Sat May 3 02:04:02 2008

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Report: Mavs to hire Carlisle

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New York, NY (Sports Network) - Rick Carlisle is reportedly headed back to the NBA as a head coach.

Analyst Peter Vecsey, speaking on NBA TV, reported Carlisle would take over for the recently fired Avery Johnson.

In six seasons as a coach, two with Detroit and four with Indiana, Carlisle has compiled a 281-211 record. He was the league's coach of the year in 2002 when he guided the Pistons to a 50-win season.

Carlisle's career playoff record stands at 30-32. Indiana finished just 35-47 in 2006-07, and Carlisle didn't return to the team for the following season. In four seasons as the Pacers mentor, Carlisle compiled a 181-147 record and the team made the NBA playoffs in three of his four seasons at the helm.

His best season in Indianapolis was his first. In 2003-04 the Pacers posted a 61-21 record -- the best mark in franchise history -- and reached the Eastern Conference finals.

Despite having three years left on a five-year deal he signed after Dallas' run to the 2006 NBA Finals, Johnson finds himself unemployed after two straight exits in the first round of the playoffs. Johnson led the Mavs to a 194-70 record during the regular season, but his postseason mark is 23-24. The Mavericks have lost 12 of their last 15 playoff games.

Dallas lost to New Orleans, 99-94, on Tuesday night, as the Hornets wrapped up a five-game victory over the Mavs in the Western Conference quarterfinals. The first-round defeat was the second straight for Dallas, which was eliminated by Golden State in the 2007 conference quarterfinals in one of the biggest upsets in NBA playoff history.