Billy Donovan

[lynbug]

Has any other college to pro coach experienced the first-year success that he has had?  Just wondering.  (Yeah, I know.....Durant and Westbrook).

[jjdlc]

I don't really know the answer to your question, but I doubt many college to pro coaches have inherited as good of a situation.

[Wisco Pig]

Was going to say that Steve Kerr won the title with Golden State last year as a rookie head coach, but missed the part about college to pro.

[HognitiveDissonance]

Considering Durant and Westbrook have been together for several years now, I don't see one can NOT give Billy D a lot of credit here. What they're doing is remarkable, the Spurs and Warriors were practically invincible this season.

However, this series is NOT over yet. The Warriors will win Game 5 and pressure will be on the Thunder to close it out in Game 6 at home. The pressure may get to them, because if it gets back to Oracle for Game 7 it's over.

[Dr. Starcs]

They made it to the finals with Scott brooks.

Lets see them win a title before annointing Eddie Munster anything.

[HognitiveDissonance]

They made it to the finals with Scott brooks.

Lets see them win a title before annointing Eddie Munster anything.

Yes, they did, way back in 2011 and got run out by the Heat. The West is much, much stronger now.
I would already consider this a better season no matter what happens from here out.
Of course, makes you wonder where this Thunder team has been all year.

[Jonteviosk]

Yes, they did, way back in 2011 and got run out by the Heat. The West is much, much stronger now.
I would already consider this a better season no matter what happens from here out.
Of course, makes you wonder where this Thunder team has been all year.

to be honest 55-27 is hardly a bad record man lol

[Kevin]

Lots of jealously in here

[Hawg Red]

Lots of jealously in here

Thunder are looking at knocking off a 67-win and 73-win team on their way to the Finals, where they would be the favorites over a LeBron James-led team with two other All-Star. If they pull this off, it will be one of the greatest title runs of all time and Donovan will have gotten this Thunder roster (whose core has been together for years) to finally play up to its potential.

And people are still trying to discredit Donovan's job because he coached at Florida. Get over it. Man's one of the best to ever coach the game and he continues to prove that. Hell, I'm glad he's killing it in the NBA now instead of still at Florida.

[King Kong]

He is an excellent coach and proved that at FL. FL is not an easy place to win in basketball

[opineonswine]

Seems very impressive to me.

[hog.goblin]

Thunder are looking at knocking off a 67-win and 73-win team on their way to the Finals, where they would be the favorites over a LeBron James-led team with two other All-Star. If they pull this off, it will be one of the greatest title runs of all time and Donovan will have gotten this Thunder roster (whose core as been together for years) to finally play up to its potential.

And people are still trying to discredit Donovan's job because he coached at Florida. Get over it. Man's one of the best to ever coach the game and he continues to prove that. Hell, I'm glad he's killing it in the NBA now instead of still at Florida.

A lot of truth here

[azhog10]

The thing I've been most impressed with is how he's managed the team. You haven't heard a lot about there being rifts between players and coach. That's the most common thing you hear about when a coach makes a jump like that. He's managed his suprestars well and Westbrook as great as he is, also has a strong opinion as well. I also like how he's used his timeouts against the Warriors. Outside of a couple instances anytime he feels like GSW are going on a run he calls a quick timeout and gets his team refocused and normally stops the bleeding real quick.

[McKdaddy]

Seems very impressive to me.

Agreed.

Good article on Durant, the Thunder, and BD's learning curve....
http://www.si.com/nba/2016/05/24/kevin-durant-oklahoma-city-thunder-warriors-nba-playoffs

[Wisco Pig]

I wanted to return to the original question because it's a good one. The following, I think, is the list of the best NBA rookie coaching performances coming immediately after the transition from college.

1. Butch van Breda Kolff: He coached Princeton from 1962 to 1967, and led the Tigers to the Final Four in 1965. The captain of that team was Bill Bradley. In 1968, van Breda Kolff led the Lakers to a 52-30 season and a trip to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Celtics.

