The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a major professional basketball league in North America. It was founded in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America (BAA).[1] The league adopted its current name at the start of the when it merged with the National Basketball League (NBL).[2] The league consists of 30 teams, of which 29 are located in the United States and one in Canada.
In the NBA, a head coach is the highest ranking coach of a coaching staff. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than the assistant coaches. Lenny Wilkens has coached the most regular season games. He has coached 2,487 games with six teams in 32 seasons. Gregg Popovich has won the most regular season games with 1,388. Don Nelson, Bill Fitch, Jerry Sloan and Larry Brown are the only other coaches who have coached more than 2,000 regular season games. 33 other head coaches have coached more than 1,000 regular season games. Three of those coaches, Popovich, Al Attles and Erik Spoelstra, have spent their entire coaching career with one team. Popovich has coached 2,209 regular season games with the San Antonio Spurs in his 28-year career, Attles has coached 1,075 regular season games with the Warriors franchise in his 14-year career, and Spoelstra has coached 1,230 regular season games with the Miami Heat in his 16-year career.
As of April 14, 2024, Popovich has the most regular season games coached (2,209) with one team, during his 28-year career with the San Antonio Spurs. He also has the record of most game wins when combining regular season and postseason games with 1,558 wins. Larry Brown has coached 9 different teams, the highest number of teams coached among the head coaches.[3]
Former Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers head coach Phil Jackson won 11 NBA championships, the most in NBA history. He is the only coach who has won multiple championships with multiple teams. He won six titles with the Bulls and five titles with the Lakers. He also leads the NBA for the most postseason games coached and the most postseason wins. Red Auerbach won nine championships with the Boston Celtics. He won his first title in before winning eight consecutive titles from to . John Kundla, Pat Riley and current Spurs head coach Popovich have each won five championships. Popovich won all of his titles coaching the Spurs as Kundla won all of his titles with the Lakers, while Riley won four titles with the Lakers and one with the Miami Heat. Nelson, Popovich and Riley each won the Coach of the Year Award three times, while Fitch, Hubie Brown, Mike Budenholzer, Mike D'Antoni, Cotton Fitzsimmons, Gene Shue and Tom Thibodeau have each won it twice. 27 NBA head coaches (Rick Adelman, Red Auerbach, Larry Brown, John Calipari, Chuck Daly, Bill Fitch, Cotton Fitzsimmons, Alex Hannum, Tom Heinsohn, Red Holzman, Phil Jackson, Alvin Julian, John Kundla, Bobby Leonard, Ken Loeffler, Frank McGuire, Don Nelson, Rick Pitino, Gregg Popovich, Jack Ramsay, Pat Riley, Bill Russell, Bill Sharman, Jerry Sloan, Jerry Tarkanian, Rudy Tomjanovich and Lenny Wilkens) have earned induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach.[4] [5] Auerbach, Daly, Fitch, Holzman, Jackson, Kundla, Nelson, Ramsay, Riley and Wilkens were named in the list of Top 10 Coaches in NBA History announced at the league's 50th anniversary in 1996.[6] Larry Brown, Popovich, Sloan, Spoelstra, K. C. Jones, Steve Kerr, and Doc Rivers joined Auerbach, Daly, Holzman, Jackson, Nelson, Ramsay, Riley and Wilkens on the updated list of 15 Greatest Coaches in NBA History, announced during the league's 75th anniversary in 2021.[7]
This list includes all head coaches who have coached at least 400 games in the NBA or BAA. The list does not include games in the American Basketball Association (ABA) for head coaches who coached in the ABA prior to the ABA–NBA merger.
| Yrs | Number of years coached | |
| GC | Games coached | |
| W | Wins | |
| L | Losses | |
| Win% | Winning percentage | |
| ^ | Denotes coach who is currently coaching an NBA team | |
| Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach | ||
| Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor | ||
| Active NBA coach who has been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 2023–24 NBA season.
