NBA Coaching Hires: Experience vs. Potential

The philosophy of an NBA team comes from the coach. Coaching determines the way a team plays basketball, but some coaches don't do any more than create a loosely defined offensive and defensive system. When you can find one of those few coaches who can affect your team-whether it's with a perfected defensive system like Tom Thibodeau, an unparalleled motivational skill like Doc Rivers, or a supremely efficient rotation like Gregg Popovich-that is when you found a truly great coach.

Two available coaches really inspired massive buzz this offseason: Stan Van Gundy and Steve Kerr. SVG represents experience here. Here's a guy who's coached for seven years as an NBA head coach and almost thirty years in total. Van Gundy represents the traditional coach: he worked his way up through the NCAA ranks, then became an NBA assistant and then an NBA coach.  At least for a while, he was able to handle the explosive personalities of Dwight Howard and Shaquille O'Neal. We assume he's a great coach because he led a team to the NBA Finals and has a lot of experience. But looking back on his resume, what makes me have the initial reaction of thinking this is a great hire for Detroit? There's nothing unusually incredible about his career so far. He's certainly not a bad coach, and maybe the GM duties the Pistons are giving him will help him construct a team perfectly suited to his style. But somehow my gut reaction was to think that his experience, in and of itself, makes him great.

That brings us to Steve Kerr. When I heard that the Warriors had hired Kerr, my first thought that didn't involve the words "Phil Jackson" was that the Warriors might have needed an experienced coach after the firing of Mark Jackson. Grabbing another coach with no prior experience, I thought, might not work out so well for Golden State. But really, what does that matter? Every coach was a first timer at one point. Yes, there is something to be said for the fact that Van Gundy started in the relatively low-stakes role of a small college's assistant coach while Kerr will be starting in the NBA. Yet that neglects the fact that Kerr learned how to coach a basketball team from two of the best ever in Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich, and that Kerr knows all about chemistry and winning from being on one of the biggest chemistry successes ever, the late '90s Bulls. Plus, Kerr knows the inner workings of the league from his time as Suns GM. Kerr is a swing-for-the-fences hire: he has a chance of being a truly great coach. We have an idea of what the SVG era in Detroit is going to be like, but we don't know what Steve Kerr will do. That risk-reward factor, though it casts doubt on the Warriors' decision in one sense, makes this a great hire with great possibilities for a young team on the rise.

Potential and experience often come into conflict when making a decision to hire or not to hire a coach. Many teams like to hire young assistants from other squads or former players like Kerr in order to maximize the potential factor. Others are afraid to take such a risk and go after more experienced options. But a coaching disaster can occur regardless of the coach's experience. First-time coach Jason Kidd went though a rough stretch this year where it looked like he might be fired. But Kidd was able to learn from his mistakes and right the ship, while more experienced coaches like Mike Woodson and Mike Brown couldn't fix the issues that plagued their team. Woodson's and Brown's teams will be paying those two coaches to stay away from their team next season after firing the coaches in the middle of their contracts, while the Nets will still feature Kidd front and center. Sure, there are examples of inexperienced coaches being fired relatively quickly, but you can say the same for experienced ones. Coaches who came in with no prior experience may include failures like Vinny Del Negro and Kevin Pritchard, but they also include greats such as Don Nelson and Doc Rivers. At the end of the day, there are three types of coaches: coaches that hurt your team, coaches that have little to no effect on your team, and coaches that make your team better. With an experienced coach, you often times know which of those options you're getting, and since great, experienced coaches usually don't randomly become available, you usually end up with a mediocre or bad coach. With an inexperienced leader, you have a real shot at true greatness. That's why Steve Kerr's coaching potential was too much for the Warriors to pass up.

Find me on twitter @JGBHoops!

Top 5 Active NBA Point Guards- #1

1. Chris Paul 

When it comes to floor generals, Chris Paul is the don-dadda, the cream of the crop and the alpha male. Paul's dominance is not restricted to just one position, as he's not only the league's best point guard, but also one of the league's best players.

