UncleRico said:
PlayerRep said:
I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but I think that as the years go on, people will be saying Kerr is the best coach of all time (NBA).
I would not be surprised if he steps down after this run. He is a great coach no doubt. But I think you have to look at Pop..22 straight years in the playoffs. 5 NBA championships and I would say without the star power the Warriors (or Phil Jackson had with Bulls and Lakers) have had. It all depends on how long Kerr wants to coach. If he decides to stay and the roster doesn't get blown up then perhaps.
Yes, Pop is a great coach, but to say he did it without the "star power" of the Warriors or the Bulls is to dismiss the talents of David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Genobili and Kawhi Leonard, among others. Duncan for an entire generation was one of the best post players in the game, something like 19 years. As a small-market team, the Spurs suffered from under-exposure in the media, but they did not suffer from lack of talent.
The only possible detraction from Kerr's legacy is longevity, and I fully agree, he may not stay around to establish that. He's got some serious health issues, and few things in life are as painful as a bad back.
But the system he's developed is a joy to behold. It blends the best of his mentors--Lute Olson,
Phil Jackson and Pop himself. New players are always surprised by how much fun practises are--loud music, side-contests, constant banter. His mantra of "strength in numbers" is more than a phrase--he practises it. This year's much-maligned bench was spectacular against the Blazers.
But I believe Kerr's legacy will be the "death lineup." Remember, back in 2015, their first championship, they were down 2-1 to the Cavs, and playing the fourth game in Cleveland. The big front-line of the Cavs had been killing the Warriors. Charles Barkley had proclaimed, "No jump-shooting team will ever win an NBA title."
This is when Kerr put Iguodala in the starting lineup--nobody taller than 6'7". The game started off terribly, the Warriors down by about eight. Kerr at that moment could have stopped the experiment. But then that lineup started clicking, and the Cavs could not adjust. The Warriors won that game handily, and took the next two games too.
The new era of "position-less" basketball had begun.
Yet Kerr's biggest coaching challenge may be just ahead--the Milwaukee Bucks. They play defense, have great guard play but also three seven-footers with athleticism and three-point range. Can the small-ball concept prevail? This will definitely test Kerr's coaching mettle.