Is it fair to say that Brad Stevens

[Moab]

is now the best coach in the NBA?

 

[Ojb81]

Yes

 

[msgkings322]

Yes. But like most arguments of this sort there's no real scientific way to prove one coach is 'better' than another. All you can say with any accuracy is there are a handful of elite coaches and he's one of them.

All the more impressive because other than Larry Brown I can't think of another NCAA coach who was good in the NBA

 

[wildturkey]

There's only one way to decide this. Stevens vs Popovich Rock Paper Scissors, best 2 out of 3

 

[handicappers]

No.

Pop and Carlisle are much better coaches.

 

[tlance]

There's only one way to decide this. Stevens vs Popovich Rock Paper Scissors, best 2 out of 3

Has to be at least best of 7.

First two in San Antonio, then they fly to Boston for the next 2.

SA gets home court because Pop has titles.

 

[tlance]

No.

Pop and Carlisle are much better coaches.

No they aren't.

Especially not Carlisle.

It does not get any better than the job Stevens has done the last 2 years. Absolutely masterful.

 

[handicappers]

No they aren't.

Especially not Carlisle.

It does not get any better than the job Stevens has done the last 2 years. Absolutely masterful.

Yes they are. Carlisle especially. He's a master at his craft. Sorry, but you're wrong.

 

[thunderc]

Yes and it’s really not close. Pop is done.

 

[Myles]

My vote would be for Brad.
If I could choose any coach to coach my team (if I owned a team) it would be Brad, and it is not close. The guy has been amazing at Butler and in the NBA.

 

[Gman]

Yes they are. Carlisle especially. He's a master at his craft. Sorry, but you're wrong.

Hot take alert!!

 

[Iggloo]

No, Pop is better by virtue of experience. If you gave Pop the Celtics players he would be amazing. Stevens hasn't even gotten to a finals and you guys are putting him over Popovich?

 

[The Q]

There's only one way to decide this. Stevens vs Popovich Rock Paper Scissors, best 2 out of 3

Pop lost in round 1 without his best player.

Stevens is 1 win from the ECF without his 2 best players.

Kerr has to be in the convo as well. He won his titles way faster than Pop did.

 

[The Q]

Actual photo of Brad Stevens heading to work this morning:

 

[Heatles84]

Pop lost in round 1 without his best player.

Stevens is 1 win from the ECF without his 2 best players.

Kerr has to be in the convo as well. He won his titles way faster than Pop did.

You don't think Pop running into the Warriors is something that should be considered?

I think Stevens is a great coach. But I'm not putting him above Pop just yet. Having said that, I think it's only a matter of time before Stevens is considered the best coach in the NBA.

 

[The Q]

You don't think Pop running into the Warriors is something that should be considered?

I think Stevens is a great coach. But I'm not putting him above Pop just yet. Having said that, I think it's only a matter of time before Stevens is considered the best coach in the NBA.

If you agree to take into account Pop wasn't a good coach before Duncan either.

It's been told that he was one game away from getting fired early in Duncan's career.

Frankly, the only reason we're even discussing Pop now is their tank job and some damn ping pong balls.

 

[Heatles84]

If you agree to take into account Pop wasn't a good coach before Duncan either.

It's been told that he was one game away from getting fired early in Duncan's career.

Frankly, the only reason we're even discussing Pop now is their tank job and some damn ping pong balls.

He also developed Manu and Parker who were 2nd round and late 1st round picks respectively into future HOFs. They swindled the Pacers out of Kawhi Leonard for George Hill, the former being a 1st round pick that the Spurs developed into a top 5 player in the league. And that 2014 Finals, Duncan was nowhere near his prime and just a role player.

No coach has ever been great without good-to-great players. Yes, Robinson's season ending injury allowed them to fall into the #1 pick. That's how the NBA works though. Lotto balls landing determine the outcome of franchises.

I do know that I've seen other coaches have stables of talent and not do crap and just turn out to be average coaches- Doug Collins, Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy, etc..

The real coaches are the ones that receive the talent and take them to championship level - Steve Kerr, Phil Jackson, Greg Popovich, etc...

But again, I've had conversations with you in the past about the Spurs. Your opinion is completely biased because you simply hate them. So I can't take one word you say about them with a modicum of seriousness.

 

[The Q]

He also developed Manu and Parker who were 2nd round and late 1st round picks respectively into future HOFs. They swindled the Pacers out of Kawhi Leonard for George Hill, the former being a 1st round pick that the Spurs developed into a top 5 player in the league. And that 2014 Finals, Duncan was nowhere near his prime and just a role player.

No coach has ever been great without good-to-great players. Yes, Robinson's season ending injury allowed them to fall into the #1 pick. That's how the NBA works though. Lotto balls landing determine the outcome of franchises.

I do know that I've seen other coaches have stables of talent and not do crap and just turn out to be average coaches- Doug Collins, Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy, etc..

The real coaches are the ones that receive the talent and take them to championship level - Steve Kerr, Phil Jackson, Greg Popovich, etc...

But again, I've had conversations with you in the past about the Spurs. Your opinion is completely biased because you simply hate them. So I can't take one word you say about them with a modicum of seriousness.

Look at Pop without duncan. The facts speak for themselves.

The held robinson out to tank.

yes the GM made a great deal for kawhi and they took advantage twice in the last 15 years of a projected lottery pick at PG who well late into the draft on draft night (Parker in 01, Murray in 2016).

But lets see what Pop does without duncan.

I'm right on this. If you can't handle it and need to try and make yourself feel better, that's your problem.

 

[Heatles84]

Look at Pop without duncan. The facts speak for themselves.

The held robinson out to tank.

yes the GM made a great deal for kawhi and they took advantage twice in the last 15 years of a projected lottery pick at PG who well late into the draft on draft night (Parker in 01, Murray in 2016).

But lets see what Pop does without duncan.

I'm right on this. If you can't handle it and need to try and make yourself feel better, that's your problem.

The general consensus on this board would vehemently disagree with you. I've seen Pop without prime Duncan, he won a title in 2014 where the team was focused around Kawhi and 3-point shooting. Pop has adapted his offense to the direction the league went. In the late 90's and early 2000's, his teams were focused on around Robinson and Duncan and would score at will in the paint. When the league started transitioning more towards faster pace and three-pointers, he successfully transitioned his team to that style of play.

As far as what Pop has or will do without Pop is irrelevant. I do knot that he brought his team to the WCF last year and got swept once Kawhi went down for the series with an ankle injury. Before the injury some were split on how the series would go. And if the Spurs were to have gotten by the Dubs with a healthy Kawhi, they might've beaten Cleveland to.

Besides, name me a coach that has one without a premier talent? Only one I can think of is Carlisle who still had prime Dirk and Larry Brown whom had a team of really good players that were respectively short of being all stars. Outside of that, what has Phil Jackson done without MJ, Shaq, and/or Kobe? What has Riley done without Magic, Kareem, or Wade? You see how that works?

 

[flyerhawk]

Arguing against Pop being a great coach is asinine. Then again, arguing that an NBA coach was/is only great because of the players that they coached is just as dumb.