2017-2018 NBA Regular Season Thread

[wildturkey]

Wow, Phoenix aren't even trying any more

This implies there was a point this season where they were actually trying

 

[ManuForever]

Pop is the GOAT coach but these lineups lately have been head scratchers. Mills getting the most minutes of any guard tonight is inexcusable, seeing as how he's been hot garbage the entire season. Manu had 7 FUCKING MINUTES. Rudy had been playing great and didn't play at all in the final minutes.

Not to mention these losses recently have featured everyone and their fucking mother hitting insane shots in the final minutes. Mitchell, Lonzo (!?!?) And now Durant. It's truly infuriating. So many blown leads. End this season already.

 

[Bolts]

Pop is the GOAT coach but these lineups lately have been head scratchers. Mills getting the most minutes of any guard tonight is inexcusable, seeing as how he's been hot garbage the entire season. Manu had 7 FUCKING MINUTES. Rudy had been playing great and didn't play at all in the final minutes.

Not to mention these losses recently have featured everyone and their fucking mother hitting insane shots in the final minutes. Mitchell, Lonzo (!?!?) And now Durant. It's truly infuriating. So many blown leads. End this season already.

I usually have that feeling by the all star break, but I guess a Spurs fan would enjoy the season more than most fanbases. It's been rough for them injury wise, Kawhi is my favorite player in the NBA so it really sucks to see him not play.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

This implies there was a point this season where they were actually trying

First three games of the season

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Pop is the GOAT coach but these lineups lately have been head scratchers. Mills getting the most minutes of any guard tonight is inexcusable, seeing as how he's been hot garbage the entire season. Manu had 7 FUCKING MINUTES. Rudy had been playing great and didn't play at all in the final minutes.

Not to mention these losses recently have featured everyone and their fucking mother hitting insane shots in the final minutes. Mitchell, Lonzo (!?!?) And now Durant. It's truly infuriating. So many blown leads. End this season already.

I wouldn't call Pop the GOAT. Top 5 maybe.

 

[Bolts]

First three games of the season

Well...

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Pop is the GOAT coach but these lineups lately have been head scratchers. Mills getting the most minutes of any guard tonight is inexcusable, seeing as how he's been hot garbage the entire season. Manu had 7 FUCKING MINUTES. Rudy had been playing great and didn't play at all in the final minutes.

Not to mention these losses recently have featured everyone and their fucking mother hitting insane shots in the final minutes. Mitchell, Lonzo (!?!?) And now Durant. It's truly infuriating. So many blown leads. End this season already.

Seeing as you don't agree with the fact I didn't call pop the GOAT, where would you rank guys like Phil Jackson, Pat Riley or Red Auerbach? Three former coaches clearly better than him.

 

[tlance]

Seeing as you don't agree with the fact I didn't call pop the GOAT, where would you rank guys like Phil Jackson, Pat Riley or Red Auerbach? Three former coaches clearly better than him.

There is a strong case for Pop as GOAT and he is definitely top 5. Those others you mentioned may have more rings, but that doesn't automatically make them better coaches. You can say they are better in your opinion, but they aren't clearly better because I would bet if someone posted a thread ranking top 5 coaches of all time, Pop would be 1 on a lot of lists.

I would rate Pop #1 too, but there is certainly a lot of room for discussion on this. Ranking coaches is even harder than ranking players. None of the greats are "clearly better" than the others.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

There is a strong case for Pop as GOAT and he is definitely top 5. Those others you mentioned may have more rings, but that doesn't automatically make them better coaches. You can say they are better in your opinion, but they aren't clearly better because I would bet if someone posted a thread ranking top 5 coaches of all time, Pop would be 1 on a lot of lists.

I would rate Pop #1 too, but there is certainly a lot of room for discussion on this. Ranking coaches is even harder than ranking players. None of the greats are "clearly better" than the others.

So, why is Pop better than Phil, just for example?

I agree Pop is top 5 but not number one. Or two.

