Who is the best coach in the NBA?

[JSD]

3 votes each:

Phil Jackson - Most rings

Doc Rivers - Great rapport with his players. Good developer.

Gregg Popovich - Created a system of Winning in SA
   
Larry Brown - Journeyman who's been successful on so many different levels

Jerry Sloan - Longevity and consistency.

[fairweatherfan]

It's Popovich - both for success on the court, and for creating a team culture that avoids nearly every negative element we see in the dynamic of every team.  Role players become better when they play for Pop, and stars become all-timers. 

[the_Bird]

Pops and Sloan, don't ask me to pick between them but they are both outstanding coaches.

There is a bit of a chicken-and-egg thing at work, though.  Part of what makes Sloan and Pops so successful is that they are so strongly supported by ownership.  You don't see players trying to undermine the coaches because they know that ownership's going to get rid of them long before they make a coaching change.  You see the same things in football with teams like the Steelers and the Pats (although picking high-quality players helps a lot, too).

So, how much of Pops' and Sloan's success can be attributed to how strongly they are supported by ownership...  or does ownership support them so strongly because they're such great coaches?

I do think Doc has done an outstanding job in a variety of very challenging environments.  He's had some great players at the right phase of their careers to buy in to his approach, but he's always gotten even the younger players to buy-in and play hard.  Players all seem to respect him, which is 95% of the battle.  You look at how younger guys have improved under him, and how quickly a very disparate group of veterans - a whole bunch of guys used to being alpha - were able to coalesce into one of the best *teams* we've seen...  it's impressive.  It's such a tricky balance he's been able to achieve, getting their respect while also being someone that they seem to have genuine affection for.

[indeedproceed]

G Pop hands down for me.

Probably G Pop follows by Phil Jax, followed by Sloan, then..I duno I guess Doc.

Larry Brown i just don't believe in.

[Hoyo de Monterrey]

It's Popovich - both for success on the court, and for creating a team culture that avoids nearly every negative element we see in the dynamic of every team.  Role players become better when they play for Pop, and stars become all-timers. 

Cosign. He's the best combination of Xs and Os, matchup exploitation, gameplan adjustments, and team chemistry promotion. He reminds me of Francona in his willingness to take every hit for his players. He has an ego, as does any NBA coach, but you don't see it often, and never where it doesn't belong.

[the_Bird]

G Pop hands down for me.

Probably G Pop follows by Phil Jax, followed by Sloan, then..I duno I guess Doc.

Larry Brown i just don't believe in.

See, I don't know about Jackson.  Players respect his rings, but you're always hearing about guys who roll their eyes at the zen stuff.  Nobody rolled their eyes when Red Auerbach was speaking, and I don't think anybody does to either Sloan or Pops.  Jackson clearly is at the very least a very good coach, but he's also been extremely lucky to be coaching two of the best players ever to lace up, whereas you see guys who weren't really considered to be phenomenal talents become much, much better players under Sloan and Pops.  Sloan and Pops both seem to know how to get the absolute most from their players.

I'd really like to see how Jackson would do with the kind of team that Doc had here in his first few years, or down in Orlando; I'm not sure he would have gotten any more wins out of them.  

Larry Brown's a great coach for a year or two, but the fact that he goes from being a great coach to a huge distraction that ends up hurting his team when he starts looking at greener pastures means he doesn't belong in this conversation.

[GroverTheClover]

Pop. It's not even close. He can consistently get the most out of his players (even when injured). I'd rank Phil second though. Sloan would be three and he's very underrated.

I'd put Doc near the middle in the NBA. I'd say his coaching ability is average, but his people skills make up for it. He's like Terry Francona, more guidance counselor  than a teacher. Though I will say he fits the C's very well and I wouldn't trade him for anyone except Pop.

[PosImpos]

Popovich.  Easily.

After that you got Jax and then guys like Rick Adelman and Jerry Sloan.

[indeedproceed]

G Pop hands down for me.

Probably G Pop follows by Phil Jax, followed by Sloan, then..I duno I guess Doc.

Larry Brown i just don't believe in.

