NBA: Ranking All 30 Head Coaches In The League

May 20, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer and forward

(4) react during the fourth quarter of game one of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Philips Arena. Cleveland won 97-89. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

3. Mike Budenholzer, Atlanta Hawks

Wow. Just wow. Mike Budenholzer won 60 games last season with a team whose starting lineup included both Kyle Korver and DeMarre Carroll. Okay, I guess Paul Millsap, Jeff Teague and Al Horford are pretty good, too. Nobody expected Atlanta to be as good as they were, and if you say that you did expect it, then you’re just a liar.

Budenholzer is one of my favorite coaches because of his coaching philosophy. He promotes playing as a team and moving the ball, unlike Cleveland who just gives the ball to LeBron and lets him work in the paint. Atlanta swings the ball quickly and will not take a shot unless they know that it is the best opportunity they can get on that possession. Budenholzer is a role model that future head coaches should take after. He is bringing back to the sport of basketball what LeBron stole — playing as a team.

Next: Steve Kerr