Many try to discredit Paul by claiming he hasn't enjoyed much postseason success, but there is still an abundance of time left in the 29 year old's career to truly assert himself as a legendary figure when it comes to point guards. Paul may not have the championship rings of Tony Parker, or the Finals experience of Rajon Rondo, but he does possess talent that surpasses both of those guards.

Paul is averaging 19.1 PPG, 10.7 APG which is tops in the NBA and 4.3 RPG. He shoots 46.7% from the floor and 36.8% from downtown. He's 6th in scoring among PG's and 3rd in FG%. Paul is 6th in PER league wide 25.9, which makes him the highest rated point guard in this category.

He also leads the league in steals per game at 2.48. CP3 has 39 double-double's this season, which is 1st among point guards and 10 more than second place guard John Wall. Also, his 11 double-double's at the beginning of the season tied Magic Johnson's record of most double-double's to start a season.

What's most remarkable is the discipline Chris Paul displays when the ball is in his hands. He has 663 assists in only 62 games which places him 4th among point guards. The three guards ahead of him all have 220 turnovers or more, with two of them turning over the ball 290+ times. Paul isn't even top 20 in turnovers among the league as a whole.

Obviously, Paul has only participated in 62 contests due to injury, and if he had been able to play the entire season his turnover numbers would be higher, but this is still a remarkable feat.

With numbers such as these, CP3 has the highest assist to turnover ratio in the league (4.57) which is absolutely outrageous. The next highest is Pablo Prigioni at 3.88, but he only logs 19.5 MPG, compared to Paul's 35.

 Paul possess some of the best handles in the NBA. His crossovers are speedy, his dribbles effective and his overall orchestration of the offense is a thing of beauty. Obviously Blake Griffin's emergence lifts some of the heavy offensive burden off of Paul's shoulders, but make no mistake, he slings the rock and shares the wealth unlike anyone else.

Paul leads the league in assist percentage at 48.8% and he creates the most points a game with his assists at 24.5 a game. Add this with the 19.1 PPG he scores a game, and CP3 is single handily responsible for 43.6 PPG for Los Angeles.

He's an offensive force at the point guard position that's not to be dealt with, as Paul's talents allow him to carve up the toughest defenses on a nightly basis. He's a dual threat, as he can provide the Clippers with a much needed scoring punch, or simply rip a defensive scheme to shreds with precise and crisp ball movement.

Statistics illustrate Paul's wizardry on the offensive end perfectly, as he's 2nd in offensive rating (124.7,) 6th in offensive win shares (9.1,) and 7th in total win shares (12.3.) No surprise, that Paul maintains the league's most potent offense as LAC leads the league in PPG at 108. He has 23 games with 12 assists or more, including a 42 point, 15 assist triumph against Golden State and a 34 point, 16 assist, 6 steal showing against Portland.

Unlike some players, who just dabble in dominance on the offensive end, Paul has the ability to extend his terror to the defensive side of the ball as well. In addition to leading the league in steals per game, CP is second in steal percentage at 3.5% and his defensive win shares sit nicely at 3.2.

From a physicality standpoint, the former Wake Forest star isn't the most intimidating match up, but his steady stream of trash talk and the Clippers high octane attack can frustrate opponents who aren't completely emotionally stable. This forces certain players into mistakes or even confrontations that can result in the assessment of technical fouls or even an ejection.

Paul plays the passing lanes very well, and when he's fired up he will really get engaged defensively and take it personally to stop the opposition from finding any success or rhythm offensively. Paul's constant barking on both ends is an attempt to rectify any and all mistakes the Clippers may make. He's a coach on the floor, and a fantastic leader, which are the most important traits a point guard must possess. This is why Paul flourishes so much, and why his teammates enjoy playing with him.