2. Harry Gallatin: He coached Southern Illinois from 1959 to 1962, then led the St. Louis Hawks to the 1963 NBA division finals (the league semifinals at that point). The Hawks went 48-32 that year.

3. Fred Schaus: He coached West Virginia from 1954 to 1960, and led the Mountaineers to the Final Four in 1959 with a guard named Jerry West. In 1961, Schaus guided the Lakers to the NBA division finals. Note, however, that their regular-season record was only 36-43 in an eight-team league.

4. (Honorable mention) Jack Ramsay: He coached at St. Joe's from 1955 to 1966, including a Final Four team in 1961, and then was named general manager of the 76ers, who promptly won the NBA championship in 1967. Ramsay became the Sixers' head coach a year later.

So, unless I'm missing someone, I think Donovan moves to the top of this list if OKC advances to the finals.

Edited to add:  P.J. Carlesimo belongs somewhere in this list as well, even though his 94-95 Trail Blazers were swept out of the first round of the playoffs.

[FineAsSwine]

Lots of jealously in here

Have read each post and scanned carefully for traces of jealousy. None found. System clean.

[poloprince]

I'm crowning Billy D

[Big Nasty 34]

On Mike and Mike they were talking about Rookie coaches in general. Before Kerr, Pat Riley was the last coach to win a title in his first year. Paul Westhead before Pat.

[McKdaddy]

I wanted to return to the original question because it’s a good one. The following, I think, is the list of the best NBA rookie coaching performances coming immediately after the transition from college.

1. Butch van Breda Kolff: He coached Princeton from 1962 to 1967, and led the Tigers to the Final Four in 1965. The captain of that team was Bill Bradley. In 1968, van Breda Kolff led the Lakers to a 52-30 season and a trip to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Celtics.

2. Harry Gallatin: He coached Southern Illinois from 1959 to 1962, then led the St. Louis Hawks to the 1963 NBA division finals (the league semifinals at that point). The Hawks went 48-32 that year.

3. Fred Schaus: He coached West Virginia from 1954 to 1960, and led the Mountaineers to the Final Four in 1959 with a guard named Jerry West. In 1961, Schaus guided the Lakers to the NBA division finals. Note, however, that their regular-season record was only 36-43 in an eight-team league.

4. (Honorable mention) Jack Ramsay: He coached at St. Joe’s from 1955 to 1966, including a Final Four team in 1961, and then was named general manager of the 76ers, who promptly won the NBA championship in 1967. Ramsay became the Sixers’ head coach a year later.

So, unless I'm missing someone, I think Donovan moves to the top of this list if OKC advances to the finals.

Edited to add:  P.J. Carlesimo belongs somewhere in this list as well, even though his 94-95 Trail Blazers were swept out of the first round of the playoffs.

Thx for the research.  +1 if I could.

[Dr. Starcs]

I'm fine with praising him IF he actually wins the title.

Fact is, okc has already been to this level of the playoffs before, with a more inexperienced roster.

[Hawg Red]

I'm fine with praising him IF he actually wins the title.

Fact is, okc has already been to this level of the playoffs before, with a more inexperienced roster.

But had not toppled nearly the level of competition. San Antonio and Golden State had two of the better regular seasons in NBA history this season. If OKC makes it past GS, no, it will not be anything remotely equal to their previous Finals run. That was also the lockout-shortened season.

The NBA was very top-heavy this year, but OKC is going to have to go through each one of those teams at the top. Donovan is routinely getting praised for specific adjustments in these playoffs, something that I don't recall never happening with Scott Brooks (in fact, it was often the opposite -- lot of costly coaching errors). Donovan is the difference here, or at least the biggest difference. I don't see how those to Cleveland (or Toronto) if they make it past GS, having already beaten San Antonio, but even if they did, I'd still have to say a runner-up season here still tops the last one.

