Worst in-game coaching decision you've ever seen

[raptor jesus]

Duncan-gate wasn't even the worst decision Pop made that game, IMO. I prefer to foul in late game situations, make them earn 2 at the stripe, as opposed to allowing the Heat to tie it with a 3.

[INKtastic]

I thought the Hobert thing was worse than the Duncan one. Didn't Hibbert go out not once, but twice. Both leading to easy baskets.

[pavementplmokn]

Duncan-gate wasn't even the worst decision Pop made that game, IMO. I prefer to foul in late game situations, make them earn 2 at the stripe, as opposed to allowing the Heat to tie it with a 3.

I tend to agree. I would be curious to hear more discussion about this... I think that would'v been the way to go.

[StocktonShorts]

I've seen lots of head-scratching decisions from Ty Corbin, but the worst was him not making a single substitution through the last 5 minutes of regulation and first 3 OT periods in an eventual 4 OT loss to the Hawks.

[Baddy Chuck]

I watched Drew Gooden play 30 minutes a game for nearly an entire season and Marquis Daniels get playing time over Tobias Harris.

[nomansland]

It's probably not THE worst I've ever seen, and who am I to judge an NBA coach?

But the most recent example that comes to mind is Karl trying to ride Andre Miller 2 nights in a row against Golden State, hoping for another miracle performance.

[fatlever]

there was a game last year between the bobcats and blazers. the bobcats were up 18 pts with 5 minutes left in the game. the bobcats built the lead due to ben gordon going nuts from 3 during the late 3rd, early 4th. mike dunlap proceeded to display some of the worst coaching i have ever seen from that point forward. dunlap refused to take gordon out of the game and also insisted on playing kemba walker and ramon sessions. so he decided to play the last 5 minutes with kemba, sessions and gordon (also with MKG and jeff taylor playing the 4-spot and byron mullens at center).

why on earth would you play extreme small ball when you are winning a game by 18pts at home with 5 minutes to go? and its not like the blazers were going small. they had their usual lineup of lillard, matthews, batum and aldridge along with babbit.

lillard got hot and aldridge destroyed mullens on the glass and the blazers came from down 18 to tie the game and send it to overtime where they won.

dunlap never changed the small ball lineup. he stuck with it for the entire 18pt comeback. it was complete insanity.

[ComeAtMeBro]

It's probably not THE worst I've ever seen, and who am I to judge an NBA coach?

But the most recent example that comes to mind is Karl trying to ride Andre Miller 2 nights in a row against Golden State, hoping for another miracle performance.

He's tried riding Miller for his career. Karl has a fetish with Andre Miller.

[Johnlac1]

1969 finals when Lakers' coach Butch van Breda Kolff benched Wilt

Thank you for mentioning that. When interviewed some years after the game, West was still very irritated about it. Although VBK claimed that the Lakers were playing better with Counts in the game, the fact is the Lakers were coming back with Wilt and had cut the Celtic lead in half when he twisted his knee with half the 4th quarter to go. According to reports, Laker owner Jack Kent Cooke had screamed at VBK to put Wilt back in the game. VBK turned around and told him to "shut the f... up." VBK was not the coach the next season.

[Hangtime84]

Pop taking Duncan out (twice) and costing the Spurs a title they had in their hands.

THIS 1000x

Pop

Should have pulled Manu that's how i feel he single handily lost 2 games by himself

[EH15]

Dwayne Casey subbing in Rasual Butler to inbound the ball and subsequently getting the infamous 5 second call has to be up there.

[denimourson]

Tyrone aka "Money Staxxs" Corbine




Last year in a game away game against the Lakers the Jazz came out playing like it was opposite day by being the slow team and that didn't change through out the entire game, when all the coach could of said was to play more uptempo. Also not playing Alec Berks is a big insult to me when you have Earl Watson playing and I am not even a Jazz fan. However maybe it will work out well for the Lakers to get Berks and nurture him from the incompetence of Corbine.

[Renkz]

Pop going with Ginobli on-the-ball instead of Parker, down the stretch of games 6 & 7. Cost them the title.

Taking Duncan out was also unforgivable and stupid. Those two moves alone knocks Pop out the top 5 coaches of all time IMO.

You do realize Tony was gassed, Lebron guarding tired the man out, Pop has no choice but to rely on manu down the stretch.

[Duffman100]

What about Sam Mitchell refusing to double Kobe Bryant?

