Better Coach: Stevens or Udoka?

[Vermont Green]

I voted Ime.  I think both are good coaches.  Ime is in his rookie season as a head coach though so you are comparing a rookie with a coach who had what 8 seasons?

Point is that Ime will get better and probably pass Brad.

One problem with this might be coaches can get tuned out after a while, and I think that's one of the things that happened with Stevens.

Larry Bird's theory is a coach's optimal effectiveness is only 3 years, though his theory also has its fair share of critics and counter examples.  But there is a possibility that if the top of the C's roster stays the same over the next several seasons, they might eventually start to tune Ime out.

Ime could get better as he gets more seasons under his belt, but he could also get stale.

I do agree with Bird's theory in a general sense but I don't take 3 years as a hard fast rule.  Those two things will complete for Ime though; gaining experience over time vs. the message getting tired.

I feel for Ime, he probably has more like 5 years, so long as the team continues to do well.  Less of course if things start to go bad.  So he will have some time to continue to grow in to the position, put his stamp on the players/team, before he has to start worrying that the team needs a fresh voice.

He is already well up the learning curve.  He has the team playing very well already here at the end of his first season.  I think he will get better still, both in Xs and Os and also in gaining the trust/respect of the players.

[Walker Wiggle]

Different coaches with different strengths and different personalities. Thus, the right guy is going to depend on the team situation.

It looks like Ime is the right guy for this team at this stage. Credit to the ownership and Brad for recognizing the need for a shift.

[Csfan1984]

Looks like Ime

[RJ87]

Not going to vote one over the other because it's obvious they're both brilliant coaches.

Before people bury BS the coach we need to remember that BS the coach had to coach around a career altering injuries to all stars in GH and Kemba, toxic personalities like Kyrie and Tristan Thompson, the bubble and an entire season without practices or in person meetings. Also DA kept on trading useful players away, like Thies and Green, instead of a player like TT to get under the tax.

DA was a great GM but his last couple of years of FA and salary cap moves hurt BS the coach.

Agree.

I also suspect recency bias will have people ready to crown Ime even though he hasn't even coached a playoff game yet. Brad did some amazing things while he was coach. He took teams that had no expectations on deep playoff runs, played a lead role in recruiting two of this team's most significant free agent signings (Horford and Hayward), and kept the team competitive despite major injuries to core players.

[pearljammer10]

Brad's the better coach but Ime is better handling the personnel.

For some reason it seems that the "star" players started to tune Brad out, the locker room starting becoming a problem, and Ainge moved some of the guys Brad seemed to think helped steer the ship he was trying to run.

Ime looks to be a bit better respected by the players even in his early tenure and seems to have better control with his style (even though they're both relatively laid back).

[Neurotic Guy]

I haven't a clue. It's been a solid year (great 2nd half) and hopefully will be a good playoff run.  A good run in the playoffs means that we beat at least one of Bucks, Heat, Nets, Sixers in a series and take another series to the wire.  Hopefully better than that, but I'd consider that a good run (progress).  I'd love to see CBS and Ime here for the long-term and maybe Brad stays as long as the team is progressing.  Brad is only 45 and if he wants coaching in his future he'll have plenty of opportunities.  My hope is that he finds satisfaction and success in team construction and sees it as less stressful and rewarding. 

[nickagneta]

I haven't a clue. It's been a solid year (great 2nd half) and hopefully will be a good playoff run.  A good run in the playoffs means that we beat at least one of Bucks, Heat, Nets, Sixers in a series and take another series to the wire.  Hopefully better than that, but I'd consider that a good run (progress).  I'd love to see CBS and Ime here for the long-term and maybe Brad stays as long as the team is progressing.  Brad is only 45 and if he wants coaching in his future he'll have plenty of opportunities.  My hope is that he finds satisfaction and success in team construction and sees it as less stressful and rewarding.

Let's not forget that Brad has young kids, 15 and 13, or something like that. After being on the road their whole lives and missing a bunch of stuff, I could see Brad being quite happy in a role where he isn't on the road constantly. At least for maybe the next 6 years or so.

[spikelovetheCelts]

I am just glad we have them both. At this moment I would still take Brad in a playoff game 2 minutes and tied than Ime but those are the things you have to go through as a coach yourself.