 

[ManuForever]

So, why is Pop better than Phil, just for example?

I agree Pop is top 5 but not number one. Or two.

Phil had 11 titles. Awesome. He also had some of the greatest players in NBA history his entire career to help him do it. I guarantee you no other coach can do what Pop can do with the rosters he has year in and year out. He turns undrafted players into guys who could likely be starters on other teams once they leave. He develops talent better than anyone else in the history of the NBA and it isn't even a contest.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Phil had 11 titles. Awesome. He also had some of the greatest players in NBA history his entire career to help him do it.

So you're admitting Kobe is better than Tim Duncan?

 

[ManuForever]

So you're admitting Kobe is better than Tim Duncan?

If it helps you sleep better at night, go ahead and believe that.

 

[tlance]

So, why is Pop better than Phil, just for example?

I agree Pop is top 5 but not number one. Or two.

My opinion is that Pop is the greatest tactician I have ever seen and is able to win consistently both with stacked rosters and mediocre ones. Perhaps more importantly, he is ridiculously good at developing talent on the fly, which is extremely difficult to do while competing for championships every single year.

Phil never really had to do that. Coaching stacked rosters isn't nearly as easy as some would want you to believe, but I am fairly certain that an established Pop would have been successful coaching those Bulls, Laker or Celtic teams. I am far less certain what Phil would be able to accomplish coaching the Spurs.

Pops' run with the Spurs has spanned 3 superstars in their primes at completely different times. That is crazy if you really think about that. No coach in history has had a run like this spanning this many years with complete roster turnover while staying competitive the entire time.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

My opinion is that Pop is the greatest tactician I have ever seen and is able to win consistently both with stacked rosters and mediocre ones. Perhaps more importantly, he is ridiculously good at developing talent on the fly, which is extremely difficult to do while competing for championships every single year.

Phil never really had to do that. Coaching stacked rosters isn't nearly as easy as some would want you to believe, but I am fairly certain that an established Pop would have been successful coaching those Bulls, Laker or Celtic teams. I am far less certain what Phil would be able to accomplish coaching the Spurs.

Pops' run with the Spurs has spanned 3 superstars in their primes at completely different times. That is crazy if you really think about that. No coach in history has had a run like this spanning this many years with complete roster turnover while staying competitive the entire time.

How much did Jordan win without Phil? How much did Kobe?

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

If it helps you sleep better at night, go ahead and believe that.

You basically insinuated it.

 

[tlance]

How much did Jordan win without Phil? How much did Kobe?

Never said Phil wasn't great. Just not the greatest.

 

[DJ Fieri]

The Lunacy And Racism Of Asking Lamar Jackson To Play Receiver

Great points and an interesting read.

 

[bksballer89]

Pop is the best coach IMO

 

[bksballer89]

Well...

Then this happened in their 3rd game of the season.

Suns vs. Clippers - Game Recap - October 21, 2017 - ESPN

 

[Heatles84]

How much did Jordan win without Phil? How much did Kobe?

Jordan didn't have much of a chance in his career to win without Phil. Jordan was still maturing in the league as was Pippen; Phil came in at the perfect time to Chicago. Phil again came when the young Lakers core were still figuring things out and he got them in the right direction in the early 2000's. You're probably referencing the mid-2000's where Phil wasn't coaching and Kobe wasn't getting to the playoffs. The Lakers roster at that time was abysmal and I'd imagine that if Phil was coaching that exact roster, he wouldn't have much success. Phil Jackson's a top 5 coach, but what Pop was able to do over a longer course is simply amazing. Phil coached 3 players that most considering in their all-time top 10 (Jordan, Shaq, and Kobe), Pop coached one in Duncan.

Phil's better at managing elite talent personalities. Pop's clearly a better X's and O's guys. The reason I say that to add onto what @tlance has been saying is that Phil has been married to the triangle system - even when he doesn't have the personnel to run it - particularly forcing it on any coach who was in NY during his tenure as president.