Former Mavericks coach makes NBA history in Finals with Indiana Pacers

Rick Carlisle and the Pacers continue to find ways to come back.

May 31, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle speaks after game six of the eastern conference finals against the New York Knicks for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers accomplished the impossible again, erasing a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the OKC Thunder to steal a win 111-110. They've been making a habit out of this all postseason, making them must-watch TV in the playoffs, and Tyrese Haliburton's game-winner here was no different.

It's their fifth comeback of 15 or more points in this postseason alone. And with them going up a historically great OKC Thunder team, who has more 30-point wins in any postseason than any team ever, the Pacers need some historical backing of their own.

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Jun 5, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle speaks to the media after the Pacers defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder during game one of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Those five 15-point comebacks in a single postseason are the most in NBA playoff history, at least dating back to when the play-by-play tracking started in 1998. This comeback also ties the fourth-largest comeback in NBA Finals history, tying a game that Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle coached in.

In Game 2 of the 2011 NBA Finals, the Dallas Mavericks were down 88-73 with a little more than seven minutes remaining after Dwyane Wade hit a corner three in front of the Mavericks' bench, but the Mavs stormed back to win 95-93 on the backs of Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry.

Carlisle's teams have always played until the final horn sounds, and he's been able to get every ounce of talent out of a team. Despite him going over a decade without a playoff win, he's as revered as any coach in the NBA. He was able to push the San Antonio Spurs to seven games in 2014, and those Spurs would only lose four games for the entire rest of the playoffs on their way to a championship.

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