Don Nelson, Hall of Famer: A man of several legacies
Transcript
On Friday September 7 Don Nelson who coached the Warriors. Two different times. Being inducted into the basement all. He's the all time winningest coach you know they were great rat who saw. Don Nelson's career on full -- me. Talk a little bit about Don Nelson and his legacy. In the NBA when -- think it is with Don Nelson's legacy. He's got several of them like almost everybody does. One is longevity I mean he he he worked basically -- city's five really. Coached a ton of games won more than anybody else. That makes him an -- coach. He was also. And -- elevator to the point of being almost a habitual tinker which is a double edged sword there. And he'll also be known probably as one of the best coaches ever. Never too -- never to coach in the final let alone win. So. There's always sort of a two steps forward one step back about his career. That's always going to be that's going to be there's there's always gonna be a gap but when you talk about -- else. When you look and -- Did you ever coached the league's best team and didn't get it done I don't think I don't think he ever did as his best team for the ones in Milwaukee. And it's not reasonable to say that they were that he probably maxed them out there any of the teams he -- any of in any place. But that was also the one that was most traditionally built. Now is the one that had the fewest gimmicks about it at a natural center. It had you know it was better defensive team in any of the other ones you. So it was really. One of those things about his legacy that make you scratch your head because his best teams to once in Milwaukee. Word traditionally built. And those are the ones where he enjoyed the most success and I think ultimately he had the most fun coaching. Because I think he -- Smart players who could do we wanted to -- the do. And they did they did to the best they're -- they just were never the best while why do you think he didn't game the first four times. In -- there were people on the committee and every hall of fame that is voted for in one room as -- people that he rubbed the wrong way. I mean I'd I'd heard stories that gave -- was not a big thing in indeed to have it. Covered a lot of territory he was he was hugely influential in the room and hugely influential basketball. And he wasn't the only problem Nelson -- has Nelson could rub people the wrong way. Because. He did like to manipulate situations. And people know when they're getting manipulated. And that that really bothers people so I think it took that long largely because largely because of his personality. And because. He always had to figure out the more arcane way to make two plus two. Flew -- Tuesday. The thing I always think about when Nellie years. Especially the first time around here Golden State for the most part the media loves them he loved the media he worked that relationship. Terrifically well. We came back the second time he found out everything it changed. We also was a lot older anybody who's a lot of lot more tired. I mean you look at this time there was sort of that last stand. And he was he was warned he'd been. He'd been in New York where he's gonna be stupid. He did in Dallas where he spent the last year and a half of his tenure there fighting Mark Cuban over money. I think it someway she was punched out. What about. What do you think about what he did what we believe because I got a -- I don't think there's any coach could have taken that team that for. He can't. He gets a lot of credit he should get more credit for the year after because a year after they were better to 48 wins and truthfully. If if truth be told they don't get in the playoffs if Dallas gross right. -- Dallas head. Beat the Warriors and then thrown the next night up in Seattle right instead of doing it the other way around the Clippers did. And the Clippers had about eight guys left. And frankly they would have steam rolled. The Clippers but because it was Cuban because it was done because it was Avery Johnson they all wanted to. L wanted to figure I know will get the Warriors in the playoffs and that will be. And it clearly didn't work that way. And you give Don Nelson the chance to have to prepped for for a team in the first round for the most part. He's he's gonna have some advantages that he can press so basically. I don't give him as much credit for the playoff year as they do for the year after interest the year after. Mean they won 48 they looked more cohesive. They had guys playing harder team to me then because remember in February. -- lose a game in Chicago and Austin toros of scenes I don't know what to do Barbara yet so he was rated equipment these guys too I think. The playoff team was his biggest surprise to him as a -- everybody in here there's no qualms with him going and all. He. When Jerry Sloan died and having never won a championship. I thought the bar a little bit lower to the point where he could reach. Because before Sloan. Every coach. In the hall of fame no matter what level -- -- at some level they had won a championship. And he was the only one who not only had not won the championship had not even coached right so that to me was the biggest argument against him. And woman I was comfortable. Because of me. You shouldn't be like really really good to get -- team you should be great. And one Sloan who had not won a championship. Idea. It's a real short step to getting in -- but they had to clear some more politics because that's what most -- things. Our -- right thanks a lot you know he's going to be in. For what they called they presented he's presented by three guys sat Sanders Bob -- And Chris well that's Friday got Nelson and now.
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Matt Steinmetz and Ray Ratto kick around Don Nelson's legacy on the eve of Nellie's induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

