Paul's leadership tactics are incredible, as he plugs everyone into their comfort zone, allowing them to prosper to the highest degree possible. He listens, he communicates and he dictates the entire flow of the game to favor his team. He's made numerous players better, and continues to do so as his intensity and dedication rubs off on others. Blake Griffin has risen as one of the league's best players this year, and a huge reason for him elevating his game is Chris Paul.

Paul constantly chirps about winning, his championship aspirations and holding everyone to a certain standard of excellence. Loafing and coasting will not be tolerated, and although annoyed at times, Griffin realized he must improve to truly help Paul and the Clippers hunt down a championship. The pressure on Griffin was immense, yet he worked on his game and rose to the occasion.

Pressure in the NBA simply means you have untapped potential. Potential to impact a team so significantly that it may be the difference between bathing in championship success, or drowning in the murky waters of defeat. Simply put, pressure means greatness potentially awaits.

The pressure is on the Clippers this postseason, as they hope an improved roster, coaching staff and Griffin is enough to push them to the top. Having the best point guard in the league certainly helps as when thinking of floor generals, Chris Paul is considered the best. He is the mantle and there is absolutely no debating this.


Is Chris Paul the league's BEST point guard? If not, who is? Did you agree with my rankings? Share thoughts and opinions with me on Twitter (@wcboyer24) and continue to support The Basketball Society. 

All-NBA Picks 2013-14

The All-NBA teams are my favorite awards of the year. The concept for finding out who was best in a certain season that is the All-Star teams is already great. The All-NBA teams take that idea and remove the variables of fans voting for the most popular players over the best like Kobe this year, the East-West division causing greats like Tim Duncan to miss the game while guys like Joe Johnson make it in, and the fact that a midseason analysis can't possibly cover things like Paul George's late season nosedive and Goran Dragic's second half rise. The All-NBA teams give you a definitive ranking of who were the top players at each position in a season. Only a select few get to vote for the actual teams, but that won't stop me from delivering my picks for the All-NBA squads for 2013-14.

2013-14 Third Team All NBA: (find past Third Team All-NBA results here)

G: Tony Parker

Every single year Parker gets underrated because he doesn't put up the kind of numbers that guys like Chris Paul do. It's easy to forget that the guy plays 28 minutes a game like the rest of the Spurs, and his absolutely masterful offensive game. Watch him closely, Tony has some moves that no one else in basketball even dares to try. 

G: John Wall

Michael Conley Jr. deserves consideration for this spot even though he likely won't get it. Conley and Wall actually have similar resumes, from points and assists per game to advanced stats like PER. Wall gets the edge for emerging as the star of the 5 seeded Wizards, while Conley has been at this level for a while and plays with two intimidating big men in Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol who help get him looks and assists. Wall doesn't play with anyone close to their level and still has a slight statistical edge on Conley, which is why I gave him the nod. 


F: Carmelo Anthony

If you think the Knicks are a train wreck now, wait until you see them without the perennially underrated Melo next season. Yeah, I said it. Go ahead and call me out on it if it doesn't happen. What reason does he have to stay? By the way, I originally had Anthony on the second team. But with how stacked the forward position is, New York's struggles push him down to third team for me.


F: Dirk Nowitzki

The forward position is absolutely stacked. There were so many candidates for this spot: Anthony Davis has emerged as a superstar, Kawhi Leonard has silently become a defensive assassin and improved his offensive game, Paul George had a great start to the season, Kevin Love carried the Wolves to an above-.500 record. But I have to give Dirk the nod here for being the leader and best player on a team that absolutely never should have made the playoffs. And I have to admit that I've been a huge Dirk fan for years and that any of the above candidates would be just as deserving here. But I'll give Nowitzki the nod, because to me all the candidates are pretty much evil on paperit takes something extra to be the emotional leader and best player on a playoff team, something none of the others can claim.