| Coach | Team(s) coached (years) | Yrs | GC | W | L | Win% | GC | W | L | Win% | Coach of the Year award(s) won | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
| Portland Trail Blazers (–) Golden State Warriors (–) Sacramento Kings (–) Houston Rockets (–) Minnesota Timberwolves (–) | 23 | 1,791 | 1,042 | 749 | .582 | 157 | 79 | 78 | .503 | None | None | [8] | ||
| Cleveland Cavaliers San Antonio Spurs (–) New Jersey Nets (–) Chicago Bulls | 7 | 574 | 307 | 267 | .535 | 44 | 18 | 26 | .409 | None | None | [9] | ||
| San Francisco / Golden State Warriors (–) | 14 | 1,075 | 557 | 518 | .518 | 61 | 31 | 30 | .508 | 1 (1975) | None | [10] | ||
| Washington Capitols (–) Tri-Cities Blackhawks Boston Celtics (–) | 20 | 1,417 | 938 | 479 | .662 | 168 | 99 | 69 | .589 | 9 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966) | 1 | [11] | ||
| Seattle SuperSonics (–) Denver Nuggets (–) Washington Bullets / Wizards (–) Charlotte Bobcats (–) Los Angeles Lakers | 14 | 937 | 419 | 518 | .447 | 33 | 12 | 21 | .364 | None | None | [12] | ||
| ^ | Houston Rockets Memphis Grizzlies (–) Cleveland Cavaliers (–) Detroit Pistons (–present) | 8 | 545 | 255 | 290 | .468 | 22 | 7 | 15 | .318 | None | None | [13] | |
| Charlotte Hornets (–) | 5 | 410 | 207 | 203 | .505 | 13 | 5 | 8 | .385 | None | None | [14] | ||
| Oklahoma City Thunder (–) Washington Wizards (–) | 12 | 935 | 521 | 414 | .557 | 97 | 49 | 48 | .505 | None | 1 | [15] | ||
| Philadelphia 76ers (–) | 7 | 565 | 221 | 344 | .391 | 26 | 12 | 14 | .462 | None | None | [16] | ||
| Atlanta Hawks (–) New York Knicks (–) Memphis Grizzlies (–) | 13 | 919 | 424 | 495 | .461 | 38 | 14 | 24 | .368 | None | 2 | [17] | ||
| Denver Nuggets (–) New Jersey Nets (–) San Antonio Spurs (–) Los Angeles Clippers (–) Indiana Pacers (–) Philadelphia 76ers (–) Detroit Pistons (–) New York Knicks Charlotte Bobcats (–) | 26 | 2,002 | 1,098 | 904 | .548 | 193 | 100 | 93 | .518 | 1 (2004) | 1 | [18] | ||
| ^ | Cleveland Cavaliers (–,) Los Angeles Lakers (–) Sacramento Kings (–present) | 10 | 727 | 441 | 286 | .607 | 90 | 50 | 40 | .556 | None | 2 | [19] | |
| ^ | Atlanta Hawks (–) Milwaukee Bucks (–) Phoenix Suns (–present) | 10 | 801 | 484 | 317 | .604 | 104 | 56 | 48 | .538 | 1 | 2 | [20] | |
| Portland Trail Blazers (–) Golden State Warriors (–) Seattle SuperSonics / Oklahoma City Thunder (–) Brooklyn Nets | 9 | 554 | 239 | 315 | .431 | 19 | 6 | 13 | .316 | None | None | [21] | ||
| ^ | Detroit Pistons (–) Indiana Pacers (–, –present) Dallas Mavericks (–) | 22 | 1,771 | 943 | 828 | .532 | 150 | 71 | 79 | .473 | 1 (2011) | 1 | [22] | |
| Minnesota Timberwolves (–) Toronto Raptors (–) Detroit Pistons (–) | 14 | 1,064 | 494 | 570 | .464 | 55 | 21 | 34 | .382 | None | 1 | [23] | ||
| Syracuse Nationals (–) Philadelphia Warriors | 9 | 567 | 326 | 241 | .575 | 59 | 33 | 26 | .559 | 1 (1955) | None | [24] | ||