[Dr. Starcs]

I mean its debatable. Durant was hurt last year and he and Westbrook are definitely more seasoned now as well.

I just think nobody is really gonna care if they can't close the deal with a title. Granted, this run may be enough to keep Durant in okc, but even that is up in the air.

[Hawg Red]

I mean its debatable. Durant was hurt last year and he and Westbrook are definitely more seasoned now as well.

I just think nobody is really gonna care if they can't close the deal with a title. Granted, this run may be enough to keep Durant in okc, but even that is up in the air.

True, the job Donovan did will be quickly forgotten about if they don't go all the way. But it's really looking like they're gonna go all the way. I think they'll beat GS in 6 and probably Cleveland in 6 as well.

[Dr. Starcs]

Finals will be interesting too. Cleveland had been playing unbelievable up until the weekend, albeit against much weaker competition.

I believe the cavs would also have home court in an okc matchup.

[Hawg Red]

Finals will be interesting too. Cleveland had been playing unbelievable up until the weekend, albeit against much weaker competition.

I believe the cavs would also have home court in an okc matchup.

Yep, Cleveland would have HCA. 57 wins to OKC's 55.

[clutch]

What he's done this series has been impressive. He's shown that the Warriors do have a weakness, something nobody else has been able to do for the past two seasons.

[Inhogswetrust]

I wanted to return to the original question because it's a good one. The following, I think, is the list of the best NBA rookie coaching performances coming immediately after the transition from college.

1. Butch van Breda Kolff: He coached Princeton from 1962 to 1967, and led the Tigers to the Final Four in 1965. The captain of that team was Bill Bradley. In 1968, van Breda Kolff led the Lakers to a 52-30 season and a trip to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Celtics.

2. Harry Gallatin: He coached Southern Illinois from 1959 to 1962, then led the St. Louis Hawks to the 1963 NBA division finals (the league semifinals at that point). The Hawks went 48-32 that year.

3. Fred Schaus: He coached West Virginia from 1954 to 1960, and led the Mountaineers to the Final Four in 1959 with a guard named Jerry West. In 1961, Schaus guided the Lakers to the NBA division finals. Note, however, that their regular-season record was only 36-43 in an eight-team league.

4. (Honorable mention) Jack Ramsay: He coached at St. Joe's from 1955 to 1966, including a Final Four team in 1961, and then was named general manager of the 76ers, who promptly won the NBA championship in 1967. Ramsay became the Sixers' head coach a year later.

So, unless I'm missing someone, I think Donovan moves to the top of this list if OKC advances to the finals.

Edited to add:  P.J. Carlesimo belongs somewhere in this list as well, even though his 94-95 Trail Blazers were swept out of the first round of the playoffs.

Ramsay went on to win a championship as coach of the Portland Trailblazers. He is in the HOF. Years ago he was named one of the top 10 coaches in NBA history. He was called Dr. Jack because he had an earned Doctors degree from Penn.

[Dr. Starcs]

So how great of a job will donovan have done if okc ends up blowing a 3-1 lead?

[hoglady]

So how great of a job will donovan have done if okc ends up blowing a 3-1 lead?

They sure choked away that lead last night.
I was pulling for OKC but any basketball fan has to marvel at the shooting of Steph Curry (especially at crunch time). Then Thompson just played out of his mind last night.
But OKC still should have won - they just blew it.

[HogBreath]

Have read each post and scanned carefully for traces of jealousy. None found. System clean.

It's very obvious..... you are not able to recognize jealousy.

[McKdaddy]

So how great of a job will donovan have done if okc ends up blowing a 3-1 lead?

No doubt. Tough on a coach when your superstars combine for 34% shooting on 58 shots.

[lynbug]

I still think Donovan has done a remarkable first-year job.  I personally think that Klay Thompson's crazy 3-pt. shooting rattled OKC (turnovers in the last three minutes).  And  you know, if someone for GSW had to have a mind blowing night I'm glad it was him instead of Curry (not that Curry had a BAD night).  KT did set a NBA playoff 3-pt. record, didn't he?

