Who said beating a dead horse wasn’t fun? I know I’ve already done three blogs on my all-time team selections, but how could I leave out the coaches? Some would say that without a good coach, you could have all the talent in the world and still win nothing. I wouldn’t probably say that, but some might. Still, this all about fun, right? Why not have a little more of it at the expense of that poor and ultimately dead, horse?
Red Auerbach, Head Coach
The role of head coach was simply a toss up. The two greatest coaches in the history of the NBA are obviously Red Auerbach and Phil Jackson. I decided to go with Red Auerbach for one simple reason, he’s old school. As much as people may revere Phil Jackson, there’s always that question of whether or not he’s just lucky. No one questions Red Auerbach. The guy is simply a legend. Could you imagine any player questioning Red?
Phil Jackson, 1st Assistant Coach
Just to make sure we’re all straight, I don’t believe Phil Jackson is lucky. Sure, he did have Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant to help him win his nine rings, but how many rings did the coaches of the Bulls and Lakers win with the same talent before Phil arrived? No one wins nine championship rings by mistake. Phil Jackson has one hell of a knack for bringing cohesion to a team. For a team with the greatest players of all time, Phil would be invaluable.
Pat Riley, 2nd Assistant Coach
This last season excluded, Pat Riley always seems to be able to at least get his teams to play good. Some of his teams have no doubt been better than others, but just about all of them have been good. It’s that consistency that’s led him to being one of the most successful coaches in NBA history. He was the Czar of one of the greatest teams in history in the 1980’s with the Showtime Lakers. No matter what else he does in Miami, that’ll always be what he’s most remembered for.
Greg Popovich, 3rd Assistant Coach
Very few coaches in the history of the sports have been able to get their teams to play with as much discipline as Greg Popovich. When you look at the great teams in NBA history, most of them led with the brilliance of their stars. The Spurs have brilliant talent, but their true strength comes from their commitment to always playing “the right way.” That has to come from the man in charge and for the Spurs that man in Greg Popovich. He may not be very personable or flashy, but he’s one of the best ever. There’s no disputing that about Popovich
So, who did I miss? Out of all of my all-time team selections, what was the biggest screw up? I know you guys have thoughts on it. Why don’t you fire up the comments section, and as always…
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