By: Aiden Brantley (Contest Guru)
Two NBA Coaches Made and Impact in Their First Year
Steve Clifford- Charlotte Bobcats
Record 2013-2014 43-39Career NBA Record: 43-39
How the season ended: first round sweep to the Miami Heat. They were right there with the Heat in three of the four games only losing by an average of 7.25 points per game with a hobbled Al Jefferson.
Why he has the potential to be a great coach? Taking a team that won twenty one games and doubling their win total is enough right there. He went above and beyond. The development of players like Kemba Walker and Josh McRoberts into two way players was key. You look at the Bobcats roster at the start of the season I would have never guessed they could get to 43 wins. Not even in a weak Eastern Conference. I would have put them at 28-32 wins max. Steve Clifford is defiantly a coach that is going to shape the Bobcats into perennial playoff team in the future.
David Joerger- Memphis Grizzlies
Record 2013-2014 50-32Career NBA Record: 50-32
How the season ended: Took the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Should also point out Zack Randolph was suspended for game seven of the series.
Why he has the potential to be a great coach? Taking over for a successful coach Lionel Hollins isn’t easy. He won 56 games and made it all the way to the Western Conference finals. Joerger managed to do it. The Grizzlies started off the season 13-17. Much of it was without Marc Gasol. It looked like they were destined to be in the lottery. Joerger switched the line-ups around and started to build his own defensive identity. The Memphis Grizzlies finished the season 37-15. That earned them the seventh seed in the western conference playoffs. Even though the Grizzles did not make it back to the Western Conference finals again this year Joerger proved he can coach through adversity and create a winning basketball culture. Two other coaches to keep an eye out for: Brad Stevens-Boston Celtics
Mike Budenholzer- Atlanta Hawks Bovada Online Sportsbook has a great mobile app for sports betting for your Apple and Android Devices.