What Are The Top Coaching Blunders In NBA Finals History

[west_tip]

This is still hindsight man. What the spurs wanted to avoid was the heat getting a clean look at a three. Pop's decision was in line with that. Duncan has terrible mobility at his age so it was a sound decision. Just bad luck

We'll have to agree to disagree. I see what you are saying, luck certainly played a part and I understand the rationale behind Pop's decision I just don't agree with it. I feel like Pop's decision was too conservative and showed too much respect to Bosh.

Also, by way of furthering this discussion has there been any similar occasions when a multiple Finals MVP has sat out a key stretch of a playoff game that his team wound up losing? I'm thinking it might be unprecedented but maybe someone can recall a similar situation?

[red1]

He reacted to Spoelstra; Pop's been the guy who had other coaches react to him his whole career. Spo wanted him to match his line up and won.

You are overanalyzing my friend. He made a good decision but the cards just didnt fall his way

[Fresh Kid]

One, that recently comes to mind, is when Gregg Popovich took Tim Duncan out late in game 6. It resulted in Chris Bosh getting a game changing rebound and passing it to Ray Allen. Ray Allen then made one of the biggest shots in NBA history, to tie the game for Miami. Ultimately, Miami went on to win the NBA Finals in game 7.

What other coaching blunders can you guys think of? Does any top this one?

nope, truthfully absolutely nuttin tops this.

[ZenMaster]

Its all the Heat could use yet they found themselves with 4 chances at it because Spurs couldn't get the rebound.

Bosh is not a lights out 3 point shooter so there was no reason for Pop to substitute Tim for that reason.

Bosh can hit open threes so there was a reason for Pop to substitute with someone who wouldn't leave him open at the 3pt line when that's all the other team would be gunning for.

[LAZERUSS]

Butch Van Breda Kolff in the 68-69 Finals. A case could be made that he did absolutely nothing right in the series (and to no one's surprise, quit immediately afterwards just before getting canned.) He never amounted to anything again.

[millwad]

Butch Van Breda Kolff in the 68-69 Finals. A case could be made that he did absolutely nothing right in the series (and to no one's surprise, quit immediately afterwards just before getting canned.) He never amounted to anything again.

Oh, shut it, funny how you blame Van Breda for Wilt's big time choking performance.

LA lost game 4 with 1 point, Wilt in that game made 2 out of 11 FT's which means he made pathetic 18% of his FT-attempts in that game.

LA also lost game 7 with 2 points and Wilt only made 4 out of 13 FT's in that game.

It's hilarious how you try to blame the biggest FT-choking performance of all-time by Wilt... on the poor coach.

[LAZERUSS]

Oh, shut it, funny how you blame Van Breda for Wilt's big time choking performance.

LA lost game 4 with 1 point, Wilt in that game made 2 out of 11 FT's which means he made pathetic 18% of his FT-attempts in that game.

LA also lost game 7 with 2 points and Wilt only made 4 out of 13 FT's in that game.

It's hilarious how you try to blame the biggest FT-choking performance of all-time by Wilt... on the poor coach.

Hmmm...

In game four, how about Baylor? He shot 2-14 from the field AND 1-6 from the line. Oh, and while Wilt shot poorly, how about Russell's 2-12 from the field, in a game in which Chamberlain grabbed 31 rebounds?

But let's get back to Van Breda Kolff in that game. The Lakers led, 88-87 late (and were leading in the series, 2-1), AND, they had the ball with only a few seconds remaining. So, of course VBK put the ball in Jerry West's hands, right? Nope, he let JOHNNY EGAN handle it. And, of course, Egan was stripped, and Sam Jones, while falling down, hit a miraculous shot at the buzzer, to win 89-88. Think about this...had Egan not lost the ball (or more appropriately, had WEST handled the ball), the Lakers would have won that game, and went up 3-1. And given that LA pounded Boston in game five (behind Chamberlain's demolition of Russell BTW), that ONE PLAY cost the Lakers a title.

BTW, Baylor also shot 2-12 in another loss, and 8-22 in game seven.


Oh, and in your game seven, in which you blamed Wilt for the loss. First of all, Chamberlain shot 7-8 from the field in that game (to Russell's 2-7 BTW)...while his teammates collectively were outshot by a .470 to .360 margin by Russell's teammates. Secondly, when Russell picked up his fifth PF early in the 4th quarter, the Lakers immediately went into Wilt, who went right around Russell for an easy basket. It would be the last time he would touch the ball on the offensive end. Oh, and Wilt, whose rebounding and defense had led a huge comeback from a 17 point deficit, down to seven, was left on the bench in the last five minutes by the genius coach, BVK...in a two point loss. Overall in that game seven, Chamberlain outscored Russell, 18-6, outshot Russell from the field, 7-8 to 2-7, outscored Russell from the line (4-2), and outrebounded Russell, 27-21, which included a 4th quarter margin of 7-2 (and again, in which Wilt only played seven minutes to Russell's 12.)

