'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgf/2gAIAQEAAAAAiRj/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAC/9oACAECEAAAAF//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAC/9oACAEDEAAAAH//xAAeEAACAgICAwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEERIABSFxof/aAAgBAQABPwC/H1NKCarDWd7NIvIHdRrIsyxhM4OcqNj7xxxHC5jNWBih12Jfz95//8QAFhEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEx/9oACAECAQE/AHD/xAAVEQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAf/aAAgBAwEBPwCv/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Having the right coach is one of the biggest needs for an NBA team as having superstar-caliber players alone won't get the job done. The proof is in the pudding as two of the greatest players of all time in Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant did not win a championship without Phil Jackson at the helm.
The duties of coaches are vast, and they are priceless to teams as the front office has to work in tandem with their coaches to get the maximum out of the roster. The man-management skills are also invaluable as they are dealing with players who are, at the end of the day, humans.
With that said, here are the five best coaches heading into the next season.
#5. Jason Kidd
Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd established himself as one of the best coaches in the league this season. The Mavericks, led by him and Luka Doncic, reached the Western Conference finals after dethroning last year's NBA runner-up, the Phoenix Suns.
Very few people gave the Mavericks a chance to make it deep into the postseason this year, but Kidd rallied the troops to reach the Western Conference finals. Without another All-Star besides Doncic, Kidd utilized the Slovenian's capabilities better than anyone else. He surrounded him with shooters as they spaced the floor better than almost any other team.
#4. Steve Kerr
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr won his fourth ring as a head coach this season. The Warriors, led by Kerr, have reached the NBA Finals six times in the past eight years, winning four championships. Having played for coaches like Phil Jackson and Gregg Poppovich, Kerr seems to have picked the best out of them and deployed it.
While having Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green helps make his job easier, the system and the Warriors' high-tempo pattern is down to Kerr.
#3. Erik Spoelstra
An extension of Pat Riley on the sidelines, Erik Spoelstra is certainly a winner within. The Miami Heat coach has time and again proven to be one of the best in the business with his in-game changes and ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
Spoelstra has led the Heat to two championships and has reached the NBA Finals and the Eastern Conference finals in the last three seasons. Despite not possessing a bonafide MVP-caliber player, Spoelstra continued to get the maximum out of those at his disposal.
#2. Ime Udoka
While Ime Udoka may not have been a household name coming into the 2021-22 season, he most certainly is now. The rookie head coach had an incredible first year as he led the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals.
Earlier on in the season, there were rumors coming out of the Celtics' camp of potential unrest between the players and the coach. However, those rumors looked premature as they embarked on a great run at the turn of the year. Udoka has been credited with the Celtics' suffocating defense that saw them sweep the Brooklyn Nets and beat the Miami Heat in the postseason.
#1. Ty Lue
LA Clippers head coach Ty Lue is widely considered to be the best coach in the game at the moment. The 2016 NBA champion has a remarkable ability to change the fortunes of side with in-game changes. This has been evident with the Clippers often facing a massive deficit at halftime and turning the game around in the second half.
Ty Lue led the LA Clippers to the Western Conference Finals last year, the first in franchise history, without the exploits of their best player in Kawhi Leonard. The Klaw was out injured in the series against the Utah Jazz, yet the Clippers, led by Lue and Paul George, made it to the West Finals.
