After 13 seasons as the Mavericks' coach, Rick Carlisle resigned last summer, but returned to Dallas on Saturday for the first time since.
It was very emotional for him.
It's a little bit of an unusual day, but it's great to be back. He was able to visit his family in the Dallas area as well as see people in the organization who meant a lot to him.
The Mavericks played a video tribute to him before the game, and he received a standing ovation. The tears were streaming down his face as he waved to the fans and saluted Cuban. The coach kept his hands on his whiteboard, but he was overcome.
After Dallas lost its first-round playoff series to the LA Clippers for the second year in a row, team president Donnie Nelson resigned the next day. He said his departure was his decision.
The Pacers hired him to start his second stint as their coach. He was the coach of Indiana for four seasons. His first Pacers team led the NBA in wins with 61, but lost in the Eastern Conference finals to the Detroit Pistons. Going into Saturday, the 199 Indiana wins that Carlisle has is second to the 250 of Frank Vogel, who is now the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
His relationship with Nelson was very special.
Kidd, who played for the Mavericks, was recommended by Carlisle to be the Dallas coach.
Kidd is a Hall of Fame player on a championship team and he has done a great job, according to Carlisle. They are a major threat in the West.
Kidd gave some insight into his predecessor.
Kidd said that he helped all of them achieve one goal, and that was to win a championship.
In addition to the NBA championship, which Dallas won in six games over the Miami Heat, the Mavericks won two Southwest Division titles and nine times in the playoffs. The Mavs franchise records for wins and games coached are owned by Carlisle.
The interconference teams played the second and last game of the season on Saturday. On the day before Dallas came to Indiana, Carlisle tested positive for the disease and had to be isolated. The Pacers won 106-93.
The first NBA game at American Airlines Center was played in 2001 by the Pistons and the Dallas Mavericks.
I remember the other locker room, according to Carlisle.
The report was contributed to by the Associated Press.
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