See, I don't know about Jackson.  Players respect his rings, but you're always hearing about guys who roll their eyes at the zen stuff.  Nobody rolled their eyes when Red Auerbach was speaking, and I don't think anybody does to either Sloan or Pops.  Jackson clearly is at the very least a very good coach, but he's also been extremely lucky to be coaching two of the best players ever to lace up, whereas you see guys who weren't really considered to be phenomenal talents become much, much better players under Sloan and Pops.  Sloan and Pops both seem to know how to get the absolute most from their players.

See, I thought this too, but look at G Pop...he's got Tim Duncan, possibly the best power forward of all time. Sure, he got a lot out of Manu and Parker, but he still always had the big fundemental.

Then look at Sloan, he had Karl Malone and John Stockon, stockon being possibly the best pure point guard of all time, and Malone being one of the top 5 power fowards.

Great coachs don't make championships appear out of nowhere.

Rudy T needed Hakeem. Riley needed Magic and a whole score of talent.

Sure, maybe Pop does more with less, but Tim Duncan is the best big man of our generation, and probable the best 4 that's ever played. G-Pop isn't exactly working with nothing.

then look at Jackson. Who would know Steve Kerr's name if not for Jax? Look how he managed Rodman...Pippen, would he have reached the levels he did without Jackson's coaching?

I think GPop is better, but Jackson is right up there with him.

[lon3lytoaster]

They all have flaws.. Doc isn't a great X and O type of guy; Pops hasn't and likely wont coach a season without Duncan, Sloan is a hardass and can buttheads with some players from time to time and Phil Jackson is a Laker and has always had everything handed to him.

I'd have to go with Pops, though. He lucked out with getting Duncan but really, other than that constructed the Spurs from the ground up.

[Hoyo de Monterrey]

G Pop hands down for me.

Probably G Pop follows by Phil Jax, followed by Sloan, then..I duno I guess Doc.

Larry Brown i just don't believe in.

See, I don't know about Jackson.  Players respect his rings, but you're always hearing about guys who roll their eyes at the zen stuff.  Nobody rolled their eyes when Red Auerbach was speaking, and I don't think anybody does to either Sloan or Pops.  Jackson clearly is at the very least a very good coach, but he's also been extremely lucky to be coaching two of the best players ever to lace up, whereas you see guys who weren't really considered to be phenomenal talents become much, much better players under Sloan and Pops.  Sloan and Pops both seem to know how to get the absolute most from their players.

See, I thought this too, but look at G Pop...he's got Tim Duncan, possibly the best power forward of all time. Sure, he got a lot out of Manu and Parker, but he still always had the big fundemental.

Oh look at you now! You mean Pop couldn't do the same with Al Jefferson!?!?

[indeedproceed]

G Pop hands down for me.

Probably G Pop follows by Phil Jax, followed by Sloan, then..I duno I guess Doc.

Larry Brown i just don't believe in.

See, I don't know about Jackson.  Players respect his rings, but you're always hearing about guys who roll their eyes at the zen stuff.  Nobody rolled their eyes when Red Auerbach was speaking, and I don't think anybody does to either Sloan or Pops.  Jackson clearly is at the very least a very good coach, but he's also been extremely lucky to be coaching two of the best players ever to lace up, whereas you see guys who weren't really considered to be phenomenal talents become much, much better players under Sloan and Pops.  Sloan and Pops both seem to know how to get the absolute most from their players.

See, I thought this too, but look at G Pop...he's got Tim Duncan, possibly the best power forward of all time. Sure, he got a lot out of Manu and Parker, but he still always had the big fundemental.

Oh look at you now! You mean Pop couldn't do the same with Al Jefferson!?!?

Well, I mean we're talking 2003 Tim Duncan, if he had Al Jefe.......he'd turn him into a wreckin machine!

[Drucci]

Popovich.

Jackson is really overrated in my opinion.

[KCattheStripe]

[
Sure, maybe Pop does more with less, but Tim Duncan is the best big man of our generation

Disagree.

[indeedproceed]

[
Sure, maybe Pop does more with less, but Tim Duncan is the best big man of our generation

Disagree.

Who's your guy? Shaq?

You could make a point for Shaq.