Another typical embarrassing post from Millwad...

[millwad]

Hmmm...

In game four, how about Baylor? He shot 2-14 from the field AND 1-6 from the line. Oh, and while Wilt shot poorly, how about Russell's 2-12 from the field, in a game in which Chamberlain grabbed 31 rebounds?

But let's get back to Van Breda Kolff in that game. The Lakers led, 88-87 late (and were leading in the series, 2-1), AND, they had the ball with only a few seconds remaining. So, of course VBK put the ball in Jerry West's hands, right? Nope, he let JOHNNY EGAN handle it. And, of course, Egan was stripped, and Sam Jones, while falling down, hit a miraculous shot at the buzzer, to win 89-88. Think about this...had Egan not lost the ball (or more appropriately, had WEST handled the ball), the Lakers would have won that game, and went up 3-1. And given that LA pounded Boston in game five (behind Chamberlain's demolition of Russell BTW), that ONE PLAY cost the Lakers a title.

BTW, Baylor also shot 2-12 in another loss, and 8-22 in game seven.


Oh, and in your game seven, in which you blamed Wilt for the loss. First of all, Chamberlain shot 7-8 from the field in that game (to Russell's 2-7 BTW)...while his teammates collectively were outshot by a .470 to .360 margin by Russell's teammates. Secondly, when Russell picked up his fifth PF early in the 4th quarter, the Lakers immediately went into Wilt, who went right around Russell for an easy basket. It would be the last time he would touch the ball on the offensive end. Oh, and Wilt, whose rebounding and defense had led a huge comeback from a 17 point deficit, down to seven, was left on the bench in the last five minutes by the genius coach, BVK...in a two point loss. Overall in that game seven, Chamberlain outscored Russell, 18-6, outshot Russell from the field, 7-8 to 2-7, outscored Russell from the line (4-2), and outrebounded Russell, 27-21, which included a 4th quarter margin of 7-2 (and again, in which Wilt only played seven minutes to Russell's 12.)

Another typical embarrassing post from Millwad...

This is the typical embarrasing post by you, instead of actually confronting me regarding Wilt's play you go on the normal rant where you pick scapegoats for Wilt's failures.

If your team gets beaten by one point, like LA did in the finals, in a game where Wilt made 2 out of 11 FT's you can't go on rants about other players and their failures.

Wilt had the worst FT-choking job in NBA history in that series, he blew two games in the finals due to being a horrible FT-shooter.

And look at you, you come here blaming his coach and Baylor. Why are you such a clown?

[SilkkTheShocker]

Are people really defending Pop's decision to sit Duncan that play? It was a stupid idea before the play even happened. You ride the players that took you there. Duncan was a defensive beast that whole series. He outsmarted himself and it cost him another championship. I mean he didn't learn his lesson from Vogel sitting Hibbert? You keep your defensive anchor in on these kinds of moments.

[LAZERUSS]

This is the typical embarrasing post by you, instead of actually confronting me regarding Wilt's play you go on the normal rant where you pick scapegoats for Wilt's failures.

If your team gets beaten by one point, like LA did in the finals, in a game where Wilt made 2 out of 11 FT's you can't go on rants about other players and their failures.

Wilt had the worst FT-choking job in NBA history in that series, he blew two games in the finals due to being a horrible FT-shooter.

And look at you, you come here blaming his coach and Baylor. Why are you such a clown?

Only a complete idiot Custerite like yourself would blame Wilt for losing that series. I just gave you the EXACT reasons why they lost, yet being the blind "Wilt-basher" that you are, you can't accept reality.

Chamberlain, despite being shackled by his incompetent coach, easily outplayed Russell;was the Lakers most efficient shooter in the entire post-season, while Baylor was their WORST (and yet was allowed to take far more shots than Wilt); and was the leading rebounder of the Finals, and by a wide
margin.

Of course, it is interesting that even a one-legged Wilt would go on to average 23 ppg, 24 rpg, and shoot .625 in the Finals in the very next season. Or a Chamberlain, at age 34, and only a year removed from major knee surgery, would outplay a PEAK Kareem in the 70-71 playoffs just two years later with a 22 ppg -19 rpg series. Or a 35 year old Wilt would win the FMVP just three years later with a 19 ppg, 23 rpg, .600 Finals.

But, no, let's not blame Van Breda Kolff...even though it was painfully obvious why Chamberlain was hardly scoring (and shooting) in the '69 Finals.

[Sarcastic]

Pat Riley not stopping John Starks from taking 18 shots in Game 7 in 1994.

[D.J.]

Pat Riley not stopping John Starks from taking 18 shots in Game 7 in 1994.

Surprised it took this long for someone to mention Riley/Starks. 2/18 in a 6 point loss. He goes even 6/18, Knicks win their first title in 21 years and Starks is most likely Finals MVP.