Let's Talk About Coach of the Year

[DMC]

I realize there's an awards thread but there's too many to keep any real semblance of thread integrity (like that's ever going to happen anyhow)

Without further delay:

1. Coach Pop
2. Brad Stevens
3. Spo
4. Mike D
5. Snyder


Brad Stevens did a good job this year coaching through injuries, but they were in the playoffs last year and they haven't really gotten any better, as you can see. I like Brad, but he's not the best coach this year.

Spo: started off 11-30 and finished 30-11. That's a huge turnaround and coaching is about how you finish vs how you started. You can fault him for his rough start but a coach is the one who gets improvement, not one who doesn't need it (necessarily). I like Spo but missing the playoffs is still missing the playoffs. This is in the weakest era in the weakest conference, a conference that saw a really bad Indiana team make the playoffs. Basically Eric is getting credit for not tanking like he should have. Seems like they decided mid season that they had too many wins already to tank, might as well look for player value by building stats.

Mike D: I never cared for new coach, new system gets a false peak nominees like Mike, Avery, Mike Brown, Steve Kerr... Until they've done something that matters they are just the new guy in town who got a response from his team because they haven't had time to tune him out yet. Mike did get a response, and moving Harden to the 1 appeared on the stat sheets to have been a good move, but they still lost in the 2nd round to a bunch of scrubs and Aldridge, at home, by ass rape. I know that's not the RS but it's indicative of the problems with Mike's "johnny come lately" popularity among stat watchers (and coaches it seems).

Snyder: I was surprised the Jazz beat the Clippers but Blake was injured and otherwise they are probably 1st round fodder. They underwhelmed in every game I've watched, but Gobert is a problem, Snyder isn't.

Pop: Without Tim Duncan, with a group of new guys and bench guys and basically with a portion of Manu and Tony, Pop at one point close to the end of the season had the best record in the league, just ahead of one of the most stacked teams of all time. Pop's leading edge tactics in the off season that has the rest of the league playing catchup are mind numbing. He's by far the best coach in the group, but has he done the best job this season? If you cannot count the fact that he's also the president of basketball operations and partly responsible for bringing in the guys he did in the off season, you at least have to consider RS development of guys like Dedmon, Murray and Simmons. Memphis had some great output from bench guys, but SA was a notch above with the unknowns taking down wins. Sure they lost to juggernauts but they won some games with clock management and inbounds plays that you almost never see any more. It used to be common place to see these things at the end of games, but only the precious few do it now. Everyone else seems to improvise with raw physical talent or just wild ass luck.

I see Pop as the CotY and I realize I am biased because we share a birthday and he's a Spurs coach, but mostly because the others being considered are just cool narratives, not real coaching results.

If Kawhi doesn't get MVP, then Pop should get CotY. I can see not giving both to the same team (though I think it's happened), since one or the other is the catalyst, both cannot be solely responsible.

[313]

It's Pringles.

[DMC]

It's Pringles.

I'm not trying to guess who will win. I feel like it will be Mike as well, because the difference in games won vs the previous year. If that's the only factor then they don't really need to vote. If you go back 2 years they won 56 games. So one bad year and the following recovery year yields a CotY. Sounds like Avery Johnson.

[Robz4000]

Pop was awful overall this season tbh. Had his moments in the playoffs but he hasn't done nearly enough to be COTY imo.

[DMC]

Pop was awful overall this season tbh. Had his moments in the playoffs but he hasn't done nearly enough to be COTY imo.

How has he done awful with the 2nd best record in the NBA, 1st rated defense and decent offense?

[Spurs 4 The Win]

How has he done awful with the 2nd best record in the NBA, 1st rated defense and decent offense?

Savage :lol

[Robz4000]

How has he done awful with the 2nd best record in the NBA, 1st rated defense and decent offense?

Kawhi had the 2nd best record in the NBA, 1st rated defense and was the offense tbh.

[DMC]

Kawhi had the 2nd best record in the NBA, 1st rated defense and was the offense tbh.

If he's not going to get credit for it in the MVP voting, someone has to be the catalyst. I said that already.

[Robz4000]

If he's not going to get credit for it in the MVP voting, someone has to be the catalyst. I said that already.

The Spurs won't get any credit this year tbh. A lot of people have finally started to pay attention to how badly "the system" has degraded since 2014, the underperformance of key pieces (LMA, Gasol, regular-season LDN, Patty, etc), and how Pop played a large role in both. It also doesn't help Kawhi didn't really get himself into the MVP discussion until late in the season, otherwise I think he'd of been the clear cut MVP in the media's eyes.

