Nellie Ball
Encyclopedia
Nellie ball is an unconventional offensive strategy in basketball
developed by NBA
head coach Don Nelson
. It is a fast-paced offense relying on smaller, more athletic players who can create mismatches by outrunning their opponents. A true center is usually not needed to run this type of offense. A large volume of three-point attempts is generally a staple of Nellie Ball as well. This offense is most effective against teams that do not have the athleticism or shooting ability to keep up with the fast pace. It is similar to run and gun
.
. As he was developing Nellie Ball, he introduced the concept of the point forward, a tactic wherein small forwards would play the role of point guard and direct his offense. First, he used 6-7 Marques Johnson
as a point forward. Later, he would use 6-5 Paul Pressey
in the same role. This enabled shooting guards Sidney Moncrief
and either Craig Hodges
or Ricky Pierce
to be on the floor at the same time despite the absence of a pure point guard. To further create mismatches, Nelson would place a center who wasn't a threat on offense, such as Alton Lister
or Randy Breuer
, at mid-court while running a play. This forced a shot-blocking center out of the paint, making him less of a threat on defense. Nelson's high-scoring Bucks earned multiple Central Division titles, and were a perennial playoff contender throughout his time as Milwaukee's coach.
Nelson continued to perfect Nellie Ball in his next three coaching stops. Nelson would again utilize Nellie Ball with the Golden State Warriors
, where his offense was centered around the high-scoring trio of NBA All-Stars Tim Hardaway
, Mitch Richmond
, and Chris Mullin
, collectively known as "Run T-M-C". Nelson used an unconventional lineup that featured three guards (Richmond, Hardaway and Šarūnas Marčiulionis
) and two forwards (Mullin and the 6-8 Rod Higgins
at center). This incarnation of Nellie Ball led the Warriors to many winning seasons and postseason berths despite an undersized lineup.
While coaching the Dallas Mavericks
, Nelson employed Nellie Ball once again, utilizing the All-Star trio of Steve Nash
, Michael Finley
, and Dirk Nowitzki
. Nelson often would play Nowitzki, a natural power forward
, at the center position, placing him at the three-point line in order to stretch out the defense. Nelson's trio of star players spear-headed the Mavericks' transformation into a promising young franchise capable of reaching the NBA Playoffs.
Nelson's latest success with Nellie Ball came with his second stint as head coach of Golden State, with a lineup consisting of Baron Davis
and Jason Richardson
, who were both larger-sized guards, and smaller forwards and centers such as Stephen Jackson
and Al Harrington
. In the 2007 NBA Playoffs, his 8th-seeded Warriors met his former team, the 1st-seeded Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks had posted a franchise best 67-15 record, which was also good for the best record in the NBA in 2007. Dirk Nowitzki, in particular, enjoyed a memorable season of his own, winning the NBA MVP Award
that year. Despite these obstacles, Nelson's Warriors executed one of the greatest upsets in NBA history by defeating the Mavericks in 6 games. Then-Mavericks head coach Avery Johnson
, Nelson's protege and successor in Dallas, had abandoned Nellie Ball in favor of a more traditional offensive lineup, which had reached the 2006 NBA Finals.
To his credit, Don Nelson has amassed a huge amount of victories by running his fast-paced brand of offense. He has won the NBA Coach of the Year Award
3 times: in 1983 and 1985 with the Bucks, and in 1992 with the Warriors. Nelson is also the NBA's all-time winningest coach with 1,335 regular season victories. But detractors could still point out that while his coaching record is somewhat impressive, Nelson has never coached a team to the NBA Finals
, let alone won an NBA title. On more than one occasion, his teams were eliminated by more superior opponents. For instance, as coach of the Bucks in the 1980s, Nelson's teams were beaten in the playoffs by either Julius Erving
's Philadelphia 76ers
or Larry Bird
's Boston Celtics
. During his coaching tenure in Dallas, the Mavericks lost twice in the playoffs to the defense-oriented San Antonio Spurs
, who in turn were led by Tim Duncan
. Thus, Nelson owns the rather dubious distinction of having recorded the most coaching victories without making an NBA Finals appearance.
