Greg Popovich the GOAT?

[TheBigVeto]

POP is GOAT coach since Red Auerbach. Fact.

[Djahjaga]

Originally Posted by 9erempiree

It's easier said than done. Having GOATs doesn't equate to championships. It needs that special coach to get them over the hump. You can call Phil a specialist when it comes to getting teams over the hump.

Let's say a team like the Buffalo Bills of the NFL, they went to the Super Bowl 4 times and couldn't win it. If there was a football equivalent to Phil, they would have gotten over the hump.

This is actually a really good way to think about it. Phil can take a talented team and push them over the hump. If the Thunder or the Clippers (imagine that lol) or even the Knicks got PJax, they'd be a serious threat to the Heat.

Pop is maybe more universal. Getting 21/10 out of Splitter is phenomenal. The stuff he does with (seemingly) spare parts is just ridiculous. Love watching a Pop led team hum on offense. Like clockwork.

[tikay0]

Originally Posted by daily

I have trouble putting Pops up with the greats. It's boom or bust in the playoffs, either win it all or bow out early. Great regular season coach, great at managing his players but once the playoff begin, He's not quite up there with Riley, Jackson or Auerbach

10 times he's had the best regular season record, six times the second best record but he's also bowed out of the playoffs in the first or second round 11 times

Agree with this.

[Djahjaga]

Originally Posted by daily

I have trouble putting Pops up with the greats. It's boom or bust in the playoffs, either win it all or bow out early. Great regular season coach, great at managing his players but once the playoff begin, He's not quite up there with Riley, Jackson or Auerbach

10 times he's had the best regular season record, six times the second best record but he's also bowed out of the playoffs in the first or second round 11 times

For what it's worth, he played in one of the most competitive conferences in recent history. The Lakers, the Mavs, the Suns, the Rockets, and the Spurs were all good-to-great teams at relatively the same time.

Consider someone like KC Jones, who coached the Bird Celtics when the East was stacked (well, ok, not stacked, per se, but the Sixers and the Pistons had some all time great teams). Would you rank KC ahead of Pop just because he had more middling successes than Pop?

Pop built a dynasty with Tim Duncan (first overall) and an older David Robinson (first overall), and kept it going without D-rob when he retired. Granted Duncan turned out to be the GOAT PF lol but I think he's had less talent to worth with than a lot of other GOAT coaches.

[tikay0]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the Spurs scouting staff more responsible for players like Parker and Ginobli?

I understand that Pops has to sign off on them, but it's not like he took huge risks with them, since they were both 2nd rd. picks.

Again, I don't know the full scoop on that, so don't flame me if I was wrong.

[atljonesbro]

Pop is definitely the GOAT coach. Phil Jackson wouldn't win like Pop could with that Spurs team.

[Fawker]

his core never wants to leave him and it has been a decade long. these guys can blossom anywhere else but he is great about cores and loyalty.

[TMT]

Pop is definitely great at what he does. Absolutely one of the best conductors in the history of the game. I think this team is underrated in terms of how great of a unit they are though. Tonight there were long stretches of the great chemistry we saw in last year's playoff run. When they are clicking on all cylinders, they are up there with the best in the league and can run with anybody. The key is sustaining that high level of play.

I can't say enough about Kawhi Leonard and where his confidence was at tonight. He was playing point forward tonight. At times he shot the ball Kobe-esque. Tiago also put it all out there, and proved he can stick around with some of the most physical bigs in the league tonight.

Can't say enough about the win tonight. This team has heart.

[Solid Snake]

Phil Jackson doesn't so much coach as he does instill philosophies into his teams.

I prefer Pop because he is actually a teacher, fights right there in the trenches with you. Phil has a more hands off approach.