[therealbig3]

Duncan-gate wasn't even the worst decision Pop made that game, IMO. I prefer to foul in late game situations, make them earn 2 at the stripe, as opposed to allowing the Heat to tie it with a 3.

I tend to agree. I would be curious to hear more discussion about this... I think that would'v been the way to go.

I'd say probably because his players just proved they couldn't be relied on to hit their FTs. If Manu and Kawhi actually hit their FTs, playing Duncan or not wouldn't even be a discussion right now.

They had just gone 2-4 from the line, which allowed Miami to tie the game on that 3 in the first place. Who's to say they don't miss more FTs?

The foul game doesn't work if you can't make your FTs.

[tcorbin]

Sam Mitchel's refusal to double team Kobe

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7VlyeWgL8E[/youtube]

[franktony]

Duncan-gate wasn't even the worst decision Pop made that game, IMO. I prefer to foul in late game situations, make them earn 2 at the stripe, as opposed to allowing the Heat to tie it with a 3.

I tend to agree. I would be curious to hear more discussion about this... I think that would'v been the way to go.

I'd say probably because his players just proved they couldn't be relied on to hit their FTs. If Manu and Kawhi actually hit their FTs, playing Duncan or not wouldn't even be a discussion right now.

They had just gone 2-4 from the line, which allowed Miami to tie the game on that 3 in the first place. Who's to say they don't miss more FTs?

The foul game doesn't work if you can't make your FTs.

Do not agree at all

First, the foul-game started after Manu missed the FT, not before.

When you allow Miami 4 3-pointers with 30 seconds left, you did the wrong thing. If Duncan stays in the game and gets ONE rebound (in the first Lebron miss) the game would be over right there. Instead, Pop took Duncan out, Lebron had 2 attempts (the second one he was wide open even with strategy that was supposed to stop Miami's 3-pointers) and Miami had two more attempts to tie the game because, once again, they didn't have anyone to grab a rebound.

Duncan should have played. If Miami gives Bosh a 3-pointer, let them do it. He is a career 28% 3-pointer.

I was an absolutely atrocious move to take Duncan out, especially considering that Miami kept Bosh.

[DRK]

I guess I'm one of the few who didn't think taking Duncan out was all that bad Miami was down by 3, so Pop could either put in (a) a rebounder (Duncan) or (b) someone else to guard the 3. Not both. He chose the latter, and it didn't work out. Bad result? Obviously. Bad decision? Only in hindsight. I have to think there are some worse than that, even if they weren't as critical.

why couldnt duncant defend bosh from three? its not like he has to worry about bosh going to the hoop...youre conceeding the 2 pointer

It's not about guarding Bosh, it's about guarding Lebron on the switch. Re-watch the play, Diaw has to step out to prevent Lebron from stepping into a wing 3, forcing him to shoot from 27 feet instead. But you can't do that and crash the boards (while he was stepping out, Bosh was diving to the rim).

edit:





Duncan wouldn't have made a difference, if he stepped out like he should've (like Diaw actually did) he would've had the same problem Diaw did--Bosh had a 15 foot headstart and Diaw's momentum was in the wrong direction.

Throughout the game, San Antonio were content with sagging off LeBron and giving him relatively open looks. But if you watch that play, having two guys at LeBron just leaves Bosh WIDE OPEN, with a lane to the rim. If LeBron decided to pass out of the shot, which wouldve been simple, it would've left Bosh open and Wade or Allen one pass away. With the defence rotating to cover Bosh, Allen or Wade would've been open for 3 anyway.

The defensive play was broken even before the offensive rebound occured.

This is why I believe Pop taking out Duncan, and going against their plan they've had in place since the beginning the finals (sag off LeBron) in the most important play of the series, cost the Spurs the Championship, and... is probably the worst in-game decision I've seen

[F1uxCapacit0r]

Watching your coach refuse to double team Kobe and have him make history scoring 81

[choppermagic]

Pop going with Ginobli on-the-ball instead of Parker, down the stretch of games 6 & 7. Cost them the title.

Taking Duncan out was also unforgivable and stupid. Those two moves alone knocks Pop out the top 5 coaches of all time IMO.

This. I got the feeling that Pop was thinking about winning the title already and wanted to give some love to Ginobli in perhaps their final glory together. Ginobli's inability to take care of the ball costs them the title.