Is Popovich Better Than Red?

This is an transcript excerpt from CSNNE's Tanguay Show.  His guest, who is doing the talking is Kirk Minihane:



"I think Popovich is the best coach in the history of the sport," Minihane told Gary Tanguay on Arbella Early Edition. "He's even higher than [Red] Auerbach now. It's tougher to win now."

One more victory over the Heat in the Finals would add another NBA title to the four Pop has already won for San Antonio in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007.

Red won nine as a coach, including eight in a row. Phil Jackson has won 11 (six with the Bills, five with the Lakers).

Minihane said it's the multiple rebuiling jobs that put Pop over the top.

"I think it's harder in the NBA," Minihane said. "You saw he Celtics past the Sixers [in the 80s], the Pistons get past the Celtics, the Bulls get past the Pistons. That's the way it goes in the NBA. The Spurs were gone. A couple of times they were knocked down a peg. When you get knocked down you're usually gone. But they've come back time and time again...They've been good for a decade and a half."



bob




.

Hope this guy realizes everything else that Red did? Scouting, being the GM, the travel agent and on and on and on............

beat

The Spurs have been amazing. People have been writing the team's obituary for about the last five years.

Well, that's one man's opinion.

I would be reluctant to say he's a better coach, yet, than Red or Jackson. Maybe down the road he'll get there, but I think it's too soon to say.

I would say probably within the top 5 in NBA history, and maybe top 10 in basketball history overall.