It also needs to be taken into account how a team's perception plays into these awards. No one expected Houston to end up with the record they did while the Spurs have been expected to be at or near the top of the West for two decades now.

[DMC]

The Spurs won't get any credit this year tbh. A lot of people have finally started to pay attention to how badly "the system" has degraded since 2014, the underperformance of key pieces (LMA, Gasol, regular-season LDN, Patty, etc), and how Pop played a large role in both. It also doesn't help Kawhi didn't really get himself into the MVP discussion until late in the season, otherwise I think he'd of been the clear cut MVP in the media's eyes.

It also needs to be taken into account how a team's perception plays into these awards. No one expected Houston to end up with the record they did while the Spurs have been expected to be at or near the top of the West for two decades now.
I disagree. There are only a couple voices, mostly here and Cowherd, who think the "system" is failing. Every other article I've seen or read about it implies Pop is a GOAT coach and the system will outlive him. The up and down nature of this forum with every possession of the ball negates most of the takes on that as simply emotive rhetoric. For Cowherd, he's a lover of excitement, that's his thing. Has nothing to do though with the integrity of the system and coach Pop. I think it's a bit of a misnomer to say "the system" because every coach is supposed to have a system. Pop is so fucking good though (not perfect in decision making but close to it in long term planning) that his system gets the iconic name and it's falsely isolated as the only system in basketball. Mike D has a system, a shitty one with no adjustments, and you're calling him CotY.

[hooperflash]

Watch Mike and Harden sweep with COTY and MVP :lol

[Robz4000]

I disagree. There are only a couple voices, mostly here and Cowherd, who think the "system" is failing. Every other article I've seen or read about it implies Pop is a GOAT coach and the system will outlive him. The up and down nature of this forum with every possession of the ball negates most of the takes on that as simply emotive rhetoric. For Cowherd, he's a lover of excitement, that's his thing. Has nothing to do though with the integrity of the system and coach Pop. I think it's a bit of a misnomer to say "the system" because every coach is supposed to have a system. Pop is so fucking good though (not perfect in decision making but close to it in long term planning) that his system gets the iconic name and it's falsely isolated as the only system in basketball. Mike D has a system, a shitty one with no adjustments, and you're calling him CotY.

I've heard plenty of media heads calling out Pop this year, including Zach Lowe and Woj as well as lesser people like Coach Nick. While I basically agree with you about coaches and their systems Pop's system in the late '00s/early to mid '10s was the greatest non-star driven build I've ever seen, and the results were furthered when all these productive pieces left the system and were never heard from again. A good amount of that has to do with the brilliance of the Big 3, but Pop's ability to plug and play mediocre players to create a perennial contender was legendary. However, the past few years have seen a huge drop-off of that success and it can't all be blamed on the rapid decline of Tim, Tony, and Manu since the Spurs replaced them with Kawhi/LMA. Pop has just been unable/unwilling to adjust with the changes.

As for Pringles, I don't think he's COTY since he's always been a gimmicky coach but I do believe the media will give the award to him due to the perception of Houston's ascension and the only notable change (in media's eyes) being Pringles himself.

[DMC]

Watch Mike and Harden sweep with COTY and MVP :lol

How is Kawhi a system player but Harden isn't? Isn't Mike's system what's getting credit for Houston's success? Does a system that allows a player to get crazy stats equate to "not a system player" and a system that requires players to move the ball equates to "system player"?

With Harden's shitty defense, I don't see how anyone can think Mike has done anything interesting. Durant to OKC equals at least a few wins for the Rockets, and the fact that Howard is gone has to be a plus. I mean, he's been shit since he left Orlando, why are people considering the team worse after he left?

[DMC]

I've heard plenty of media heads calling out Pop this year, including Zach Lowe and Woj as well as lesser people like Coach Nick. While I basically agree with you about coaches and their systems Pop's system in the late '00s/early to mid '10s was the greatest non-star driven build I've ever seen, and the results were furthered when all these productive pieces left the system and were never heard from again. A good amount of that has to do with the brilliance of the Big 3, but Pop's ability to plug and play mediocre players to create a perennial contender was legendary. However, the past few years have seen a huge drop-off of that success and it can't all be blamed on the rapid decline of Tim, Tony, and Manu since the Spurs replaced them with Kawhi/LMA. Pop has just been unable/unwilling to adjust with the changes.