Avery Johnson
, Nelson's protege and successor in Dallas, had abandoned Nellie Ball in favor of a more traditional offensive lineup, which had reached the 2006 NBA Finals
. Enroute to reaching the finals, Johnson's Mavericks had defeated Mike D'Antoni
's Phoenix Suns
, the latter using an up-tempo style centered around former Mavs superstar and 2-time NBA MVP Steve Nash
. Although the Mavericks lost to the Miami Heat
in the NBA Finals that year, Johnson won the 2006 NBA Coach of the Year Award for making Dallas a better defensive team while still keeping their up-tempo style of offense.
is well known for an unorthodox, run-and-gun
style. However, most of Westhead's coaching stints with basketball teams have been brief.
Westhead won the NBA Championship with the Los Angeles Lakers
in 1980 with NBA superstars Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
and Magic Johnson
. However, he was fired by the Lakers early in the 1981-82 NBA season. Pat Riley
, who had been Westhead's assistant when Los Angeles won the title in 1980, stepped in as head coach soon afterwards. Under "Riles" the Lakers went on to earn four NBA Championships during the 1980s. Riley's team continued to employ a fast-paced style of basketball known as "Showtime," and featured 3 future NBA Hall of Famers in Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy
.
Meanwhile, Westhead's tenure at Loyola Marymount rewrote many NCAA records and reached the West regional finals.
Returning to the NBA as head coach of the Denver Nuggets
, his team averaged a league-best 119.9 points per game in 1990-91, but it also surrendered an NBA record 130.8 points per game, including 107 points in a single half to the Suns
, which remains an NBA record. Under Westhead, the Nuggets were sometimes called the "Enver Nuggets" (as in no "D", lacking defense), and he was fired after two seasons with a combined W/L record of 44-120.
While coach of George Mason University
from 1993-1997, his run-and-gun style did not succeed as he compiled a 38-70 record.
Westhead again found success with his up-tempo style of basketball as head coach of the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury
from 2006-2007. In 2007, Westhead directed Phoenix to the WNBA Championship, thanks to Mercury superstars Cappie Pondexter
and Diana Taurasi
. By winning a title with the Mercury, Westhead became the first head coach to win both an NBA title and a WNBA title. Westhead left Phoenix at the end of the 2007 season and was replaced as head coach by Corey Gaines
. However, Gaines had prior experience with Westhead's offense, having played for him at Loyola Marymount University and with the Nuggets. Gaines kept the same offense that Westhead employed, and in 2009, he directed the Mercury to their second WNBA title. Diana Taurasi became the second player in WNBA history to win the regular season scoring title, the WNBA MVP Award, the WNBA Championship, and the WNBA Finals MVP Award in the same season.
favored a fast-paced offense-oriented system when he was head coach of the Phoenix Suns
. This up-tempo style of basketball required smaller and more athletic players with the capability to outrun and outshoot their opponents, and was dubbed "Seven Seconds or Less".
With the acquisition of free agent Steve Nash
before the 2004-05 season, who was experienced in this run-and-gun style from his previous stint with the Dallas Mavericks
, this began an incredible turnaround for the Phoenix Suns
. D'Antoni won the NBA Coach of the Year Award
after his Suns went 62-20 to finish first in the regular season. Overall, his Suns won fifty or more games in four consecutive seasons, while Nash earned NBA MVP honors in 2005 and 2006. In addition to Nash, D'Antoni's Suns also featured All-Star power forward Amare Stoudemire
and high-flying small forward Shawn Marion
. They made consecutive appearances in the conference finals in 2005 and 2006, losing to the San Antonio Spurs
and Dallas Mavericks, respectively. The Suns were eliminated in the playoffs by the Spurs in 2007 and 2008, after which D'Antoni left Phoenix for the New York Knicks
.
D'Antoni's successor, Terry Porter
, preferred a more traditional style of basketball, but the Suns had difficulties adapting to this new system, which contributed to them eventually missing the 2009 playoffs. ESPN
’s Kevin Arnovitz described Nash as “a hummingbird trapped inside a sandwich bag”. Porter was fired in mid-season and replaced by Alvin Gentry
.
