Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle finally got to celebrate win No. 1,000 on Thursday after his team set the franchise’s NBA-era record with 13 consecutive losses.
Carlisle waited a month to become the 11th NBA coach to reach the milestone when the Pacers won 114-112 against the Charlotte Hornets.
He is the first coach to join the group since Doc Rivers in November 2021.
Photo: AP
All it took was for the Pacers to score the final five points in the closing minute against the Hornets.
For Carlisle, the prevailing emotion was relief.
“I’m so happy for our players,” said Carlisle, who hugged his assistants and players after the win. “The last month has been so challenging in so many ways. We have an amazing group of guys who continue to fight through thick and thin.”
As tough as the past month has been, Thursday was excruciating for Carlisle.
Pacscal Siakam scored on a driving layup with 11.5 seconds left and T.J. McConnell stole the ensuing inbounds pass, but Ben Shepard made just one of two free throws, giving the Hornets a chance to tie or win.
Charlotte’s Collin Sexton missed a jumper to tie the game in the final seconds.
“Pascal Siakam is one of the most amazing players I have been around and he put his stamp on things at the end,” Carlisle said.
Carlisle’s injury-depleted Pacers lost in seemingly every possible way — embarrassing blowouts, crushing fourth-quarter collapses, giving away leads late.
On Thursday, they finally found an answer — as Carlisle’s teams often do.
He has succeeded as a coach because he never lowered his standards, always expecting to compete for championships. That unrelenting approach helped him forge a lifelong friendship with Larry Bird and persuaded three teams to hire him as a head coach.
He won a championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011.
Elsewhere on Thursday, it was:
‧ Jazz 116, Mavericks 114
‧ T’wolves 131, Cavaliers 122
‧ Bulls, Heat postponed