| Los Angeles Clippers (–) Houston Rockets (–) Detroit Pistons (–) New York Knicks (–) | 12 | 831 | 337 | 494 | .406 | 11 | 2 | 9 | .182 | None | 1 | [25] | ||
| Portland Trail Blazers (–) Philadelphia 76ers (–) Detroit Pistons | 9 | 620 | 305 | 315 | .492 | 16 | 5 | 11 | .313 | None | None | [26] | ||
| Charlotte Bobcats / Hornets (–, –) Orlando Magic (–) | 10 | 801 | 340 | 461 | .424 | 21 | 5 | 16 | .238 | None | None | [27] | ||
| Chicago Bulls (–) Detroit Pistons (–) Washington Wizards (–) Philadelphia 76ers (–) | 11 | 849 | 442 | 407 | .521 | 56 | 23 | 33 | .411 | None | None | [28] | ||
| Milwaukee Bucks (–) Chicago Bulls | 10 | 730 | 430 | 300 | .589 | 60 | 37 | 23 | .617 | 1 (1971) | None | [29] | ||
| Philadelphia 76ers (–) | 8 | 650 | 454 | 196 | .698 | 105 | 66 | 39 | .629 | 1 (1983) | None | [30] | ||
| Denver Nuggets Phoenix Suns (–) New York Knicks (–) Los Angeles Lakers (–) Houston Rockets (–) | 16 | 1,199 | 672 | 527 | .560 | 110 | 54 | 56 | .491 | None | 2 | [31] | ||
| Cleveland Cavaliers Detroit Pistons (–) New Jersey Nets (–) Orlando Magic (–) | 14 | 1,075 | 638 | 437 | .593 | 126 | 75 | 51 | .595 | 2 (1989, 1990) | None | [32] | ||
| ^ | Oklahoma City Thunder (–) Chicago Bulls (–present) | 9 | 718 | 399 | 319 | .556 | 46 | 19 | 27 | .413 | None | None | [33] | |
| Los Angeles Lakers (–) Milwaukee Bucks (–) Portland Trail Blazers (–) Los Angeles Clippers (–) | 17 | 1,329 | 613 | 716 | .461 | 71 | 38 | 33 | .535 | None | 1 | [34] | ||
| Cleveland Cavaliers (–) Boston Celtics (–) Houston Rockets (–) New Jersey Nets (–) Los Angeles Clippers (–) | 25 | 2,050 | 944 | 1,106 | .460 | 109 | 55 | 54 | .505 | 1 (1981) | 2 | [35] | ||
| Phoenix Suns (–, –,) Atlanta Hawks (–) Buffalo Braves Kansas City Kings (–) San Antonio Spurs (–) | 21 | 1,607 | 832 | 775 | .518 | 84 | 35 | 49 | .417 | None | 2 | [36] | ||
| Boston Celtics (–) Milwaukee Bucks (–) Los Angeles Clippers (–) Philadelphia 76ers | 10 | 699 | 323 | 376 | .462 | 29 | 13 | 16 | .448 | None | None | [37] | ||
| New Jersey Nets (–) Detroit Pistons (–) | 9 | 614 | 279 | 335 | .454 | 38 | 18 | 20 | .474 | None | None | [38] | ||
| Atlanta Hawks (–) Cleveland Cavaliers (–) Memphis Grizzlies (–) | 17 | 1,215 | 667 | 548 | .549 | 62 | 20 | 42 | .323 | None | 1 | [39] | ||
| Miami Heat Detroit Pistons (–) Los Angeles Clippers (–) Phoenix Suns (–) New Orleans Pelicans (–) Sacramento Kings | 18 | 1,170 | 534 | 636 | .456 | 30 | 17 | 13 | .567 | None | None | [40] | ||
| Philadelphia Warriors (–) | 9 | 581 | 263 | 318 | .453 | 32 | 15 | 17 | .469 | 1 (1947) | None | [41] | ||
| St. Louis / Atlanta Hawks (–) | 8 | 618 | 327 | 291 | .529 | 60 | 26 | 34 | .433 | None | 1 | [42] | ||
| Philadelphia 76ers (–) Orlando Magic (–) | 7 | 535 | 230 | 305 | .430 | 17 | 8 | 9 | .471 | None | None | [43] | ||
| St. Louis Hawks (–) Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers (–, –) San Francisco Warriors (–) San Diego Rockets (–) | 12 | 883 | 471 | 412 | .533 | 79 | 45 | 34 | .570 | 2 (1958, 1967) | 1 | [44] | ||
