How much do NBA coaches really matter???

[Zippy Chippy]

Doc Rivers 5 yrs 35m (he made 9m as a player in his career)

Does anyone else think NBA coaches don't even matter that much?? I know they probably felt they owed Doc the $$ but say for example how much does it matter if Doc coaches or say Avery Johnson or some other coach? I've always felt this way about every sport, except football. The Heat will probably win the NBA championship IMO and I dont think Erik Spoelstra is exactly a GREAT coach. They always talk about Phil Jackson being one of the best coaches ever, but I think I'd be a hall of fame coach if I had those teams.

[slew101]

They do matter, not as much as college, because the NBA is more about managing egos than passing drills.

Doc Rivers was always a very average, .500 coach with Orlando and Boston before he was given a championship team in 2007.

I was very surprised he got that much money.

Originally Posted by Zippy Chippy

Doc Rivers 5 yrs 35m (he made 9m as a player in his career)

Does anyone else think NBA coaches don't even matter that much?? I know they probably felt they owed Doc the $$ but say for example how much does it matter if Doc coaches or say Avery Johnson or some other coach? I've always felt this way about every sport, except football. The Heat will probably win the NBA championship IMO and I dont think Erik Spoelstra is exactly a GREAT coach. They always talk about Phil Jackson being one of the best coaches ever, but I think I'd be a hall of fame coach if I had those teams.

[Jay Trotter]

Originally Posted by Zippy Chippy

Does anyone else think NBA coaches don't even matter that much?? I know they probably felt they owed Doc the $$ but say for example how much does it matter if Doc coaches or say Avery Johnson or some other coach? I've always felt this way about every sport, except football. The Heat will probably win the NBA championship IMO and I dont think Erik Spoelstra is exactly a GREAT coach. They always talk about Phil Jackson being one of the best coaches ever, but I think I'd be a hall of fame coach if I had those teams.

A great coach is worth his weight in gold! Basketball might be the one team sport where you could get away with a less than exceptional coach for one championship, maybe!

The bigger the roster a team needs to field the more important the coach is to many games. Football is the obvious example but hockey, soccer and baseball also require top level coaching to achieve greatness, especially prolonged greatness.

In the case of basketball, again, I think a team like the Heat could go all the way with a coach who stays out of the way but for them to win back-to-back titles the coach would need to be above average to keep the egos in check and create the chemistry necessary for long term success.

[Canarsie]

Originally Posted by Zippy Chippy

Doc Rivers 5 yrs 35m (he made 9m as a player in his career)

Does anyone else think NBA coaches don't even matter that much?? I know they probably felt they owed Doc the $$ but say for example how much does it matter if Doc coaches or say Avery Johnson or some other coach? I've always felt this way about every sport, except football. The Heat will probably win the NBA championship IMO and I dont think Erik Spoelstra is exactly a GREAT coach. They always talk about Phil Jackson being one of the best coaches ever, but I think I'd be a hall of fame coach if I had those teams.

How come the Bulls never won a championship before he arrived there? When everyone played the pick and roll he used the triangle offense and got his players to buy into it. A coach also is only as good as his assistants when they hire them it can make or break a team.

Lets take D'Antoni who won't even hire a defensive coach to help him in an area he is really WEAK in. It's probably the reason he will be let go after next year.

How about this?

In 2001, the Lakers won the title again; however, O'Neal and Bryant began feuding during the season.

2001–2002

The Lakers won their third consecutive championship, defeating the New Jersey Nets, 4–0.

He was probably the best coach at soothing egos in my opinion. Does that make a great coach? It sure does Doc had to do the same thing in Boston and the players bought in. As far as Spoelstra goes I can't say whether he's a great coach but you don't hear any of the players criticizing him. It's a hard team to figure but their superstars play hard on both end of the court and have bought into his defensive philosophy.

I will go out on a limb and say Thibodeau is a great coach already. Why you may ask? Because his players sacrifice their bodies almost all of the time for a rookie coach. Lots don't just look at Carmello who probably won't ever win anything because he has the it's all about me syndrome.

[Robert Goren]

These guys are more managers than coaches. All the players have huge egos even the bench warmers(all were stars in college and superstars in high schools or big time players overseas) and extremely jealous of each of other. Keeping them them from killing each other is a coach's main job. Doc Rivers is worth every penny dealing with that collection of aging superstars, an over the hill superstar bench warmer, a rising star and couple of more who think that they are only playing time from being on the all star team.

[Valuist]

Look at the Bulls. They went from Vinnie Del Negro to Thibodaux (sp?) The pts allowed per game fell significantly. They went from 40-41 wins to over 60. Maybe there are some cases where it didn't make much difference but obviously w/the Bulls it did.

[cj]

Certainly they matter. The Thunder Grizzlies match up was nothing but coaches adjusting. Anyone that saw P.J. coaching the Thunder, then Brooks, can see the difference a coach can make.