Did Luka Doncic’s game ever clash so starkly with Jason Kidd’s system that it hindered, rather than helped, the Mavericks? Well, there is no denying that Doncic’s time with Kidd was quite something. But before Kidd, the Slovenian star played on the Mavs under the guidance of Rick Carlisle. The architect of Dirk Nowitzki & Co.’s championship journey during the 2011 season. Yep, the Mavs’ first and only championship came under Carlisle. So why couldn’t Carlisle replicate his championship magic with Dallas’s young star?

During the recent episode of the Dwyane Wade podcast, Chris Johnson pointed out that Rick Carlisle is able to make finer adjustments with Tyrese Haliburton in the Pacers. Adding to that was 2006 NBA champ Dorrell Wright, who believes the 65-year-old coach works way better with Tyrese than he did with Luka Doncic, and there’s a reason for that.

“I think that’s kind of what the struggle was for him [Rick] in Dallas when he that forced him out was Luka. Luka holds the ball. He don’t advance it… Luka is an amazing player, but Luka is even more special when he got the ball in his hand so that that fit didn’t fit for the two [Doncic and Carlisle] of them. That’s why we see him [Rick] having all this success in Indiana with somebody like Halberton who’s throwing it ahead, you know, get it back when you open ball,” Wright said on the podcast.

Cold hard data confirms this. In the three seasons that Carlisle coached Luka Doncic, the highest win-loss percentage they could muster was 58.3 percent in the 2020–21 season. Contrast that with this season in Indiana, where Carlisle has already topped that with a 61.0 percent win rate. And the postseason? The Dallas Mavericks never went past a 43.0 win percentage under Carlisle with Doncic, while this year’s playoffs have seen the Pacers hitting an impressive 80.0 percent. However, even last year’s 47.1 percent stands above anything Carlisle saw with Luka.

And it’s not as if there didn’t exist a speculated friction between Luka Doncic and Rick Carlisle during their time in the Mavs. Reports from ESPN, in 2021, highlighted some early tension. In one team meeting, Carlisle reportedly accused Dennis Smith Jr. of being jealous of Luka, leaving several players stunned as even though Smith was not thriving, but he was making a real effort to gel with his then-rising teammate.

That same report noted, citing team sources, that Luka Doncic didn’t appreciate what felt like an attempt by Carlisle to turn him against a close friend. That kind of tension clearly didn’t help their partnership thrive. Meanwhile, Carlisle’s working relationship with Haliburton looks like the complete opposite. And the 65-year-old coach hasn’t been shy about showing his appreciation for the two-time All-Star either.

Rick Carlisle recently compared Tyrese Haliburton to a Pacers legend

Indiana’s 119–118 overtime win in Game 5 over the Bucks was a statement. Head coach Rick Carlisle put Tyrese Haliburton’s performance in franchise‑royalty terms. Facing a 20‑point deficit and trailing by seven with just 40 seconds left in OT, the Pacers rallied behind Haliburton’s leadership. Now, Haliburton’s 3-point shooting wasn’t perfect—he hit just 20 percent—but that didn’t stop Carlisle from making a comparison that’ll grab any Pacers fan’s attention.

“When it comes to belief in himself, Tyrese has an iron will. He works extremely hard on his craft, his skill. He’s unafraid. He reminds me of Reggie [Miller].“

Down by 20 at one point and still trailing by seven in the final 40 seconds of overtime, most teams would’ve folded. But not this squad. And certainly not with Haliburton leading the charge. Sure, Myles Turner delivered a strong night with 21 points, going 3-of-6 from deep and knocking down 8 of his 10 free throws. But let’s be honest—the fuel behind Indiana’s furious rally was their star point guard.

Carlisle served as an assistant coach for Indiana from 1997–2000 and then as head coach from 2003–2007, coaching Miller in his final two seasons. So, of course, he possesses firsthand experience with the sharpshooter’s legendary competitive fire, lending real weight to his comparison admiration. With such high praise, it’s no wonder that Carlisle works better with Tyrese than he did with Luka Doncic.