In his second head teaching stint right here with the Pacers, with All-Star and Olympian Tyrese Haliburton the focus, Carlisle is searching for a second NBA title to go along with the one he obtained in Dallas in 2011. He’s now eight wins away, after his staff dispatched the 64-win Cavaliers in 5 video games Tuesday, sending Indiana to its second straight Jap Convention finals look. “If your desire in life is to lead and to teach, NBA head coaching is the ultimate crucible,” Carlisle said to The Athletic Sunday night in his office ab0ut 25 minutes after his Pacers had dropped 80 points on Cleveland in an exquisite first half and won Game 4 of the series, shredding the Cavs’ 3-2 zone that had flummoxed the Pacers just 48 hours earlier. -via New York Times / Could 16, 2025