In the intense final seconds of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, a critical decision by coach Rick Carlisle paved the way for Tyrese Haliburton`s memorable game-winning shot. During a replay review with just 22.8 seconds left, as the Pacers trailed by a single point, Carlisle used the pause to strategize for both possible outcomes of his challenge. If the review favored Indiana, they would get possession. If not, his instructions were clear: play tough defense, get a stop without fouling, secure the rebound, and advance the ball quickly with no remaining timeouts.
“Get the ball into Tyrese`s hands,” Carlisle emphasized later that evening, “and trust him to make a play.”
The plan unfolded perfectly. Despite facing MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Pacers defense, led by Andrew Nembhard, forced a missed shot. Aaron Nesmith battled for the rebound and quickly relayed it to Pascal Siakam, who found Obi Toppin. Toppin then swung the ball to Haliburton near half court with six seconds left on the clock.
What followed was a moment destined for NBA Finals history. Haliburton dribbled, feinted along the sideline, then cut back inside the arc, pulling up for a 21-foot jumper that found the net with only 0.3 seconds remaining, stealing Game 1 for Indiana in Oklahoma City.
While Haliburton`s knack for hitting clutch shots is becoming legendary – this was his fourth game-winner or game-tying basket late in these playoffs – Carlisle`s unwavering trust in that high-pressure situation wasn`t impulsive. It`s the product of a relationship forged over years and deeply influenced by Carlisle`s past coaching experiences.
The offensive freedom the Pacers exhibit under Haliburton is a direct result of his bond with Carlisle, a connection that began the day after Haliburton was acquired by Indiana in February 2022. However, the foundation of this coaching philosophy dates back even further, to Carlisle`s time with the Dallas Mavericks, starting with his initial struggles and eventual breakthroughs coaching Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd in 2008-09, and later navigating the development of another emerging superstar, Luka Doncic.
“My first year in Dallas, I learned I needed to give J-Kidd the ball and get out of the way,” Carlisle recalled before the Finals began. “Let him dictate the flow. With Tyrese, it was a similar situation, but it didn`t take half a season to figure out. The experience with Luka was the same.”
“When you have a player of that caliber – with that kind of presence, understanding, vision, and depth – it`s clear you need to let them do what they do best,” he stated.
This approach has paid significant dividends for the Pacers. At the time of this writing, they held a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder after a strong home victory.
Haliburton and Carlisle are the architects behind Indiana`s high-powered offense, which has averaged 116.7 points per 100 possessions during the postseason. Their fast-paced style and resilience in comebacks have been central to their unexpected playoff run through the Eastern Conference.
At the core of this success is a coach who has demonstrated a remarkable capacity for adaptation over his career, willingly entrusting the reins to his star point guard.
“When he gave me that endorsement, it felt like the highest level of respect,” Haliburton commented after a practice session. “It was the ultimate trust I could receive from anyone, especially considering his brilliant basketball mind. He`s coached incredible guards and players. That confidence he instilled in me has truly elevated my career.”
Empowering Jason Kidd marked a pivotal shift in Carlisle`s coaching journey, though it came after considerable friction between the coach and his veteran point guard.
Upon arriving in Dallas, Carlisle had a reputation for being highly controlling. This wasn`t new; he had previously clashed with players during his first stint coaching Indiana from 2003 to 2007, a period marked by success (a 61-win season and Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2003-04) but also by a highly structured, play-called offense on nearly every possession.
He attempted a similar approach with Dallas and the 35-year-old Kidd, who had nine All-Star selections to his name. It did not go smoothly.
“It wasn`t easy for [Carlisle] to relinquish control,” shared J.J. Barea, a former Mavericks guard. “To allow more freedom. But he recognized that for us to win, he had to. He and J-Kidd had their disagreements, but ultimately, it worked out.”
Kidd advocated for a more fluid offense, believing a skilled point guard dictating the pace would create a better rhythm than constant sideline instructions. Carlisle resisted for over a season and a half. It wasn`t until midway through the 2010-11 season – his third year coaching Kidd – that Carlisle truly handed over the offensive reins. That season, the Mavericks won the championship.
Carlisle didn`t hesitate nearly as long with Luka Doncic, giving him the keys to the Mavericks` offense during his rookie season in 2018-19.
While the personal dynamic between Carlisle and Doncic was often reported as challenging, their coach-player partnership produced remarkable offensive results. In Doncic`s second season, the Mavericks achieved what was then an NBA record for offensive efficiency, averaging 115.9 points per 100 possessions.
Carlisle successfully built an offensive system tailored to Doncic, one quite distinct from Kidd`s. Dallas adopted a heliocentric style centered around Doncic dominating the ball, maximizing spacing with spot-up shooters while Doncic ran numerous pick-and-rolls.
In contrast, the Pacers under Haliburton thrive on a system fueled by speed and off-ball movement.
“One consistent trait with Rick is his ability to coach to his talent,” noted Haralabos Voulgaris, formerly the Mavericks` director of quantitative research and development. “His system is whatever best utilizes the talent available. He understands the game is changing and requires continuous adaptation, learning, and growth.”
“Not many older coaches maintain that mindset,” Voulgaris added, “especially those who achieved success earlier in their careers.”
Carlisle`s history with point guards hasn`t been without difficulty. A few years after Doncic`s rookie year, he clashed with Rajon Rondo, who preferred a slower pace, while Carlisle pushed for speed. This friction led to Rondo`s brief tenure in Dallas, lasting only 46 games.
