Rick Carlisle, head coach of the Indiana Pacers, has been an outlier in his unique ability to pivot as a coach. He personalizes his program to showcase the special abilities of different point guards from one class to the next. This ability to adjust has been most pronounced in his on-court pairing with Tyrese Haliburton, who has experienced a breakout season under Carlisle’s tutelage. Their spark plug play has completely changed the Pacers’ offense for the better, turning them into a dangerous playoff threat.
Carlisle’s coaching journey has been full of calculated steps toward surrendering the keys to the point guard. During that 2010-11 season in Dallas, he learned to give Jason Kidd more of this freedom, over time, and a little more rope. He sat on his hands until midway through Kidd’s third season with the franchise. This experience helped inform Carlisle’s approach to building on a talent development foundation with emerging young stars like Haliburton.
Haliburton came to the Pacers in February 2022 as part of the trade that sent Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings. To that end, early in his career he became obsessed with analyzing the performance, notably his points and assists. That started to change, as Monte Morris said when Carlisle told everyone he wanted the team to move in a different direction going into the 2022-23 training camp.
I just didn’t want to be the one calling plays,” Carlisle revealed to Haliburton, putting an exclamation point on the requirement of a team-wide offensive approach. It was an odd strategy, but it worked tremendously well. Haliburton’s takeover of the game was rhythmic and dynamic in a way most coaches couldn’t teach or control.
As Carlisle sees it, giving a wrily veteran smart point guard the keys is the only way to get the most out of the team. He stressed that Haliburton’s great overall basketball IQ opens up everything offensively. That plays out in a much more natural and productive cadence, rather than the coach dictating every single play from the sideline.
“When he gave me that nod, that was like the ultimate respect,” – Tyrese Haliburton
This duo has been the key cog in the Pacers’ offensive renaissance. This postseason, the squad has been tickling twine at a blistering 116.7 points per 100 possessions. Carlisle’s philosophy of empowering players flows right along with Haliburton, who has called Carlisle a “basketball savant.” This trust has been absolutely key in Haliburton’s emergence as a second side-leading player.
Beyond what they were doing together on the court, Carlisle went out of his way to make Haliburton feel a part of the team culture. Almost immediately after signing him, he set up an eclipse-style dinner featuring Haliburton and several of the other new players. This simple gesture went a long way in establishing rapport, and it was a powerful indication of Carlisle’s commitment to establishing a welcoming environment for Haliburton.
Carlisle’s journey in Indiana was not without its struggles. Since arriving on campus for the 2021-22 season, he inherited a roster that had departed all of its proven guard play. This restriction made him go back to some of his previous teaching habits. Through all these hardships, though, Carlisle was intent on adjusting and learning to best use his players’ talents.
“His system is whatever maximizes the talent that he has,” said Haralabos Voulgaris, offering insight into Carlisle’s evolving coaching philosophy. “He understands that the game is changing and he has to always keep on changing and learning and adapting and growing.”
Haliburton’s confidence exploded, too, once he was given the freedom to operate with more freedom on the floor. This creative liberty freed him up to tap into his creativity as a player. Carlisle recognized this potential early on, stating, “To be more free about it. But he knew for us to win he had to let it go.”
The difference between what Carlisle did in the past and what he’s doing now with Haliburton shows how far he’s come in his ways. Where he clashed with Kidd in Dallas—where relationships did often wear thin—his relationship with Haliburton has thrived.
“One of the things that’s nice to see is that [Carlisle] has a good relationship with the star players or all the players on his team, it seems like,” Voulgaris noted.
Carlisle’s willingness to evolve and adapt has played a pivotal role in unlocking Haliburton’s potential. This collaborative approach has allowed Haliburton to showcase his natural abilities while contributing significantly to the Pacers’ success on the court.
Chad Buchanan, general manager of the Pacers, observed, “You saw so many glimpses of the creativity that Tyrese exhibits, the ability to make plays with just very basic structure.” This ability reflects Haliburton’s growth as a player under Carlisle’s guidance.
Carlisle is giving a very public ode to coaching reinvention and a willingness to experiment. More importantly, he is focused on ensuring a positive rapport with all of his players. His record should tell you everything you need to know about his ability to improve and desire to move on from past mistakes.
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