mentality. The Pacers played as hard as they could until the final buzzer, even in the NBA Finals.

So Close to a second title

Although the Thunder were arguably the best team in the league, Indiana tested them. In Game 1 of the series, the Pacers overcame a 14-point fourth quarter deficit on Oklahoma City’s court to steal a 1-0 lead.

Sadly, the outcome of the Finals didn’t match the previous series for Indiana. After Haliburton went down with an Achilles injury in the first quarter of Game 7, the Thunder went on to take a 103-91 win and seal their NBA title.

Carlisle might not have a shelf full of personal coaching accolades, but it isn’t every day that the sports world witnesses a Cinderella story, and Carlisle has pulled it off twice now, once leading to the ultimate accomplishment. Considering his determination and willingness to challenge his players, Carlisle’s respect as one of the all-time greats is warranted.