C: Al Jefferson

Another tough one. I gave the nod to Big Al over Dwight Howard for a similar reason that I chose Dirk for that last forward spot: Jefferson has led the Bobcats to the playoffs with pretty much just Kemba and coach Steve Clifford as help while Dwight has the best SG in the league, one of the best three point shooters in the league, a top defensive point guard, and a solid bench to help him out. Even if the Bobcats wouldn't be in the West playoffs, they're still Al's squad and he's certainly stepped it up in his first year in Charlotte.

2013-14 Second Team All NBA: (past results here)

G: Chris Paul

Despite missing a solid month in the middle of the season, CP3 has been as excellent as ever. He led the league in assists per game by a significant margin and has developed a true chemistry with Blake Griffin. This season we've seen Paul's absolute peak.

G: Goran Dragić

Dragić has made an incredible leap and he's suddenly a very real candidate for one of these spots. He's an extremely efficient scorer and nearly led a Suns cast that looks sub par on paper to the playoffs. I'm hoping Dragić can keep it going through next season- the Eric Bledsoe-Dragić-Gerald Green backcourt was one of the NBA's most exciting this season.

F: LaMarcus Aldridge

Aldridge is the total leader of that Portland team that became one of the league's biggest surprises, starting off the season hot and never relinquishing a playoff spot. He was an early season MVP candidate and he's redefined what that team is and helped take some of the leadership load off Dame Lillard.


F: Blake Griffin

For the first time in his career, no one is talking about Blake Griffin. Yet he's having what is by far his best season ever. He's improved in all facets of his game- no one can say he "just dunks" now.

C: Tim Duncan

There's no chance Duncan ends up here on the real team- he'll either be on third team or completely out of the race because guys like Dwight Howard and Al Jefferson have more buzz. But man, is the guy efficient. He's averaging very similar numbers to Howard despite playing almost five less minutes per game. It's unbelieveable that the guy can still do this. The debate over whether to call him a center or a forward might also hurt Duncan, but since he was classified as a center in his first-team placing last year I'll keep him there.

2013-14 First Team All-NBA: (past results here)

G: Stephen Curry

While Curry is a defensive liablity, he's a master of offense, probably the league's best offensive player. Steve Nash won two MVPs with that formula, so why can't it work for Curry?

G: James Harden

Like Curry, Harden isn't great at defense, and does sometimes make dumb plays on that end, but his slashing ability is unparalleled in the league. Remember when the NBA's best shooting guard was a debate? Well, now it's not even close.

F: Kevin Durant

Come on, you think I'd leave the MVP off the All-NBA First Team?

F: LeBron James

Come on, you think I'd leave the best player in the league off the All-NBA First Team?

C: Joakim Noah
Joakim is gonna run away with Defensive Player of the year and he's become an amazing passer, something non-Bulls fans might not know. The guy is regularly getting near triple doubles, and since the Luol Deng trade he's averaging over 7 assists per game to go with his double-double in points and boards. This has been a major season of improvement for Noah and he's become the league's best center.

#8 - New York Knicks

Despite popular criticism, last season was a success for the New York Knicks. They won their first playoff series in over a decade, finished second-best in the Eastern Conference, and won the Atlantic Division for the first time since 1994. Improving from last season essentially means now advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals. I wrote two weeks ago that I believe this Knicks roster now has somewhat of a tougher build, which is why they are on this list, because two particular acquisitions give me such an impression.

The Knicks traded Steve Novak, Marcus Camby, Quentin Richardson, and draft picks to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Italian forward Andrea Bargnani this summer. The 7-foot center only played 35 games with Toronto last season due to injury, but head coach Mike Woodson knows he has a double-digit scorer and versatile offensive option with Bargnani, who can virtually score from anywhere on the floor. Woodson even expressed a desire in the preseason to experiment with Carmelo Anthony and Bargnani in the front court when Tyson Chandler inevitably hits foul trouble. That then of course becomes a question of Bargnani's defensive responsibilities, which Marc Berman from the New York Post reported yesterday is becoming Bargnani's biggest struggle in his transition. This brings me to the Knicks' other notable acquisition.