[3kgthog]

When your +- is double digits to the negative for both your stars, that's bad. GS will choke the remaining life out of OKC in Game 7. <------ Master of the Obvious

[HOGINTENNESSEE]

So how great of a job will donovan have done if okc ends up blowing a 3-1 lead?

Still a pretty good job IMO. They are going against the team with the best regular season record of all time

[rzrbackramsfan]

I thought that okc would thump gsw tonight, as did a lot of people.  The conventional thinking is now that the Warriors will handle okc at home.  For that reason, I'm thinking okc might win.  I'm not a fan of either but am pulling for gsw a little bit, but it just seems like every time gsw get a defensive rebound it's like a miracle happened.  If gsw can get defensive rebounds, they'll probably win, if not, okc has a very good chance.

Adams is an animal. Trade him for bogut and gsw would have swept.

[wheelspigharvey]

What he's done this series has been impressive. He's shown that the Warriors do have a weakness, something nobody else has been able to do for the past two seasons.

Agreed, but what exactly is it? Size?

[Big Nasty 34]

Agreed, but what exactly is it? Size?

Really athletic size that can defend well on the perimeter and rebound well from every position.

[clutch]

I agree with Charles Barkley on what's happened to OKC the last two game. They reverted back to "hero ball" and it's cost them. Durant and Westbrook are taking too many shots. They had gone away from that in games 3 and 4 and won in blowout fashion.

[Iwastherein1969]

They sure choked away that lead last night.
I was pulling for OKC but any basketball fan has to marvel at the shooting of Steph Curry (especially at crunch time). Then Thompson just played out of his mind last night.
But OKC still should have won - they just blew it.

don't think OKC blew it, just that Golden State took it from them...the shooting of Klay Thompson was the key....when Thompson went on his run late in the third, OKC was getting ready to blow the game open from an 8 point lead or so up to 17 to 20 points...at that point it would have been over.. KT saved their bo-hineys a couple of nights ago

[Iwastherein1969]

I agree with Charles Barkley on what's happened to OKC the last two game. They reverted back to "hero ball" and it's cost them. Durant and Westbrook are taking too many shots. They had gone away from that in games 3 and 4 and won in blowout fashion.

That's what you get when you have Westbrook. You live and die with his performance. He is one brilliant player when he's the "good Westbrook"

[clutch]

OKC looked broken when they left the court. We will see how good Donovan is at influencing the mental game of players in game 7. That loss will be hard to bounce back from.

[hoglady]

OKC looked broken when they left the court. We will see how good Donovan is at influencing the mental game of players in game 7. That loss will be hard to bounce back from.

Yes - and really short time frame to get over it.
OKC players sounded broken in their post game press conference.
If they haven't rebounded mentally - tonight's game could get really ugly really fast.

[McKdaddy]

I agree with Charles Barkley on what's happened to OKC the last two game. They reverted back to "hero ball" and it's cost them. Durant and Westbrook are taking too many shots. They had gone away from that in games 3 and 4 and won in blowout fashion.

Agreed. The above paragraph is a description of the entire Thunder season in a nutshell.

[justmakeit2thebcs]

http://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2013/07/04/how-have-coaches-fared-making-the-jump-from-college-to-the-nba/

[hog.goblin]

Westbrook giveth and Westbrook taketh away

[alohawg]

Get Roberson out and Adams back in, now!

[hog.goblin]

Now I can root for GSW against the LeBron's.

[Dr. Starcs]

Eddie Munster.

Chokelahoma City.

[alohawg]

What a crap call to decide the game.

[Slater]

Paul Westhead was 15-13 at LaSalle in 1978-79
1979-80 Lakers hired Jack McKinney, Westhead took assistant job, McKinney bad accident Westhead took over and won it all with Rookie Magic Johnson