Gentry figured out how to blend the two styles of D'Antoni and Porter. Comparing his coaching to D’Antoni, Gentry said “We are not seven seconds or less. We’re 12 seconds or under. We don’t take a lot of really quick shots. We don’t play with that breakneck pace. We play with a rhythm.” In 2009-2010, the Suns returned to the playoffs as the third seed, where in the second round they defeated the Spurs in a four game sweep. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich
remarked “One thing about Phoenix is they are better defensively than in the past. They’re much more active, much more committed, they’ve taken responsibility to a much more significant degree than ever before.” However, after the season Stoudemire left as a free agent to rejoin D'Antoni in New York.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
developed by NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
head coach Don Nelson
Don Nelson
Donald Arvid "Don" Nelson is a former NBA player and head coach. He coached the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Golden State Warriors....
. It is a fast-paced offense relying on smaller, more athletic players who can create mismatches by outrunning their opponents. A true center is usually not needed to run this type of offense. A large volume of three-point attempts is generally a staple of Nellie Ball as well. This offense is most effective against teams that do not have the athleticism or shooting ability to keep up with the fast pace. It is similar to run and gun
Run and gun (basketball)
Run and gun is a style of basketball which involves a very high pace of play. It was most famously used by the Loyola Marymount men's basketball team in the late 1980s under coach Paul Westhead.....
.
Background
Nelson first became known for his unorthodox, innovative style of basketball as head coach of the Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
. As he was developing Nellie Ball, he introduced the concept of the point forward, a tactic wherein small forwards would play the role of point guard and direct his offense. First, he used 6-7 Marques Johnson
Marques Johnson
Marques Kevin Johnson is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA, playing for the Milwaukee Bucks , Los Angeles Clippers , and Golden State Warriors ....
as a point forward. Later, he would use 6-5 Paul Pressey
Paul Pressey
Paul Matthew Pressey is an American former professional basketball player. Pressey is widely, though unofficially, credited with being the originator of the point forward position, combining the attributes of a point guard and forward...
in the same role. This enabled shooting guards Sidney Moncrief
Sidney Moncrief
Sidney A. Moncrief is a retired American professional basketball player. As an NCAA college basketball player from 1975–1979, Moncrief led the University of Arkansas Razorbacks trio known as "The Triplets" to the 1978 Final Four, which ended in a win in the NCAA Consolation Game versus #6 Notre Dame...
and either Craig Hodges
Craig Hodges
Craig Anthony Hodges is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA for 10 seasons and led the league in 3-point shooting percentage three times...
or Ricky Pierce
Ricky Pierce
Ricky Charles Pierce is a retired American National Basketball Association player.-Playing career:...
to be on the floor at the same time despite the absence of a pure point guard. To further create mismatches, Nelson would place a center who wasn't a threat on offense, such as Alton Lister
Alton Lister
Alton Lavelle Lister is a retired American professional basketball player, in the power forward-center position.The 7' 0" Lister played at San Jacinto Junior College, where he was a teammate of future NBA journeyman shooting guard Oliver Mack...
or Randy Breuer
Randy Breuer
Randall W. Breuer is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1st round of the 1983 NBA Draft. A 7'3" center from the University of Minnesota, Breuer played in 11 NBA seasons from 1983-1994...
, at mid-court while running a play. This forced a shot-blocking center out of the paint, making him less of a threat on defense. Nelson's high-scoring Bucks earned multiple Central Division titles, and were a perennial playoff contender throughout his time as Milwaukee's coach.
Nelson continued to perfect Nellie Ball in his next three coaching stops. Nelson would again utilize Nellie Ball with the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, where his offense was centered around the high-scoring trio of NBA All-Stars Tim Hardaway
Tim Hardaway
Timothy Duane "Tim" Hardaway is a retired American basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association and who in his prime was one of the league's best point guards...
, Mitch Richmond
Mitch Richmond
Mitchell James "Mitch" Richmond is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He played collegiately at Kansas State University. He was a 6-time NBA All-Star, a 5-time All-NBA Team member and a former NBA Rookie of the Year...
, and Chris Mullin
Chris Mullin (basketball)
Christopher Paul Mullin is a retired American basketball player and former general manager of the NBA's Golden State Warriors. He has also been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame....
, collectively known as "Run T-M-C". Nelson used an unconventional lineup that featured three guards (Richmond, Hardaway and Šarūnas Marčiulionis
Šarunas Marciulionis
Raimondas Šarūnas Marčiulionis is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball player. He was one of the first Europeans to become a regular in the North American National Basketball Association...