Metta World Peace brings tenacity wherever he goes. His motor, effort, and intimidation can certainly help toughen up the mental make-up of this Knicks team, with occasional shot-making and perhaps plenty of post offense to match. I think the Knicks now have a little more offense, not without mentioning their 24th overall draft pick Tim Hardaway Jr., who has not been shy this preseason, and a little more defense. Still, New York needs to find a collective identity with these additions and remain healthy to show why they deserve a shot at the two-time defending champs in the Eastern Conference, as opposed to their much-improved peers. The best way to discourage Carmelo Anthony from indulging in free agency next summer is to find a way to make that leap this season.

Other addition: Ben Udrih


- Martin S. @marley_mcfly

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Can the Knicks improve this season?

Attention has gradually made its away from the New York Knicks since their second-round playoff elimination against the Indiana Pacers in last season's playoffs. At least in the Eastern Conference, the focus shifted towards the blockbuster and sudden contender in Brooklyn, the anticipatory return of Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose, how Brad Stevens and Rajon Rondo plan to sustain in Boston, and so forth. As my man Sekou Smith from ESPN entitled his recent post on Hang Time Blog, "No love for the Knicks?"

Not much was made of the Knicks' roster moves this offseason. Their biggest (or most subtle) splash was the acquisition of Toronto Raptors forward and former No. 1 overall pick Andrea Bargnani, a 7-foot forward who at the very least, provides another scoring option and floor spacer for the third-rated offense in the NBA last season. Reigning Sixth Man of the Year J.R. Smith was re-signed along with veteran Kenyon Martin. The Knicks signed free agent point guard Ben Udrih to a one-year deal as back up for Raymond Felton and veteran Pablo Prigioni. After clearing waivers and becoming a free agent, New York also signed Queensbridge native Metta World Peace to a two-year deal after being amnestied by the Los Angeles Lakers. The Knicks' draft pick of Tim Hardaway Jr. at 24th overall suggested their uncertainty of being able to re-sign J.R. Smith at the time, but Hardaway Jr. has gained some confidence in this preseason and could be another bench spark with Smith.

LINK: Magic Johnson says Metta World Peace makes the Knicks a championship team

World Peace's presence could be the invaluable temperament the Knicks need most. From a basketball standpoint, he'll be a reserve called upon to do the things he can do -- scrap, claw, intimidate, defend, and make a few open shots. But I now also think World Peace might be the Knicks' most willing and reliable post player outside of Carmelo Anthony. He's a bruiser and a capable passer from the block, which frankly was not present in any of Mike Woodson's personnel last season. Unfortunately, Amar'e Stoudemire can't seem to overcome his digression of health and regressive impact on this team when he's on the floor. The Knicks were most successful last season with Anthony creating mismatches at that 4-spot as opposed to going big with Stoudemire and Chandler. With Bargnani, World Peace, Udrih, and Hardaway Jr. the Knicks have a little more offense, a little more defense, and a bit more for Mike Woodson to work with in terms of line ups and depth.

Despite trading Steve Novak in the Bargnani deal and losing Jason Kidd, who were the Knicks' third and fourth-leading three-point shooters from last season, and losing Chris Copeland to the Pacers, I think this Knicks team now has a tougher build. Last season's playoff elimination was only a disappointment because New York gave ample reason to believe they were the only credible opposition to Miami in the Eastern Conference; finishing the season with 54 wins, good for second best in the East, and winning their first playoff series in over a decade was still a success. Frankly, improving from last season would now mean advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals. The experiential progression of assets such as Iman Shumpert, who I feel has emerged as their most reliable two-way player, Raymond Felton, and J.R. Smith are vital for such an improved Knicks season. I want to see their identity early on with these new additions and, as always, how effectively they diversify their efforts around Carmelo Anthony, who has just stated his desire to explore the free agent market next summer.

- Martin S. @marley_mcfly

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