NBA Playoffs 2011: Is Erik Spoelstra a Better Coach than Tom Thibodeau?
In just a few hours, the Chicago Bulls will try and stave off elimination as they face the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals. Both teams went toe to toe in Game 4, with overtime being forced and the Heat taking control from there en route to a 101-93 victory and 3-1 series advantage. LeBron James had 35 points.
Despite the Heat being up 3-1, there's no denying that this playoff series has been not only a battle between the players, but one between both team's coaches. On Miami's end, there is former Pat Riley protege Erik Spoelstra. In his third year as head coach, he overcame spats with his star players and team infighting to clinch his first division title as a coach and get past the first round of the playoffs for the first time.
In Chicago, there is longtime NBA assistant Tom Thibodeau, who seemingly worked miracles in his first year on the job. Last year, the Bulls went 41-41 and were the No. 8 team in the Eastern Conference under Vinny Del Negro. This year, Thibodeau led the team to a 62-20 record with the help of MVP point guard Derrick Rose and marquee free-agent acquisition Carlos Boozer. Thibodeau's performance (as well as those of his players) were enough for the Bulls to clinch the top seed in the East and for Thibodeau to win Coach of the Year.
That being said, just who is the better coach? Is it Spoelstra, who has three of the best players in the NBA in his starting lineup and not much else? Or rather, is it Thibodeau, who put together a dream first season with only one key new player on the team?
Call me a hater, but the answer is so easy. Tom Thibodeau is a far superior coach to Erik Spoelstra and years down the road, when it comes time to analyze which man truly earned his Hall of Fame credentials, the advantage will go to the man who didn't have his greatness purchased for him.
Let me put it this way: Tom Thibodeau is the fearless leader of a Chicago Bulls team that has a great starting five, but also a very deep bench full of role players who can come off the pine and change a game with their specific talents. Erik Spoelstra's Miami Heat squad has a starting lineup featuring three of the best players in NBA history, and their talent is enough to blow the opposition out of the water. Unfortunately, Miami has little else.
In watching the Heat all season long, I noticed that a lot of their wins came via the same method—overwhelm the other team with the Big Three and if you're losing, let one of said Big Three put the team on his back and lead us to victory. That being said, the Heat's usual method seems to be working in the playoffs thus far.
However, even if LeBron & Company win tonight and punch their ticket to the NBA Finals, they will be in for a rude awakening. The Dallas Mavericks have come this far without one of their best players, Caron Butler, and I anticipate they will make Miami look foolish.
At that point, it will be proven true that star players are not the key to winning a championship. Rather, the key to greatness in the NBA is through great coaching. Hopefully, Coach Thibodeau will taste the sweetness of victory when this series is over.