) and two forwards (Mullin and the 6-8 Rod Higgins
Rod Higgins
Roderick Dwayne "Rod" Higgins is a retired American professional basketball player who currently serves as president of basketball operations for the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats....
at center). This incarnation of Nellie Ball led the Warriors to many winning seasons and postseason berths despite an undersized lineup.
While coaching the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
, Nelson employed Nellie Ball once again, utilizing the All-Star trio of Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
, Michael Finley
Michael Finley
Michael Howard Finley is a retired American professional basketball player. He last played for the Boston Celtics of the NBA.-High school career:...
, and Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki is a German professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association...
. Nelson often would play Nowitzki, a natural power forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
, at the center position, placing him at the three-point line in order to stretch out the defense. Nelson's trio of star players spear-headed the Mavericks' transformation into a promising young franchise capable of reaching the NBA Playoffs.
Nelson's latest success with Nellie Ball came with his second stint as head coach of Golden State, with a lineup consisting of Baron Davis
Baron Davis
Baron Walter Louis Davis is an American professional basketball player with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. Drafted as the third pick in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, Davis was a star at Crossroads School and UCLA....
and Jason Richardson
Jason Richardson
Jason Anthoney "J-Rich" Richardson is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association.A 6'6", 225 lb...
, who were both larger-sized guards, and smaller forwards and centers such as Stephen Jackson
Stephen Jackson
Stephen Jesse Jackson is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks. Jackson is a 6'8" guard-forward.-Early life, high school, and college:Jackson was born in Houston and grew up in Port Arthur, Texas...
and Al Harrington
Al Harrington
Albert "Al" Harrington is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the NBA's Denver Nuggets...
. In the 2007 NBA Playoffs, his 8th-seeded Warriors met his former team, the 1st-seeded Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks had posted a franchise best 67-15 record, which was also good for the best record in the NBA in 2007. Dirk Nowitzki, in particular, enjoyed a memorable season of his own, winning the NBA MVP Award
NBA Most Valuable Player Award
The National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1955–56 NBA season. The winner receives the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, which is named in honor of the first commissioner of the NBA who served from 1946 until his retirement...
that year. Despite these obstacles, Nelson's Warriors executed one of the greatest upsets in NBA history by defeating the Mavericks in 6 games. Then-Mavericks head coach Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson is a former American professional basketball player and current head coach of the National Basketball Association team New Jersey Nets. He has also coached the Dallas Mavericks, leading them to their first NBA Finals appearance and four consecutive 50+ win seasons...
, Nelson's protege and successor in Dallas, had abandoned Nellie Ball in favor of a more traditional offensive lineup, which had reached the 2006 NBA Finals.
Opponents of Nellie Ball
Nellie Ball has a fair share of opponents, who claim that the strategy is fatally flawed. Many basketball critics contend that no team can ever win a championship playing Nellie Ball, mainly because the strategy puts such an emphasis on offense and scoring that a team playing Nellie Ball will not have the energy to play defense. Nellie Ball also tends to rely very little on basketball's defensive fundamentals. In addition, these critics argue that Nelson's offense, while innovative and exciting, is only successful to a point. Skeptics contend that his offense is unable to disguise deficiencies, such as the inability of an undersized power forward or center in Nelson's system to dominate in terms of defense and rebounding. Plus, they claim that it is even more difficult to play Nellie Ball when guards are on a cold streak in terms of shooting the ball, making it difficult for teams running the offense to win basketball games. Nowhere is this more evident than during playoff time, where teams tend to get more serious and play tougher defense.To his credit, Don Nelson has amassed a huge amount of victories by running his fast-paced brand of offense. He has won the NBA Coach of the Year Award
NBA Coach of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who led the Boston Celtics to nine NBA Championships from 1956 to 1966...
3 times: in 1983 and 1985 with the Bucks, and in 1992 with the Warriors. Nelson is also the NBA's all-time winningest coach with 1,335 regular season victories. But detractors could still point out that while his coaching record is somewhat impressive, Nelson has never coached a team to the NBA Finals
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
, let alone won an NBA title. On more than one occasion, his teams were eliminated by more superior opponents. For instance, as coach of the Bucks in the 1980s, Nelson's teams were beaten in the playoffs by either Julius Erving
Julius Erving
Julius Winfield Erving II , commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim....
's Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
or Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
's Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. During his coaching tenure in Dallas, the Mavericks lost twice in the playoffs to the defense-oriented San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
, who in turn were led by Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan
Timothy Theodore "Tim" Duncan is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . The 6-foot 11-inch , 255-pound power forward/center is a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year...
. Thus, Nelson owns the rather dubious distinction of having recorded the most coaching victories without making an NBA Finals appearance.
Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson is a former American professional basketball player and current head coach of the National Basketball Association team New Jersey Nets. He has also coached the Dallas Mavericks, leading them to their first NBA Finals appearance and four consecutive 50+ win seasons...
, Nelson's protege and successor in Dallas, had abandoned Nellie Ball in favor of a more traditional offensive lineup, which had reached the 2006 NBA Finals
2006 NBA Finals
The 2006 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2005–06 National Basketball Association season. The Miami Heat won the championship in six games over the Dallas Mavericks, winning the final game at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, and becoming the third team to win a championship...
. Enroute to reaching the finals, Johnson's Mavericks had defeated Mike D'Antoni
Mike D'Antoni
Michael Andrew "Mike" D'Antoni is an Italian-American former basketball player and is currently the head coach of the NBA's New York Knicks. While head coach of the Phoenix Suns, he won NBA Coach of the Year honors for the 2004–05 NBA season after the Suns posted 33 more wins than the previous...
's Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
, the latter using an up-tempo style centered around former Mavs superstar and 2-time NBA MVP Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
. Although the Mavericks lost to the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
in the NBA Finals that year, Johnson won the 2006 NBA Coach of the Year Award for making Dallas a better defensive team while still keeping their up-tempo style of offense.
Paul Westhead
Former NBA coach Paul WestheadPaul Westhead
Paul Westhead is a basketball coach who is currently the head coach of the University of Oregon women's team...
is well known for an unorthodox, run-and-gun
Run and gun (basketball)
Run and gun is a style of basketball which involves a very high pace of play. It was most famously used by the Loyola Marymount men's basketball team in the late 1980s under coach Paul Westhead.....
style. However, most of Westhead's coaching stints with basketball teams have been brief.
Westhead won the NBA Championship with the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in 1980 with NBA superstars Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
and Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
. However, he was fired by the Lakers early in the 1981-82 NBA season. Pat Riley
Pat Riley
Patrick James "Pat" Riley is an American professional basketball executive, and a retired coach and player in the NBA. Currently, he is team president of the Miami Heat. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams...
, who had been Westhead's assistant when Los Angeles won the title in 1980, stepped in as head coach soon afterwards. Under "Riles" the Lakers went on to earn four NBA Championships during the 1980s. Riley's team continued to employ a fast-paced style of basketball known as "Showtime," and featured 3 future NBA Hall of Famers in Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy
James Worthy
James Ager Worthy is a retired Hall of Fame American college and professional basketball player. Named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, "Big Game James" was a seven-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA champion...
.
Meanwhile, Westhead's tenure at Loyola Marymount rewrote many NCAA records and reached the West regional finals.
Returning to the NBA as head coach of the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
, his team averaged a league-best 119.9 points per game in 1990-91, but it also surrendered an NBA record 130.8 points per game, including 107 points in a single half to the Suns
Suns
The word Suns could refer to:*Phoenix Suns, a professional NBA basketball team*Jacksonville Suns, a minor-league baseball team*The Sun, the star of the solar system*Stars, massive balls of plasma*Sun , unit of solar energy concentration...
, which remains an NBA record. Under Westhead, the Nuggets were sometimes called the "Enver Nuggets" (as in no "D", lacking defense), and he was fired after two seasons with a combined W/L record of 44-120.
While coach of George Mason University
George Mason University
George Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
from 1993-1997, his run-and-gun style did not succeed as he compiled a 38-70 record.
Westhead again found success with his up-tempo style of basketball as head coach of the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
from 2006-2007. In 2007, Westhead directed Phoenix to the WNBA Championship, thanks to Mercury superstars Cappie Pondexter
Cappie Pondexter
Cappie Pondexter is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA, currently playing for the New York Liberty in the WNBA. She was born in Oceanside, California and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Pondexter is known for her scrappy play, quick crossovers and deadly midrange jumpshot...
and Diana Taurasi
Diana Taurasi
Diana Lorena Taurasi is a professional basketball player who plays for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA and Galatasaray Medical Park from Turkey...
