Just because Larry Brown had one awful year coaching the mess that is the Knicks does not mean he's not a hall of fame coach that doesn't deserve his place among the league's greats. Brown's resume in both the NBA and college speaks for itself.
I'm not saying Larry Brown isnt a top ten coach, hell, I'll even go as far as 5 but no way is he the second best coach in the league. And yes you have to consider his last season when you assess him, but, even without that 23 wins season I'd still put Popovich, Jerry Sloan and Byron Scott ahead of him.
My top 10
1.Phil Jackson- best mind in the game. The only coach of our generation who can be compared to Red Auerbach
2.Gregg Popovich- if he were coaching in LA, Bos or NY he'd be a legend, but because he has only won five titles with a mid market team then he tends to slip under the radar. But there has not been a more successful coach in the past ten years than him
3.Larry Brown- almost (can no longer say every) all the teams that he leaves are better off after he leaves them, he (and his coaching staff) is responsible for the development of PGs like Mark Jackson, Eric Snow, and Chauncy Billups
4. Jerry Sloan- the fact he didnt quit after Malone and Stockton left says a lot about him, the fact that his teams have stayed competitive since in a tough Western Conference says even more. Had it not been for The Bulls he for sure would have atleast two Championships on his resume.
5.Doc Rivers- ok so eveyone thinks because they had the "Big 3" that anyone could have coached them to a title, consider Phil Jackson could not win with
four Hall of Famers and you will see that a winner on paper still needs to be coached well. Had Doc not won it all in two seasons with the Big 3 he is for sure fired for a Hall of Fame coach; he does it in just one. Now lets consider that Orlando Magic team that he nearly led to the playoffs in his first season as a coach then you realize that he is indeed a good coach. Game 4 of the NBA finals his team is down by 26, none of his star players had been in this situation nor had he, and he still has them beleiving they could win the game, and they do; I hate the C's but after that night Doc became a great coach in my eyes for giving that team the confidence to win.
6. Our Coach!- Mike D is a innovator, I remeber when I first started to like him was the first game Steph had against the Suns after he was traded to The Knicks, he had the Suns playing hard that game even though the season was lost by then. When the Suns started winning noone thought it would last, then everyone said there is no way he could win with that style of play in the playoffs, now his style of play is considered the future of the leatue.
7.Byron Scott- Won in NJ when no one gave them a chance. Then duplicates the same thing in N.O.
8.Eddie Jordan- The most underrated coach in the league. I live in Washington and I tell you this dude is one bad season away from getting fired, however he never has a bad season. I think had the Wiz not made the playoffs even with Gilbert out Eddie would have caught hell from fans and the media, but without his best player most of the way his team stayed solid
9.Rick Carslile- nothing flashy about him he can just flat out coach
10.Don Nelson- The very defenition of a innovator, didnt do well with the Knicks, but has done well everywhere else. Put Dallas back on the B Ball map, and did the same for G-State not once but twice. And ofcourse the creator of the "Point Foward" position.