“It wasn`t a good match for either party,” Barea stated.
Carlisle reportedly wasn`t keen on the Rondo trade, agreeing only because Dirk Nowitzki wanted it, and didn`t view Rondo as the kind of transcendent talent deserving offensive control. He held no such reservations about Doncic – or Haliburton.
“When I see Haliburton play for Rick, he looks truly free,” Barea observed. “He seems to be genuinely enjoying the game, playing at a great tempo and with immense confidence. I believe Rick has been instrumental in boosting Haliburton`s confidence to its peak.”
The tension in Carlisle`s relationship with Doncic, which reportedly began early in Doncic`s rookie season, contributed to the winningest coach in Mavericks history stepping down after the 2020-21 season. Carlisle and Haliburton, however, share a notably harmonious bond, one the veteran coach has actively nurtured.
“It`s refreshing to see [Carlisle] cultivating positive relationships with his star players and seemingly all his players,” Voulgaris commented. “That wasn`t always the case in Dallas. It shows real growth.”
Despite the rocky end in Dallas, the Pacers, then directionless after a 34-38 season in 2020-21 under Nate Bjorkgren, seized the opportunity to hire Carlisle for his second term as head coach. The team needed an identity, and Carlisle had a clear vision of the ideal player around whom to build his next offense.
Tyrese Haliburton could have been a Dallas Maverick.
Based largely on analytics models, the Mavericks ranked Haliburton as the top prospect on their 2020 draft board. Sources indicate Dallas reportedly offered a package including their two draft picks (No. 18 and No. 31) and guard Jalen Brunson in attempts to trade up for Haliburton until he was selected 12th overall by the Sacramento Kings.
“We tried desperately to acquire him and move up, but we just couldn`t make it happen,” Carlisle stated before the Finals. “Mark Cuban truly explored every possibility.”
While the Mavericks couldn`t land Haliburton, Carlisle remained a keen admirer of his game from afar as his career began.
When Carlisle took over the Pacers for the 2021-22 season, his initial roster lacked the kind of primary ball-handler he felt he could fully empower, causing him to initially revert to more controlled instincts.
“Rick`s first year here, there was a game where he did that – stopping us and calling a play nearly every possession,” recalled Myles Turner, the Pacers` longest-tenured player. “In today`s NBA, especially in the playoffs, that approach just doesn`t work.”
The Pacers were struggling at 19-37 on February 8, 2022, when they got the opportunity to acquire a player who could define their future. The Sacramento Kings, seeking to move one of their point guards alongside De`Aaron Fox, traded Haliburton to Indiana as part of a package for Domantas Sabonis.
Immediately after the deal, Carlisle prioritized building a strong relationship with his new centerpiece. The very next night, he arranged dinner with Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Tristan Thompson, the other players acquired by Indiana. For the remainder of that season, with the young Pacers team out of playoff contention, Carlisle gave Haliburton freedom to experiment and play instinctively.
“You saw flashes of Tyrese`s creativity and ability to make plays with minimal structure,” Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan noted. “He excels in situations with a little more freedom and less predictability.”
Before training camp for the 2022-23 season, Carlisle informed Haliburton that he intended to stop calling plays, effectively handing the offense over to the 22-year-old. Haliburton recalled his eyes widening at the news.
“I was definitely surprised,” Haliburton admitted, “especially knowing the reputation around coach [Carlisle], particularly among point guards.”
Haliburton readily attributes his career ascent to Carlisle`s guidance.
It wasn`t solely the offensive freedom that propelled Haliburton to his first All-Star selection and a career-high 20.7 points and 10.4 assists per game in the 2022-23 season. It was also the work off the court, such as Carlisle teaching him sophisticated film study techniques. Haliburton acknowledged that earlier in his career, he would primarily watch clips of his own highlights or mistakes. Under Carlisle, he learned to analyze entire games, focusing on how to improve his teammates` performance.
“[Carlisle] is simply a basketball genius,” Haliburton stated. “All those details are crucial. It genuinely took my career to the next level.”
Haliburton credits those early learning experiences in Indiana for preparing him for success on the NBA playoff stage years later. However, the organization`s fundamental trust in him is what truly amplified his confidence on the court.
“They will encounter challenges and make errors,” Carlisle said. “But if those actions stem from their genuine understanding of the game, the resulting lessons will be far more impactful.”
Similarly, the lessons Carlisle learned early in his own career have yielded significant returns. After a complex start to his relationship with Doncic, Carlisle consciously sought to establish a positive dynamic from the outset with his new potential superstar.
“Everyone in our league, from players to coaches and executives, continuously evolves,” Buchanan observed. “Rick has evolved, just as we all must. He recognizes that Tyrese is a unique talent. He has a joyful, magnetic personality that positively affects everyone around him.”
“Tyrese is the kind of player you can build an entire culture around,” Buchanan concluded.
This approach has clearly worked in Indiana. The Pacers are back in the Finals for the first time in a quarter-century, following last season`s Eastern Conference Finals appearance, marking one of the most successful two-year stretches in franchise history. At the heart of this resurgence are Carlisle and Haliburton, two basketball minds sharing mutual respect, creating playoff magic together.
As Voulgaris aptly put it: “Rick, particularly at this stage of his career, and Haliburton, appear to be a perfect match.”
