OT: Who Are The Top Ten NBA Coaches Of All Time?

[BigGameDamian]

 

[SlyPokerDog]

You have to answer/give your own opinion when you start these threads.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Off the top of my head, and in no particular order: Jackson, Auerbach, Popovich, Riley, Ramsay, Daly, Wilkens...and then I'm not sure who else to include. I'm sure there are coaches from before my time who deserve mention.

 

[Denny Crane]

Off the top of my head, and in no particular order: Jackson, Auerbach, Popovich, Riley, Ramsay, Daly, Wilkens...and then I'm not sure who else to include. I'm sure there are coaches from before my time who deserve mention.

Sloan. Nelson. Cunningham.

Spoelstra has 2 championships in 5 years and all winning records.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

After further consideration and research, I'll add John Kundla, Red Holzman, and the surprisingly good Tommy Heinsohn (.613 winning percentage and two titles in nine years).

Sloan and Nelson never won a title, and I think Spolstra's teams win in spite of him. Interesting suggestion of Billy Cunningham, but Only one title with that loaded Philly team?

 

[Denny Crane]

After further consideration and research, I'll add John Kundla, Red Holzman, and the surprisingly good Tommy Heinsohn (.613 winning percentage and two titles in nine years).

Sloan and Nelson never won a title, and I think Spolstra's teams win in spite of him. Interesting suggestion of Billy Cunningham, but Only one title with that loaded Philly team?

Lakers/Celtics kept Cunningham from winning more.

I was going to mention Heinsohn. He coached those great Celtics teams from their 2nd dynasty.

 

[BBert]

You have to answer/give your own opinion when you start these threads.

Ban him.

 

[MarAzul]

Off the top of my head, and in no particular order: Jackson, Auerbach, Popovich, Riley, Ramsay, Daly, Wilkens...and then I'm not sure who else to include. I'm sure there are coaches from before my time who deserve mention.

I don't know if Wilkens belongs on the list, but I would add Al Attles,Jerry Sloan, Rudy Tomjanovich, and Red Holzman. Attles and Sloan were both much better coaches than their
tittle record would suggest.

I would probably put Bill Sharman on the list before Wilkens.

 

[Run BJM]

I don't know if Wilkens belongs on the list, but I would add Al Attles,Jerry Sloan, Rudy Tomjanovich, and Red Holzman. Attles and Sloan were both much better coaches than their
tittle record would suggest.

I would probably put Bill Sharman on the list before Wilkens.

Sloan's gotta be in the top 10 IMO. No rings but great success and longevity, his best teams coincided with MJ's reign.

Attles did win a ring in what I believe was his only finals appearance as a coach. Not sure if hes top 10 but hes the fuggin godfather in the Bay Area.

Surprised no ones brought up Larry Brown. His legacy is less impressive when you only consider his NBA days but still decent with the Iverson 76ers and Pistons.

Don Nelson is always interesting in these discussions. Lots of regular season success and whacky shit but 0 finals appearances. That said, he never had extremely elite talent like most of the coaches being mentioned in this thread. After the obvious 5 or 6 coaches that are clearly top 10 there's a big drop off, I think you could definitely make a case for Nellie, depending on what different measures are being used.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Off the top of my head, and in no particular order: Jackson, Auerbach, Popovich, Riley, Ramsay, Daly, Wilkens...and then I'm not sure who else to include. I'm sure there are coaches from before my time who deserve mention.

Why Popovich? I mean sure he's good but one of the best? I think Pop my have screwd the Spurs chances in the NBA Finals more than anyone. He benched Duncan at the end of game six with less than a minute to go I think it was. Then Tony Parker is on the bench at the end of game 7 and when he got asked why be the media Pop replied "Because I wanted too." Not to mention Danny Green not only shot 1-13 he was fumbling around the ball everytime he had it and you have a player named Tracy McGrady on your bench? I'm sure TMac could have at least been better than that. I'm sure if it was the Portland Blazers Portland fans would want to give Pop the axe.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

BGD--you can exclude Pop on the basis of two games this year, but I won't. Too much extended excellence to ignore.

