The Oklahoma City Thunder avoided disaster in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

They rallied late to secure a close win and travel back home with the series tied.

However, FOX Sports host Emmanuel Acho still doesn’t like their chances.

The former NFL player said Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle has too much of an edge over Thunder coach Mark Daigneault.

“I do not think Rick Carlisle will get outcoached more times than not in the final three games of this series,” Acho said on “The Facility.”

.@EmmanuelAcho is putting his trust in Rick Carlisle to lead the Pacers to win the NBA Finals:

“Rick Carlisle will not get out-coached more times than not in final 3 games of this series.” pic.twitter.com/Tdkz1UMpA9

— The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) June 16, 2025

As simple as that argument might seem on the surface, Acho does have a valid point.

Carlisle is a proven veteran head coach with NBA Finals experience and one of the savviest tacticians in the league.

By comparison, Daigneault is one of the best young coaches in the NBA but lacks a big-game history.

So, while the Thunder might have a better roster and home-court advantage, Carlisle is arguably the better coach than Daigneault.

Of course, that’s not the only factor that will influence the outcome of the series, and it’s hard to make any prediction after watching the first four games.

But given the way the Pacers have played during this postseason run, it’s hard not to draw parallels with Carlisle’s championship with the Dallas Mavericks during the 2010-11 season.

The Pacers aren’t playing with house money, like some people argue.

They’re good, and they’re not here because of mere luck or chance, and Carlisle gives them a good chance to win an unexpected title.

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