The Pop evaluation Poll

[kace]

Well, obviously lately Pop's choices have been questionned more than ever, at least since the first le in 99.

Pop has always had his detractors here, especially with the two years without le (which also show how much we were spoiled as spurs fans) and these ones hace well explained their arguments.

But i would like to know what is the consensus here on Spurstalk, if there is one, about Pop as a NBA coach.


Here are basically the Poll options (i was too long with my poll so i failed posting it. still you've got the main possibilities i think).

1/ Great. One of the best. 4 les, most winning franchise of teh decade. HOF baby

2/ Good coach. He's not flawless, he's better on defense than on offense, he make mistakes and even can be a little bit overrated. but you can't lead a team to so many success without being a very good coach and a true leader. and Pop is one.


3/ solid, average coach. Pop said it many times. He was just good enough to not screw up all he had from the draft (and also thanks to RC): one of the best franchise player of all time with Tim and two of the best draft steals with Manu and Tony. Good job but many others NBA coachs would probably have been able to do the same.

4/ bad coach. Let's say it: even a monkey could have led a TD's team to four les and Pop poor coaching clearly costed us more les. How many players, especially young ones, did he screw up ?

[Chieflion]

First of all, I am thankful that Pop does not run his players to the ground by playing them 48 minutes a night. See Don Nelson for further example. I am also thankful we don't play small ball the entire game. See Don Nelson again. He also calls plays time to time, unlike a certain coach. See Mike Dunleavy. Pop is one of the more erratic coaches but the game has evolved and he is trying to keep up with the trend. Still one of the best coaches around. There is a reason why he is still on the team.

[kace]

I would say option n°2.

Pop is a very good coach IMO. a true leader who can keep a team focused together, on the same page.

but probably not a genius of the game, a little bit stubborn.
He's very smart, wise, has a natural authority and so is very respected among the players, the journalist and even the fans. That could have allowed him to be a little bit overrated maybe.

[Spurs Brazil]

1/ Great. One of the best. 4 les, most winning franchise of teh decade. HOF baby

[hsxvvd]

1, sliding to 2.

Pop was great when he played "his style", but has been on the decline since the 2006 playoff series against Dallas.

He's become obsessed with mismatches, rather than simply playing his best players and allowing their talent to win the games. I can understand previous years, but this season, we've got the talent to win. But playing guys out of position or in unusual line-ups with inconsistent minutes is not making the most of the talents on the team. For example, Jefferson is a good SF, he's not a PF. Likewise on Bogans.

Manu and Tony played well together, because both could compliment each other. But play Hill, Tony, Manu or Tony, Mason, Manu and somebody is going to be abused on defence and out of sync on offence.

Duncan/DRobb 7'1" worked. Duncan/Rasho 7'0" worked. But you start playing around with it, Duncan/Mohammed 7'0", Elson 7'0 even Oberto 6'11" still sorta worked.

Duncan/Jefferson 6'8" or Blair 6'5" is not getting the best out of Blair or Jefferson and does not provide Duncan the support he needs.

I'm ranting now, this is supposed to be about Pop, not small ball, but if Duncan is the best PF of all time, we need to play him with a C.

[temujin]

After playing Blair in a Duncan'less lineup for long, long minutes in Charlotte,

I loved when he played him at the 2 position in the final minutes.

I also loved the "enter-Haislip-2''-foul-exit-Haislip" sequence in Memphis.

Pop has been one of the best coaches of the history of the NBA.

[Chomag]

I voted good, allthough in a few more weeks I might change my mind since he seems to be on a major coaching decline. Not sure what is up with Pop there.

[Muser]

, I didn't read the OP and thought it was an evaluation of this season only..It has to be good.

[murpjf88]

Still one of the best coaches. Sometimes when a coach has coached for as long as he has with the same organization, coaching the same players, he loses his lust, and the motivation between players and coach just isn't their. It happens to the best of them, just like it did with Joe Torre and the Yankees. Hopefully, the spark will rekindle and the spurs can get back to their championship ways.

[Bukefal]

Pop is great, the best we have and one of the best in history. Im really worried about the time when he will retire. Then, we will even miss his sometimes questionable decisions.

