Rick Carlisle exposed by NBA star for tactics that hindered Mavericks' Nowitzki era

Fansided | January 10, 2026

This may have been part of the reason the Mavericks struggled to get free agents in the twilight of Dirk Nowitzki's career.

Jun 8, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; (from left) former general manager Don Nelson and Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle speak to the media before game two between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

While the Dallas Mavericks (14-24) and Indiana Pacers (7-31) have both had their seasons go haywire for completely different reasons, many Mavericks fans can be happy for former head coach Rick Carlisle, as Carlisle just secured his 1,000th career victory after Indiana's win over the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday.