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This Season’s Most Notable NBA Coaches
We’d hate to see how the league would be without them
Without a leader, a team would get nowhere, no matter how talented its individual players are. There always needs to be someone to call the shots and to make one set of skills complement the other. This is the very reason why NBA coaches are so admired and applauded.
This NBA season was no exception. From every side of the United States, teams played to the best of their abilities with the guidance of their coaches.
Rick Carlisle, Dallas Mavericks
If there was anyone that knows how to stretch what he has been given, it’s the Dallas Maverick’s Rick Carlisle. He has turned what is arguably a rather standard set of players into a team that can contend with some of the best in the NBA. He’s a system coach that knows what set of plays works best for his players.
Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat
Arguably, no other coach in the NBA can handle changes as well as Erik Spoelstra. Where others might have faltered and fallen short, Spoelstra has only shined. He almost took an injury-stricken team to the Playoffs. Despite the expectations that Miami would not do well this year, Spoelstra took them far. He also has a knack for choosing players in the D League that contribute significantly to the team’s overall statistics.
Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics
Brad Stevens is one of the youngest coaches in the NBA, but he is also one of the most successful. He carried the Boston Celtics to the number one seed in the Eastern Conference entering the Playoffs this year. He knows how to hone the talents of standard players to turn them into real and notable contributors.
Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
In order to know the game, you need to see it from all sides possible and no know understands this as much as Steve Kerr. He played alongside Michael Jordan, took the mic as a commentator and arguably has in-game knowledge that no one else can match. He has a critical eye to his plays, has a talent for figuring out what’s wrong and adding what’s missing.
Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs
No one in the league has numbers like Gregg Popovich. That’s five championships, three Coach of the Year awards and almost 1,100 overall wins. If you want the poster guy of success, Popovich is it. What makes him so great, however, is his consistency. Over and over and over again, he has proven that he can drive results from players and a team.
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