NY Knicks: Where does Tom Thibodeau rank among NBA coaches?
By Max Hoover
Do you think NY Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau will be in this tier one day?
5. Nick Nurse (Raptors): 61.1% career winning percentage; 2/3 playoff appearances; one conference finals appearance; 1 NBA Finals appearance; one NBA Title; one NBA Coach of the Year award
4. Doc Rivers (76ers): 58.5% career winning percentage; 17/22 playoff appearances; three conference finals appearances; two NBA Finals appearances; one NBA Title; one NBA Coach of the Year award
3. Mike Budenholzer (Bucks): 58.9% career winning percentage; 7/8 playoff appearances; two conference finals appearances; one NBA Finals appearance; one NBA Title; two NBA Coach of the Year awards
2. Steve Kerr (Warriors): 68.7% career winning percentage; 5/7 playoff appearances; five conference finals appearances; five NBA Finals appearances; three NBA Titles; one NBA Coach of the Year award
1. Gregg Popovich (Spurs): 66.7% career winning percentage; 22/25 playoff appearances; nine conference finals appearances; six NBA Finals appearances; five NBA Titles; three NBA Coach of the Year awards
To make it to this year you had to have a ring and a Coach of the Year award. That narrowed the list down to five worthy coaches.
The only iffy name to me here is Nurse. He technically checks all the boxes, but most of his great work came in that first year with Kawhi Leonard on the roster. I’m not sure he’d make Tier 1 with different criteria.
Budenholzer deserves a nod. He’s always been a great coach, and I’m glad he’s finally getting his flowers.
The top name on the list was a no-brainer. Popovich is one of the greatest head coaches of all time.
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