[timvp]

Pop can overthink at times and he can be stubborn but compared to other coaches, there's no way he can't be considered great.

[kace]

Pop can overthink at times and he can be stubborn but compared to other coaches, there's no way he can't be considered great.

i have two questions:

1/ do you think others current NBA coaches would have been able to lead this team with Tim to NBA les ? (Larry Brown, Flip Saunders, Don Nelson, Georges Karl, Rick Adelman, Phil Jackson or Jerry Sloan, or even younger ones like Doc Rivers)


2/ What was his role on the draft of TP and Manu and overall, what is his share of responsability in the choice of the players compared to RC ?
i mean, obviously, one of the main aspect of this team succes is the choice of the supporting cast for Tim, from the draft or trades. Who should take the biggest share of congratulations for that ?


PS: thanks for the poll.

[TIMMYD!]

Pop is one of the most stubborn in the NBA and sometimes he does make some boneheaded moves but he's still one of the best, if not the best, and when he retires, he'll be hailed as top 5 all time.

[superjames1992]

I voted good, though I thought the poll was just for this year. Argh.

I think he has been a great coach over the course of his career. How can you argue with four NBA les?

[timvp]

i have two questions:

1/ do you think others current NBA coaches would have been able to lead this team with Tim to NBA les ? (Larry Brown, Flip Saunders, Don Nelson, Georges Karl, Rick Adelman, Phil Jackson or Jerry Sloan, or even younger ones like Doc Rivers)

Phil Jackson, yes. Maybe Sloan or Adelman. The rest? No. Pop's longevity without having a revolt is extremely unique. LB, Nelly and Karl would never last a dozen years in a high pressure atmosphere.

2/ What was his role on the draft of TP and Manu and overall, what is his share of responsability in the choice of the players compared to RC ?
i mean, obviously, one of the main aspect of this team succes is the choice of the supporting cast for Tim, from the draft or trades. Who should take the biggest share of congratulations for that ?

Pop didn't do the legwork on TP or Manu but he has the final say. He has the ultimate vote, so Pop does deserve some credit.

[doobs]

I guess he's been good. Ask me again in April.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I vote great based on his accomplishments. Timvp made some very valid points in his posts.

But I also wonder if he's slipped a little bit this season. Even the greatest players begin to lose that edge at some point, perhaps the same can be said for coaches. That being said, I've learned to never judge a Pop coached team until late in the season.

[baseline bum]

Crap. I voted Good because I thought this poll was for his work this season. He's obviously in the Great category for his entire body of work as coach of the Spurs.

[will_spurs]

I'd say: all of the above.

Great coach for sure and Vegas won't even open a betting line about him making the HOF. 4 les and incredible winning record as you said.

But in the past couple of years it's natural for people to wonder more and more if it wasn't all riding Duncan & co in the end. Ever since Bowen's game went downhill it's clear the Spurs D hasn't been quite the same. This year's rebuilding program can't be called a success right now and last season was a 100% lost season - overplaying vets like Finley and not letting young guys like Hill develop. And this year the Spurs are struggling despite lucking out yet another time in the draft. But then again Duncan is playing great and the Spurs aren't really kicking as much ass as they should so it's not all Duncan either, and so on and so on.

So I could pick any answer depending on which way I'd decide to look at it.

[objective]

Pop didn't do the legwork on TP or Manu but he has the final say. He has the ultimate vote, so Pop does deserve some credit.

does Pop have the final say?

I've always thought so, but a lot of people always absolve Pop of all responsibility with Scola and say it was RC's call and Pop had no power either way to sign or to trade.

[HarlemHeat37]

People really tend overrate a coach's impact in the NBA to begin with IMO..in this league, the players generally will win you more games than the coach can, which should be obvious.. , Doc Rivers was considered a horrible coach pre-big 3, then he won a ring, and now he has respect around the league as one of the best coaches..

coaching is overrated..

If I had to vote for Pop, he's obviously great as a whole, one of the best ever..he was never an ordinary coach that failed, he always brought different concepts, he was always a great motivator AND a great x's and o's guy, which is rare to see..

As murpf said though, I think he has lost some of his passion and fire..

[blkroadrunners]

Overall, as in his career as HC, I'd say great. This year though, he's been solid.