You're all probably right about Sloan. I wanted to include him, but I wanted to give preference to titles.
MarAzul, you're probably right about Wilkens. Could be removed. I thought a bit about Rudy T, but wasn't sure if he was top 10 material either. I'd need a lot of education about Attles.
Brown, to me, merits consideration, but his nomadic ways are a knock on him, IMO.

I think Jackson, Auerbach, Pop, Riley, Holzman, and Kundla are gimmes based on their resumes. If titles are a major factor, then you probably go with Daly, Heinsohn, Rudy T, and maybe KC Jones. If long-term, continued success is important, then you throw in Nelson, Sloan, Brown and Ramsay.

Maybe we should just go with a tier system instead...

 

[Denny Crane]

Wow. I might put Pops at #3 behind PJax and Auerbach.

One losing season, his first. Since then, the only sub 50 win team was in a strike shortened season where the Spurs went 37-13 .740.

Four championships.

 

[MarAzul]

Red is in close contention for the #1 slot. Knowledge of the game!

http://www.nba.com/roundball/

Most of the coaches mentioned are worthy of the consideration for top 10.
Not for me to quibble Perhaps we have the first 7 then 5 tied for 8, 9, and 10.

 

[MARIS61]

Billy Donovan, KP, Caleb Kanales, Magic Johnson

 

[BigGameDamian]

Wow. I might put Pops at #3 behind PJax and Auerbach.

One losing season, his first. Since then, the only sub 50 win team was in a strike shortened season where the Spurs went 37-13 .740.

Four championships.

Well, I know that you could make a case for Pop but at the same time great coaches don't blow it in big games such as the NBA finals and Pop did. I would really be quite curious to see what Spurs fans have to say about this topic.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

Well, I know that you could make a case for Pop but at the same time great coaches don't blow it in big games such as the NBA finals and Pop did. I would really be quite curious to see what Spurs fans have to say about this topic.

Not make a case. He is a lock for top 10 even with some questionable moments in this last Finals. 4 titles won outweigh the 1 lost for fans I would bet.

 

[jlprk]

Sloan. Nelson. Cunningham.

Spoelstra has 2 championships in 5 years and all winning records.

Most of the names in this thread are bad choices, but Cunningham is the worst. As soon as his assistant coach Chuck Daly left, Cunningham retired from coaching. He knew he was a flimflam man, a fake.

Daly was a great coach. Two new names: Motta and Bird.

You're a Bulls fan?.

 

[blue9]

Nobody can legitimately question Pops as a Top 10 coach. I'm not familiar with pre-80s coaches, but assuming Red is #1 then Pops is #2, IMO. Sloan is also deserving.
I'd add Larry Brown to the conversation - what he did in DET was great, and is highlighted even further by their rapid demise once being handed to Flip Saunders.

 

[jlprk]

Popovich moved up a spot because he's in my recent TV memory, so he may move back down in a year. Top 11, in order within each tier:

1 Auerbach, Jackson, Daly
2 Popovich, Motta, Heinsohn, Bird, Russell
3 Sloan, Fitch, Nelson

I know nothing about Kundla, who turns 97 in 10 days. I wasn't paying attention and missed the kid's career.

 

[Denny Crane]

Popovich moved up a spot because he's in my recent TV memory, so he may move back down in a year. Top 11, in order within each tier:

1 Auerbach, Jackson, Daly
2 Popovich, Motta, Heinsohn, Bird, Russell
3 Sloan, Fitch, Nelson

I know nothing about Kundla, who turns 97 in 10 days. I wasn't paying attention and missed the kid's career.

Did you pay attention to Abe Lincoln's career while that was happening?

 

[huevonkiller]

I'm very unimpressed with a lot of "great" coaches. They tend to not be aware of advanced numbers.

 

[KingSpeed]

In no particular order:

PJ Carlesimo
Rick Adelman
Jeff Van Gundy
Phil Jackson
Greg Popovich
Doc Rivers
Larry Brown
Red Auerbach
Jack Ramsey
Hubie Brown

Honorable Mention: Mo Cheeks