Rick Carlisle, Indiana Pacers
Getty
Head coach Rick Carlisle of the Indiana Pacers looks on in the first half against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on December 29, 2025 in Houston, Texas.
When the Indiana Pacers defeated the Sacramento Kings on Dec. 8, 2025, it marked win No. 999 in the legendary career of head coach Rick Carlisle.
Alas, the 1000th win has eluded the future Hall of Famer for a month.
The Pacers have lost all 13 games since that win over the Kings, with their latest defeat coming against the Cleveland Cavaliers this past Tuesday. During their 13-game losing streak, the Pacers have been drubbed by an average margin of 11.5 points, while averaging just 109.8 points and struggling to generate any quality offense.
Last year, the Pacers averaged 117.4 points in the regular season and a league-best 113.9 points in the postseason en route to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2000. Their significant offensive drop-off further illustrates the impact injured point guard Tyrese Haliburton had on Carlisle’s team.
The 1,000 Wins Club
Carlisle is on the verge of becoming just the 11th head coach in NBA history to register 1,000 wins in the regular season, joining Gregg Popovich (1,390), Don Nelson (1,335), Lenny Wilkens (1,332), Jerry Sloan (1,221), Pat Riley (1,210), George Karl (1,175), Doc Rivers (1,178), Phil Jackson (1,155), Larry Brown (1,098) and Rick Adelman (1,042).
Coaches around the league have spoken candidly about their respect for Carlisle. During the epic 7-game NBA Finals series between the Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder, Mark Daigneault praised Carlisle for reinventing his coaching style several times over the years and setting the trends for the rest of the league.
“I can’t say enough about him and the respect I have for him,” Daigneault said of Carlisle, via Tim Reynolds of Associated Press. “I think the whole is better than the sum of the parts. Almost consistently across every year he’s ever coached, the team is better than their sum. I think that’s a reflection of him. His teams play a clear identity, stay in character through all the ups and downs.”
Rick Carlisle: The Trendsetter
“Identity has changed over the years based on his teams, the league trends,” Daigneault said of Carlisle being a trendsetter for the rest of the league
“But his teams are always in character. … To be somebody that has the experiences that he has, that’s very impressive that he’s been able to evolve and be a trendsetter even as he’s been one of the longest-tenured people in the NBA.”
There’s a lot of truth to Daigneault’s comments. This year, teams such as the Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls have completely changed their playing style, possibly inspired by the Pacers’ spectacular run to the 2025 NBA Finals, when they broke every mould by fielding 11- to 12-man rotations and pushing the pace — going against the grain of a half-court style and shorter rotations in the postseason.
Erik Spoelstra, who currently sits on 807 wins, learned firsthand what it’s like to coach against a Rick Carlisle-led team during the 2011 NBA Finals.
“It’s a position really nobody wants,” Spoelstra said of playing against Carlisle’s teams.
“But without him, the benefits and the retirement package and all these things that really help coaches … he’s been just a terrific leader in that role. And then in terms of how many wins he has, it just shows you his longevity, his basketball acumen. I have the utmost respect for him.”
Carlisle will get his next chance to clinch his 1000th win on Thursday night when the Pacers (6-31) face the Charlotte Hornets (13-24).