As for Pringles, I don't think he's COTY since he's always been a gimmicky coach but I do believe the media will give the award to him due to the perception of Houston's ascension and the only notable change (in media's eyes) being Pringles himself.

huge dropoff? We rang in 2014 and are currently in the WCF sans Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker. How did it dropoff? It's not like the Spurs made the WCF every year prior to 2013.

If Mike's system is so good, he's such a great coach, Harden is such a great player, why did we beat them with scrubs in a system that's dropped off?

Who do you consider CotY?

[Robz4000]

huge dropoff? We rang in 2014 and are currently in the WCF sans Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker. How did it dropoff? It's not like the Spurs made the WCF every year prior to 2013.

If Mike's system is so good, he's such a great coach, Harden is such a great player, why did we beat them with scrubs in a system that's dropped off?

Who do you consider CotY?

In terms of winning with a whole greater than the sum of its parts approach. The Spurs the past few years have been getting by with the brilliance of Kawhi/LMA and Tim during 2015. Pop did coach a good series against Houston, but he was pretty awful against Memphis. Not gonna judge him for this series since Kawhi getting hurt/Dubs being the greatest team talent-wise in NBa history is an unfair handicap.

Houston is not a good playoff team, Pringles is a gimmicky coach, Harden chokes when it matters along with several other key players, the Spurs got another classic performance from Manu, and Green turned into Kawhi for 60 seconds to go along with Pop making adjustments during a series for the first time in years.

My COTY would be Quin Snyder or Brad Stevens tbh. Snyder turned a joke Jazz team into a potential Top 4 team in the West for years to come while Stevens coached a talent-starved Celtics team to the best record in the East while Lebron had an MVP-caliber season (even by his standards).

[DMC]

In terms of winning with a whole greater than the sum of its parts approach. The Spurs the past few years have been getting by with the brilliance of Kawhi/LMA and Tim during 2015. Pop did coach a good series against Houston, but he was pretty awful against Memphis. Not gonna judge him for this series since Kawhi getting hurt/Dubs being the greatest team talent-wise in NBa history is an unfair handicap.

Houston is not a good playoff team, Pringles is a gimmicky coach, Harden chokes when it matters along with several other key players, the Spurs got another classic performance from Manu, and Green turned into Kawhi for 60 seconds to go along with Pop making adjustments during a series for the first time in years.

My COTY would be Quin Snyder or Brad Stevens tbh. Snyder turned a joke Jazz team into a potential Top 4 team in the West for years to come while Stevens coached a talent-starved Celtics team to the best record in the East while Lebron had an MVP-caliber season (even by his standards).

Brad acquired Al Horford and ran a similar system as Mike D where his PG shoots on every trip down the floor. He was playing a RS loophole and Lebron wasn't interested. There's a reason he wasn't really considered much, even for the coaches award.

Quin benefited from an injury to Blake Griffin. Had he lost in the 1st round no one considers him much even though he had a better record in the RS than last season. Just getting the Jazz back to the playoffs is worth something, but not much considering the Trailblazers also made the playoffs without their all star big. It took a .500 record to make the playoffs this year. You look at every team under the Jazz in the West - everyone lost a huge piece in the off season. OKC lost Durant and more, Memphis had injuries all year (and underperformed) and the Blazers lost LMA and Wesley Matthews. Jazz didn't lose anyone important, they gained Boris Diaw and George Hill.

[Chinook]

Mid-tier guys like Quin should never be in consideration. We keep hearing shit about how awesome Utah's roster is, and he got a mediocre playoff team out of them. Hooray.

[MultiTroll]

I see Pop as the CotY and I realize I am biased because we share a birthday and he's a Spurs coach,
I think you should celebrate here and share your feelings with Pop.
https://www.biggayicecream.com/about/

[MultiTroll]

1. Coach Pop
Too bad Zaza and the NBA f'd Kwa over.
Could have been very interesting to see how far he could have taken Pop.
Very similar to the Duncan System championship runs.

Kudos to Pop to getting all in all an extremely efficient season out of Parker, given his age and selfishness.
But the idiotic Force Feed Aldridge offense when he could have been continuing The Beautiful game and gotten some benchies more ready. Total waste of time.
If you want to give Marty Popenheimer the award go for it.

[CGD]

Pop should get it.

He turned over TD and other pieces this year and still had the second/third best team in basketball.

[SAGirl]

It would really be a travesty for me if Pop wins it and Kawhi isn't the MVP.
I am bitter at the Kawhi injury and this playoffs series sucking. I think Pop did a good relative job but it was so many games Kiwi closing out clutch.
I don't care about this award if Kiwi is snubbed personally