Is Rick Carlisle the 2nd best coach in the NBA?

I'm not a Mavericks fan, but I think a good argument could be made that Carlisle is the 2nd best coach in the NBA behind Popovich. Do you agree?

1. I never thought I'd say this, but the Mavs gave the Spurs their hardest series this year. No one thought the Mavs would win more than 1 game in the series, but they took the Spurs 7 games (and 3 of the losses were by six points or less). Carlisle did this with a well-past-his-prime Dirk and a group of terrible defensive players.

2. When the Mavs won the title in 2011, no one thought the Mavs had a chance in the Finals against the Heat, who had 3 of the 4 best players in the series and had a far more athletic team. Carlisle outcoached Spoelstra like crazy, and the Mavs pulled off the upset in 6 games.

3. In the 2011 playoffs, no one thought the Mavs had a chance against the two-time defending champion Lakers and the Mavs not only pulled off the upset but swept them. The only Phil Jackson's ever gotten swept also.

4. In 2001 in Detroit, Carlisle took over a team that won 32 games the year before and led them to back-to-back 50 win seasons and the Eastern Conference Finals.

5. In 2003, his first year in Indiana, Carlisle led the Pacers to 61 wins (a 13 game improvement over the year before) and the Eastern Conference Finals

6. In 2004, with his 3 best players suspended (Artest the entire season, Jermaine O'Neal 25 games, Stephen Jackson 30 games) Carlisle still led the Pacers to 44 wins and won a playoff series.