Best Head coach

[carib]

Who is the best head Coach in the west

[theroc5]

pop..easily best coach in the nba imo. he has the ring(s), the wins, the defensive mind set. and he knows how to get good deals along side our gm. of course he has his flaws like being to harsh on players and such but the goods out way the bad.

[SequSpur]

whatever.. pop is nothing without duncan.

[stretch]

pop..easily best coach in the nba imo. he has the ring(s), the wins, the defensive mind set. and he knows how to get good deals along side our gm. of course he has his flaws like being to harsh on players and such but the goods out way the bad.
i dunno. he does have tim duncan, and clearly got outcoached by Avery in the SA-DAL series.

however, id still go with Popovich at #1 for now. but IMO, Avery is right there behind him, and very possibly could surpass him. Avery still has a few kinks to work out, but hes still a very young coach, and has an incredibly bright future.

[carib]

What are you saying Avery learn from the best, and he does have a bright future

[JamStone]

What Avery Johnson did in about a season and a half speaks volumes about his coaching ability. He does not have the resume yet, but I think he might be the best in the West.

Pop is a very smart coach. I think he's a top five coach in the league easily, probably top 3. But, as has been mentioned, without Duncan, where would he be?

And, if you put Pop up there, then you have to mention Phil. Phil had Michael and Shaq, but at least he won titles with two different teams.

I also think Eric Musselman is a great coach.

[MajorMike]

At the same time, AJ completely let his team disentigrate during the Finals. As far as being outcoached, AJ schemed specifically for the Spurs and the Spurs adapted, yet lost to a hotter team.

[xamila rey]

before SMALL BALL
i would have said Pop.

[JamStone]

At the same time, AJ completely let his team disentigrate during the Finals. As far as being outcoached, AJ schemed specifically for the Spurs and the Spurs adapted, yet lost to a hotter team.

Might be right, but at least is was the Finals. And, you can say something similar about Dwyane Wade being the "hotter team" even if Dallas was the better team.

[MajorMike]

True. Was AJ out coached by Riley?

[ducks]

What Avery Johnson did in about a season and a half speaks volumes about his coaching ability. He does not have the resume yet, but I think he might be the best in the West.

Pop is a very smart coach. I think he's a top five coach in the league easily, probably top 3. But, as has been mentioned, without Duncan, where would he be?

And, if you put Pop up there, then you have to mention Phil. Phil had Michael and Shaq, but at least he won titles with two different teams.

I also think Eric Musselman is a great coach.
without dirk where would aj be

[JamStone]

Does Don Nelson lead the Mavs past the Spurs?

[ducks]

dirk played better when aj was coach then don
some people think don lost his team
I am one of them
therefore I do not think so

[ShoogarBear]

True. Was AJ out coached by Riley?Yup.

But it wasn't so much Xs/Os as the way AJ allowed the Cuban Mentality to get to his team.

The best move AJ could have made during the Finals would have been to publicly tell Cuban to STFU and get off the bench, and then tell the players (and himself) to STFU about the refs. Maybe it would have been risky for his post-season job security, but his players would have rallied behind him, the Mavs would have won easily, and AJ could have had his pick of jobs if the Asshole fired him.

[Obstructed_View]

before SMALL BALL
i would have said Pop.
W3rd.

[Bob Lanier]

Jax.

[Que Gee]

whatever.. pop is nothing without duncan.

Finally, some honesty in here.

[Louis]

Who is the best head Coach in the west

Phil Jackson and even Avery Johnson..

Popovich is overrated.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Phil Jackson and even Avery Johnson..

Popovich is overrated.

Lucky for you, nobody even rates Jeff Van Gundy.

[Bob Lanier]

Jeff Van Gundy is easily the most entertaining head coach, though.

(Avery is also high on that list, but his jaw muscles scare me)

[Louis]

Lucky for you, nobody even rates Jeff Van Gundy.

I'm not a stupid homer ...

I realize that Van Gundy is a terrible coach.

I wish spurs fans could be like me.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

I wish spurs fans could be like me.

A bitter and desolate man who has dreams of running through a field of flowers with http://www.udel.edu/PR/UpDate/99/17/clutch.gif?