. By winning a title with the Mercury, Westhead became the first head coach to win both an NBA title and a WNBA title. Westhead left Phoenix at the end of the 2007 season and was replaced as head coach by Corey Gaines
Corey Gaines
Corey Yasuto Gaines is an American former professional basketball player and the current coach of the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury....
. However, Gaines had prior experience with Westhead's offense, having played for him at Loyola Marymount University and with the Nuggets. Gaines kept the same offense that Westhead employed, and in 2009, he directed the Mercury to their second WNBA title. Diana Taurasi became the second player in WNBA history to win the regular season scoring title, the WNBA MVP Award, the WNBA Championship, and the WNBA Finals MVP Award in the same season.
Mike D'Antoni
Like Nelson and Westhead, Mike D'AntoniMike D'Antoni
Michael Andrew "Mike" D'Antoni is an Italian-American former basketball player and is currently the head coach of the NBA's New York Knicks. While head coach of the Phoenix Suns, he won NBA Coach of the Year honors for the 2004–05 NBA season after the Suns posted 33 more wins than the previous...
favored a fast-paced offense-oriented system when he was head coach of the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
. This up-tempo style of basketball required smaller and more athletic players with the capability to outrun and outshoot their opponents, and was dubbed "Seven Seconds or Less".
With the acquisition of free agent Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
before the 2004-05 season, who was experienced in this run-and-gun style from his previous stint with the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
, this began an incredible turnaround for the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
. D'Antoni won the NBA Coach of the Year Award
NBA Coach of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who led the Boston Celtics to nine NBA Championships from 1956 to 1966...
after his Suns went 62-20 to finish first in the regular season. Overall, his Suns won fifty or more games in four consecutive seasons, while Nash earned NBA MVP honors in 2005 and 2006. In addition to Nash, D'Antoni's Suns also featured All-Star power forward Amare Stoudemire
Amare Stoudemire
Amar'e Carsares Stoudemire is an American professional basketball player who plays as a power forward and center for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association....
and high-flying small forward Shawn Marion
Shawn Marion
Shawn Dwayne Marion is an American professional basketball player currently with the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. Born in Waukegan, Illinois, Marion attended high school in Clarksville, Tennessee. Before transferring to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Marion...
. They made consecutive appearances in the conference finals in 2005 and 2006, losing to the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
and Dallas Mavericks, respectively. The Suns were eliminated in the playoffs by the Spurs in 2007 and 2008, after which D'Antoni left Phoenix for the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
.
D'Antoni's successor, Terry Porter
Terry Porter
Terry Porter is an American professional basketball coach and former player in the National Basketball Association . A native of Wisconsin, he played college basketball at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point before being drafted 24th by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1985 NBA Draft...
, preferred a more traditional style of basketball, but the Suns had difficulties adapting to this new system, which contributed to them eventually missing the 2009 playoffs. ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
’s Kevin Arnovitz described Nash as “a hummingbird trapped inside a sandwich bag”. Porter was fired in mid-season and replaced by Alvin Gentry
Alvin Gentry
Alvin Gentry is an American professional basketball coach, and college basketball player, who has led four different NBA teams. He served as an interim coach for the Miami Heat at the end of the 1995 season, and later coached the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Clippers...
.
Gentry figured out how to blend the two styles of D'Antoni and Porter. Comparing his coaching to D’Antoni, Gentry said “We are not seven seconds or less. We’re 12 seconds or under. We don’t take a lot of really quick shots. We don’t play with that breakneck pace. We play with a rhythm.” In 2009-2010, the Suns returned to the playoffs as the third seed, where in the second round they defeated the Spurs in a four game sweep. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich
Gregg Popovich
Gregg Popovich is an American basketball coach, and is currently the head coach of the National Basketball Association's San Antonio Spurs. With the resignation of Jerry Sloan as head coach of the Utah Jazz on February 10, 2011, Popovich is the longest tenured coach in the NBA and also the...
remarked “One thing about Phoenix is they are better defensively than in the past. They’re much more active, much more committed, they’ve taken responsibility to a much more significant degree than ever before.” However, after the season Stoudemire left as a free agent to rejoin D'Antoni in New York.