2012-2013 NBA Rankings: Top 5 Coaches

2012-2013 NBA Predictions: Top 5 Head Coaches: The life of an NBA coach is tenuous one. After all, the NBA is as star-driven of a league as any in professional sports. If a franchise’s star player doesn’t like the head coach, there is a good chance that coach isn’t sticking around long. Not to mention the fact that mid-season coaching changes are commonplace. The bottom line is that there is a very short leash for a coach that isn’t getting his team to produce on the court. As a result, there is only a small group of elite coaches currently in the NBA. Here is a look at the top coaches in the NBA stack up heading into the upcoming season.

2012-2013 NBA Rankings: Top 5 Head Coaches

1.      Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs

Much like his veteran-heavy roster, Popovich doesn’t seem to be slipping much as he gets older. He has guided San Antonio do the most wins in the Western Conference in each of the last two seasons, and the Spurs have won the second-most games in the NBA during the stretch. He has four championships under his belt, and his .683 winning percentage is the second best among active coaches. Considering he has amassed that winning percentage over 1,246 games, there is no denying his ability to consistently lead teams to a bunch of wins year after year.

2.      Tom Thibodeau, Chicago Bulls

Yes, the sample size is small, but there is no denying what Thibodeau has accomplished since becoming the head coach of the Bulls. He has compiled a 112-36 record in his two seasons, and Chicago has won more games than any other team in the NBA during the stretch. His .752 winning percentage is the best among active coaches, and while some of the success can be chalked up to having Derrick Rose, Thibodeau’s defensive system has played a major role in reviving the franchise. Chicago has been one of the best teams in terms of scoring defense and field goal percentage defense since Thibodeau arrived, and it is translating into a bunch of wins.

3.      Doc Rivers, Boston Celtics

Rivers has spent his share of time on the hot seat since becoming a coach, but he has also guided Boston to a title and has consistently gotten the most out of his players. He has a .572 winning percentage for his career, and that percentage jumps to .599 since he has joined the Celtics. He is a defensive-oriented coach, and his teams are always among the best at playing in the half court. More importantly, Rivers’ teams are a tough out in the postseason. He might have a ton of championships to his name, but Rivers is a fighter and his teams follow suit.

4.      Scott Brooks, Oklahoma City Thunder

Granted, he fell into a good situation in Oklahoma City, but while Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have been evolving into two of the best players in the NBA, Brooks has been evolving into one of the best coaches. After taking some slumps early, the Thunder have gone from the Western Conference Semifinals to the Western Conference Finals to the NBA Finals in the last three years. Brooks’ winning percentage is at .582 and climbing, and a championship could be in the near future for Brooks and Oklahoma City. If he and the current core of players stick together, Brooks will be climbing up this list in the coming years.

5.      George Karl, Denver Nuggets

He is the NBA’s elder statesman in terms of games coached, but Karl has been about quality as much as quantity. His .602 winning percentage is the fifth best among active coaches, and with more than 1,800 games under his belt, his percentage isn’t padded by one or two good years. In fact, his winning percentage since joining Denver is even better (.625). Perhaps Karl’s biggest strength as a coach is his ability to adjust his coaching style to fit his personnel. He has been known to rub players the wrong way on occasion, but there is no denying that Karl can take just about any roster and find a way to win.

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