No, thank you.

(And as an added bonus, notice Clutch is wearing the same god-awful uniform of which Louis owns a three-sizes too small jersey of Steve Francis)

[MajorMike]

Jeff Van Gundy is easily the most entertaining head coach, though.

(Avery is also high on that list, but his jaw muscles scare me)


He ALWAYS looks like he is 2 seconds away from a heart attack.

[ducks]

before SMALL BALL
i would have said Pop.
small worked it
spurs were ahead but manu fouled one less foul there then people would have praised small ball

[ducks]

spurs also got (hopefully) better small ball players now

[wildbill2u]

What Avery Johnson did in about a season and a half speaks volumes about his coaching ability. He does not have the resume yet, but I think he might be the best in the West.

Pop is a very smart coach. I think he's a top five coach in the league easily, probably top 3. But, as has been mentioned, without Duncan, where would he be?

And, if you put Pop up there, then you have to mention Phil. Phil had Michael and Shaq, but at least he won titles with two different teams.

I also think Eric Musselman is a great coach.
Without Dirk and the rest of his very fine group of players, where would Avery be? In order to win championships, every coach has to rely on a few great players and some second tier players and develop a system that uses them well.

I think Pop has proven he can take unproven players like Manu and Parker(no one knew how they'd work out remember) and limited role players like Bowen and Rasho/Nazr and put them together with his main man Tim and produce championships.

[PM5K]

I don't even want to hear about Avery Johnson, Mr I took a 60 win team to 60 wins....

[lotr1trekkie]

undefined

#1] ALL coaches are only as good as the players they have. Riley has never won with average talent. He always needs 2 superstars. Ditto the Zen Master! I guess Larry Brown lost his ability in NY.

2] I don't think we are having this discussion if the refs don't suck in their whistles in the last minute of game 7 or don't give Tim a 6th foul for stepping on Dirk's foot or give Dirk 28[?] freethrows. Incredible for a 7 foot jump shooter. IMO Avery's style will wear thin this year---the honeymoons over in Boysville.

Finally, I wouldn't TRADE Pop for Avery or the Zen master. It ain't about X's or O's as much as Pop's ability to get his players to buy into the TEAM thing and get rid of malcontents. In fact, the best basketball mind around is probably Hubie Brown.

[Obstructed_View]

small worked it
spurs were ahead but manu fouled one less foul there then people would have praised small ball
Small ball took a Spurs in five or six series and made it a Mavs in 7 series. Nobody in their right mind would have praised small ball after the layup drill it provided for the Mavs, other than the Mavs.

[dknights411]

Phil Jackson and even Avery Johnson..

Popovich is overrated.

Hard to overrate a coach that has 3 rings.

I have Pop, and Phil up there as 1 and 2 myself. I'm holding out on AJ for a few more seasons before I say he's elite, but he's certaainly up there.

[THE SIXTH MAN]

I'm not a stupid homer ...

I realize that Van Gundy is a terrible coach.

I wish spurs fans could be like me.
What a mav fan who pretends to be a rocket fan? As much as you claim to be a rocket fan you sure do hang HARD on the mavs nuts. You should stop fronting and just admit it you don't fool anyone.

[JamStone]

undefined

Finally, I wouldn't TRADE Pop for Avery or the Zen master. It ain't about X's or O's as much as Pop's ability to get his players to buy into the TEAM thing and get rid of malcontents. In fact, the best basketball mind around is probably Hubie Brown.


Phil Jackson was able to get stars to buy into a system, role players to make star plays, and was so good at the psychological aspect of coaching, his teams didn't have to get rid of malcontents, because Phil was able to control them, e.g. Dennis Rodman, JR Rider.

For anyone that argues for Pop because of his three rings, he would have to be second because of Phil's 9 rings.

[NBA Junkie]

Mike D'Antoni

[Obstructed_View]

Hard to overrate a coach that has 3 rings.

I have Pop, and Phil up there as 1 and 2 myself. I'm holding out on AJ for a few more seasons before I say he's elite, but he's certaainly up there.
Hard to overrate a coach that has three rings until you put go against your own rationale and put him above a coach who has nine plus another as a player.

