What an awful article. You simply cannot judge a player or a coach based on championships. Sure, since a basketball player is one of five on the floor at any one time, there is opportunity for an individual to control the outcome of the game moreso than in any other sport, except—probably—a starting pitcher. However, there is no single example in basketball history—with the possible exception of Mikan's Lakers—where a single dominant player catapaulted their team to victory without exceptional talent around him. I believe the old championship formula is "two-and-a-half stars" right? The point is, players are almost always either over or underappreciated. So rarely are players called fairly for what they actually did in their careers. The head coach is almost as reliant on talent. I say almost, because exceptionally coached teams beat more talented, less-well coached teams all the time. However, you don't get to the finals without BOTH. Indeed, one rarely gets out of the second round of the playoffs without good talent and good coaching. In the finals you ALWAYS have exceptionally coach, wonderfully talented teams. Find ONE example to the contrary. If there's a reason for JVG to be ranked higher, it's because his Knicks championship contending team was one of the least talented Finals teams ever contending with a similarly brilliantly coached team featuring two of the best players in NBA history, both dominant big men. Since then there has been exceptional complimentary talent in SA, in particular because Popps in as excellent exec and judge of talent too. Give Popps all the props you want, and Jackson too, and Brown, but I'd put Sloan with both of them, and JVG right there. Start a team with Stockton and Malone and then hand the team over to terrible GMs (Frank and Scott Layden) for the last 15 or so years in the careers of your Hall of Fame duo. They got to the finals with Bryon Russell as their third best player. It isn't that I rank Popps or Jackson or Brown any lower. I'm simply saying that it is impossible to compare JVG or Sloan to them until they have the talent. JVG finally, in the next two or three years, finally has enough talent on his team to really compare with that of the guys that top this dude's list. Just consider: JVG made the Finals with his best player a talented, but mostly out-of-control shooting guard in Sprewell, who played SF at 6'5" 190, a brilliant shooting Houston, who couldn't create his own shot, and was useless for anything else on the court. The only guy who had stretches of dominance was Camby, who only did it on the defensive end. Anyway, long and rambling, so be it...I'm tired of all this crap about championships defining a player or a coach. If there's any one position to be judged by championships, it's an owner, who's in charge of hiring the right GM and working with them to get the right coach and (passively, hopefully) players. And as much as anything, bankrolling the whole thing as needed. This is why Les is an excellent owner, and Cuban too (and he will win championships, at some point), and Sterling (obviously) and Dolan ($ but no judgment or patience) are awful. Enough.
Of all of those coaches ranked, gimme Van Gundy. http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2001/2001/0426/1186816.html
I don't care if he is a good coach, but I will never gain even one ounce of respect for Greg Poppovich. The way he axed Bob Hill in '96/'97 was completely classless. That team under Bob Hill was a perennial contending, 60 win team, just 2 years seperated from losing in the WCF. They traded away Rodman for Will Perdue and started Charles freaking Smith at power forward and somehow still were very good in '96. They are then completely decimated by injuries - Robinson out for the year, Elliot out for the year, A.J out almost all year. That wasn't Bob Hill's fault. Poppovich, knowing he would have a healthy team the next year, and a good shot at Duncan or Van Horn, fired Bob Hill so he himself could come riding in on the white horse. He is a hack and I can't believe media types let this go so easily.
If Bob Hill was such a good coach he would be at least coach another NBA or Big time D I Program. Neither are true. It might look classless what popovich did but their has to be more than Injuries as a reason to fire someone. I think for a coach to win numerous championship with a totally different team except for one player really shows were the talent lies.
You're totally right about his treatment of Hill, and also that he was in a much better situation when he started. He may be a worthless sh*t, but he's also an excellent coach. One huge thing Jackson has over Popp is that he got everything out of Rodman, and Popp just couldn't deal with him anymore. In all ways I think JVG is as good as Jackson and Brown, save one very important aspect of coaching: I can't remember a single player that didn't play to (or close to) their potential with Brown and Jackson. The only mark against JVG EVER is that he couldn't get Francis to reach his full potential and fit with the team. That may be experience that Brown and Jackson have over him there.
McMillan was way overrated. Very good at relating with his players, but I haven't seen anything above average in his coaching. Last year was the only non-mediocore season he's had. Karl.........I don't know. Between the way he loses his players so quick and his abject failure in the World Championship games I don't know. He was successful in Seattle with a great roster and teaching them how to get away with illegal zones. I give him less than a year before he and Melo are at each other's throats. People here may hate SA, and it's true that he's completely dpdt on Duncan, but you've got to admit that no one runs a smoother engine. Evan
Karl? If your three all-stars don't want to play for you, you're not likely one of the best coaches in the league.
