The 2010–11 season was Carlisle's most successful as a head coach. The Mavericks finished the regular season with a 57–25 win-loss record. On May 8, 2011, they swept the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals. On May 25, 2011, the Mavericks enjoyed a 4–1 series win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, the first Conference Finals victory of his coaching career. In the 2011 NBA Finals, he coached the Mavericks to a 4–2 series victory over the Miami Heat for the franchise's first championship.