3 Reasons Rick Carlisle and Mark Daigneault are Real Superstars of NBA Finals

Rick Carlisle and his Indiana Pacers have been the 2nd best team in the league since January 1st, and it was only fitting that they faced off against Mark Daigneault and his league-best Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 NBA Finals.

The two best teams from either conference were devoid of true superstars, as fans did not have a great opinion on league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or the often inconsistent Tyrese Haliburton. But their respective teams collectively were good enough to win against several superstar-laden teams whom fans and media analysts favored.

The series is tied after the Thunder won Game 4, which makes the rest of these Finals exciting. Fans and analysts have seen compelling evidence that both these teams have what it takes to win their 1st-ever NBA title.

Both teams have displayed an acute sense of a team-first approach. They have their leading players, but they do not solely define the team’s success. In light of a lack of viewership leading superstars, it seems Carlisle and Daigneault are the real superstars of the NBA Finals.

Rick Carlisle and Mark Daigneault have been building their perfect rosters for a while

Rick Carlisle has been a head coach for quite some time in the NBA. He was instrumental in building the Detroit Pistons, which won the 2004 NBA championship without him at the helm. He then became the Indiana Pacers’ head coach and was again instrumental in building a championship-contending team.

Despite having the presence of stars on that team, as well as the Dirk Nowitzki-led Dallas Mavericks, his team-first approach led them to success. Once the Mavericks moved on to a superstar-driven approach, he resigned and moved back to Indiana.

Over the past four seasons, he has been building a team that aligns with his methods that date back to his time with the Pistons. Tyrese Haliburton might be their most visible star, but he was unheralded at Sacramento, and Carlisle brought him along to build his ultimate vision.

Mark Daigneault, on the other hand, became a 1st-time head coach with the Thunder. However, the franchise understood his qualities and how he preferred his teams to be built. GM Sam Presti worked his magic with that in mind, avoiding superstar players, something he had done in the past.

Daigneault’s Thunder have been steadily improving over these past five seasons. Now, just like the Pacers, they are a collective juggernaut that defeats anything in its path. They may have MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as their leading superstar, but they have proved they can also win without him in the lineup.

Rick Carlisle and Mark Daigneault assign roles that other teams cannot think of

Winning without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander became a sticking point in his run to the MVP award. Fans and some analysts felt it proved he was not as important as perennial MVP Nikola Jokic is to the Denver Nuggets.

However, what fans forgot to notice is that without SGA, their entire offensive and defensive plans do not impact the same way. He is meant to draw fouls and push their opponents into hiding late in games. That method ensures those opponents do not breathe down their neck.

The others on the Thunder have their own respective roles, and they have been drilled to follow them to the T. Whoever took it casually would either lose minutes or move out of the rotation. But since Mark Daigneault has instilled it into them that this method will bring success, they have embraced it.

Whoever came on in these four games went about their task as perfectly as possible, even if it was for a couple of minutes. The Indiana Pacers follow a similar strategy. Rick Carlisle has thrown multiple players at SGA with the specific instruction to wear him down.

That plan worked brilliantly in Game 3. He also had specific instructions for an ill Myles Turner, who impacted the game in ways that helped them get more possessions. It seems those players have listened to what he believes will bring them their first-ever championship.

Both head coaches have adjusted to each other’s changes well

Both Rick Carlisle and Mark Daigneault knew what they brought to the NBA Finals. In Game 1, the latter saw how the Pacers stuck to their task and won with 0.3 seconds remaining. In Game 2, he adjusted, and his players blitzed the Pacers from the start, leaving them shocked and without answers.

In game 3, the 65-year-old head coach countered by slowing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander down. This limited their offense and helped them win late in the game. Daigneault countered that tactic by asking two of his other players to bring the ball up the court.

This helped a fresher SGA get to his spots late to swing Game 4 into their hands. And yes, the 40-year-old Daigneault reverted to his two big men lineup, just to throw the Pacers off their guard. This proves that both of these head coaches are the reason their teams are battling each other in this manner.

Without their methods, the goal they instilled in their players, and then switching and adjusting on the fly, they would not be standing on a court with the NBA Finals logo somewhere around. This is what makes these two the real superstars of the NBA Finals.

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