[MajorMike]

Rings make a coach great? Well that will make George Siefert feel better.

[RandomGuy]

Mike Ditka. DA BEARS!!

j/k

Pop, by a wide margin. His philosophy is part of the root of why I respect the Spurs, and think they are one of the few "genuine" teams in professional sports.

[xamila rey]

spurs also got (hopefully) better small ball players now

yes ducks, i think so too.
Maybe it is good change for the Spurs (start playing small ball more often) we will see it this seasson.

[GrandeDavid]

Gregg Popovich.

[BeerIsGood!]

Isaiah Thomas

[bdictjames]

I think Duncan was like an assistant coach for the Spurs in tough times you know, he makes the decisions in tough games.. but Popovich has molded every other player into a defensive force.. but not Duncan he's a natural athlete

[cornbread]

I think you gotta give it to the Little General. He out-coached Pop in the playoffs in what was his first full season as a coach! That's impressive.

[Bruno]

He out-coached Pop in the playoffs

False. The fact that none of Spurs' bigs were able to defend on Dirk has nothing to do with Avery or Pop.

[Obstructed_View]

False. The fact that none of Spurs' bigs were able to defend on Dirk has nothing to do with Avery or Pop.
Pretty fucking hard for Spurs bigs to defend from the bench. Advantage AJ.

[stretch]

Without Dirk and the rest of his very fine group of players, where would Avery be? In order to win championships, every coach has to rely on a few great players and some second tier players and develop a system that uses them well.

I think Pop has proven he can take unproven players like Manu and Parker(no one knew how they'd work out remember) and limited role players like Bowen and Rasho/Nazr and put them together with his main man Tim and produce championships.
Well, one thing that Avery has done is transformed this team. They were a run and gun built team under Nelly, and they couldnt play a lick of defense, and then Avery turned this squad into a ball-control offense, and a very solid defensive team that went to the finals in less than 2 years. basically, he completely transformed a team. thats pretty amazing, especially considering he had no prior coaching experience, and was just thrown into the HC position because Nelly decided to quit, and to do it so quickly. not many coaches can do that, and do it as well as Avery has done. before Avery came around, everyone though Dirk was one of the worst defenders in the NBA. now after last year, hes considered (although not great or dominant or anything) vastly improved, and a very decent defender and rebounder. before, he used to just sit around. now he crashes the boards, hustles to get back on D, gets easy steals in the passing lanes, and can actually make good defensive plays on a consistent basis. of course, he still needs work, but he improved an awful lot in a short time, considering how bad he was.

[stretch]

False. The fact that none of Spurs' bigs were able to defend on Dirk has nothing to do with Avery or Pop.
they wouldnt have had any chance. he lit up everyone that defended him... even Bruce Bowen. if they had Nazr or Rasho defending Dirk, he would have averaged 40 ppg against the spurs.

[Bruno]

they wouldnt have had any chance. he lit up everyone that defended him... even Bruce Bowen. if they had Nazr or Rasho defending Dirk, he would have averaged 40 ppg against the spurs.

Do you realize that you've quoted me to say the same thing that I've said ?

My point is that Spurs haven't lost because Avery has outcoached Pop but because Dirk has been a huge matchup nightmare for Spurs. Dirk has created this big missmatch because Spurs roster wasn't well balanced and because he is a damn good player.

[T Park]

Pretty fucking hard for Spurs bigs to defend from the bench. Advantage AJ.

Yeah Rasho would've man handled him.


Best coach in the league?


Hands down, Mike Woodson.

Anyone that can put up with being in Atlanta, with that ownership, and those players?

:tu

[Obstructed_View]

Yeah Rasho would've man handled him.

Having a shot blocker or two in the game might have been nice, considering most of the scoring at the rim was accomplished by guys under 6'6". Rasho stood a better chance of having Dirk go to the line to shoot 2 instead of to shoot one. Hell, he and Nazr could hardly have done worse.

[dirk4mvp]

Avery Johnson.

[Obstructed_View]

1. Avery Johnson
2. Don Nelson
3. Jimmy Johnson

[td4mvp21]

I don't know but not Pop.

[dirk4mvp]

Obstucted View has to be the funniest person ever to type on a keyboard.