Mavs vs. Pacers Preview: Does Kidd vs. Carlisle Represent Duality of NBA Coaches?

The Dallas Mavericks host the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday evening. Former Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle returns to Dallas following a 27-point meltdown by the Mavs on Sunday afternoon.

"I'm not the savior here. I'm not playing. I'm watching, just like you guys," Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd uttered in a postgame media availability following his team's 27-point meltdown at the hands of LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. Kidd might not be the "savior," but he still plays a big role in Dallas' chances of doing anything special this season.

With former Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle and his young Indiana Pacers team at the American Airlines Center on Tuesday evening, Kidd's comments play on an endless loop. While Kidd also claimed the team needs to grow up, he seemingly dodged accountability like a politician receiving a subpoena. Despite making a surprise trip to the 2022 Western Conference Finals, the Mavs seem to have regressed even after making a splashy trade for Kyrie Irving, as they've now equaled their loss total from the 2021-22 season with 20 games remaining. 

In addition to missing the defense that supported the Mavs' off nights on offense, the lack of creativity on the X's and O's side of things has stuck out like a sore thumb. And let's be honest, that shouldn't be the case when you now have two of the best scorers in the NBA in Irving and Luka Doncic. Looking back, when Carlisle coached the team, maybe the "vibes" took a hit due to his coaching style, but one thing you could always count on is Carlisle having the perfect play drawn up when the Mavs were stuck in the mud and needed it. 

The Mavs and Pacers split their winnings 2-2 since Carlisle left for Indiana in 2021. Despite Carlisle's comfort at his new job, things haven't exactly been peachy in Indiana, as the Pacers are 4-17 in their last 21 games and will likely miss the playoffs despite a 12-8 start. 

In light of recent injury reports, all is not bad in Dallas. Following a 35-game absence caused by a hamstring tear, Maxi Kleber has a chance at playing vs. the Pacers. Listed as questionable by the official NBA injury report, the Mavs' defensive anchor is a much-needed piece to the team's playoff success. Aside from Kleber, Davis Bertains is officially out due to a left calf strain.

On the Pacers' end, though, injuries don't play a significant part in their night, as Kendall Brown (two-way roster spot) deals with a right tibia stress fracture.  

Despite the aforementioned praise of Carlisle's offense in Dallas, not even a combination of a Hall-of-Fame worthy coach, 2023 NBA All-Star Tyrese Haliburton, and Buddy Hield's extremely efficient three-point shooting has been able to save Indiana from having a bottom-10 offense in the league regarding offensive rating. In addition to the offensive woes of the Pacers, they are three losses out of the play-in spot in their conference. 

Nonetheless, Dallas is merely 19-18 vs. teams playing .500 basketball. As the Lakers game on Sunday showcased, no lead is safe in Dallas. The Mavs lost the benefit of the doubt when dealing with "lesser" teams. 

Will Kidd "watch" Carlisle coach the Pacers tonight along with the rest of us, or will he call some timeouts, make sound choices with his rotations and participate in a Mavs victory?

FUN FACT: Aside from the Mavs playing Tuesday night, Feb. 28 is Doncic's birthday. Perhaps Dallas will gift its superstar a victory.  

RECORDS: Dallas Mavericks (32-30), Indiana Pacers (27-35)

WHEN: Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023 - 7:30 p.m. CT

WHERE: American Airlines Center, (Dallas, TX)

TV: Bally Sports Southwest, League Pass

RADIO: 97.1 The Freak

ODDS:  The Mavs are nine-point favorites over the Pacers.

NEXT UP: The Mavs play the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, Mar. 2, at 6:30 p.m. CT. The Sixers will be playing their third game in four nights, so the Mavs should be able to capture a big win if they show up.

FINAL WORD: Never mind Christian Wood's free agent status for the 2023 summer, or even his disconnected defensive effort at times; he should be the full-time starter for the Mavs. Dwight Powell had his time in the sun. Despite his valiant efforts, Powell offered no resistance to Anthony Davis, who torched the Mavs in the paint and on the glass.  Wood's overall offense, slightly better athletic positioning and skills, and vastly better shooting makes for a better option for a Mavs team desperate for a big with more overall skill. 

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