| Houston Rockets (–) Milwaukee Bucks (–) Los Angeles Lakers (–) | 14 | 1,013 | 556 | 457 | .549 | 88 | 38 | 50 | .432 | None | 1 | [45] | ||
| Rochester Royals (–) | 7 | 476 | 295 | 181 | .620 | 38 | 19 | 19 | .500 | 1 (1951) | None | [46] | ||
| Boston Celtics (–) | 9 | 690 | 427 | 263 | .619 | 80 | 47 | 33 | .588 | 2 (1974, 1976) | 1 | [47] | ||
| New York Knicks Indiana Pacers (–) San Antonio Spurs (–) Seattle SuperSonics (–) | 9 | 603 | 310 | 293 | .514 | 37 | 17 | 20 | .459 | None | None | [48] | ||
| Orlando Magic (–, –) Vancouver Grizzlies (–) | 9 | 613 | 298 | 315 | .486 | 40 | 18 | 22 | .450 | None | None | [49] | ||
| Vancouver / Memphis Grizzlies (–) Brooklyn Nets (–) | 9 | 534 | 262 | 272 | .491 | 41 | 20 | 21 | .488 | None | None | [50] | ||
| Milwaukee / St. Louis Hawks (–) New York Knicks (–, –) | 18 | 1,300 | 696 | 604 | .535 | 105 | 58 | 47 | .552 | 2 (1970, 1973) | 1 | [51] | ||
| Chicago Bulls (–) Los Angeles Lakers (–, –) | 20 | 1,640 | 1,155 | 485 | .704 | 333 | 229 | 104 | .688 | 11 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010) | 1 | [52] | ||
| Memphis Grizzlies (–) Sacramento Kings (–) | 6 | 492 | 245 | 247 | .498 | 22 | 9 | 13 | .409 | None | None | [53] | ||
| Dallas Mavericks (–) New Jersey / Brooklyn Nets (–) | 7 | 440 | 254 | 186 | .577 | 47 | 23 | 24 | .489 | None | 1 | [54] | ||
| Kansas City-Omaha / Kansas City / Sacramento Kings (–, –) Chicago Bulls | 9 | 543 | 236 | 307 | .435 | 9 | 2 | 7 | .222 | None | 1 | [55] | ||
| Capital / Washington Bullets (–) Boston Celtics (–) Seattle SuperSonics (–) | 10 | 774 | 522 | 252 | .674 | 138 | 81 | 57 | .587 | 2 (1984, 1986) | None | [56] | ||
| Sacramento Kings (–) Washington Wizards (–) Philadelphia 76ers | 9 | 600 | 257 | 343 | .428 | 26 | 8 | 18 | .308 | None | None | [57] | ||
| Cleveland Cavaliers (–) Golden State Warriors (–) Seattle SuperSonics (–) Milwaukee Bucks (–) Denver Nuggets (–) Sacramento Kings (–) | 27 | 1,999 | 1,175 | 824 | .588 | 185 | 80 | 105 | .432 | None | 1 | [58] | ||
| ^ | Golden State Warriors (–present) | 10 | 793 | 519 | 274 | .654 | 140 | 99 | 41 | .707 | 4 (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022) | 1 | [59] | |
| ^ | Brooklyn Nets Milwaukee Bucks (–) Dallas Mavericks (–present) | 8 | 619 | 323 | 296 | .522 | 64 | 31 | 33 | .484 | None | None | [60] | |
| Minneapolis Lakers (–,) | 11 | 725 | 423 | 302 | .583 | 95 | 60 | 35 | .632 | 5 (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954) | None | [61] | ||
| New York Knicks (–) | 9 | 573 | 326 | 247 | .569 | 60 | 30 | 30 | .500 | None | None | [62] | ||
| Utah Jazz (–) | 8 | 571 | 277 | 294 | .485 | 41 | 18 | 23 | .439 | None | 1 | [63] | ||
| Chicago Zephyrs / Baltimore Bullets (–) Indiana Pacers (–) | 6 | 450 | 186 | 264 | .413 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | None | None | [64] | ||
| Philadelphia 76ers New York / New Jersey Nets (–) Atlanta Hawks (–) Chicago Bulls (–) Washington Bullets (–) Miami Heat (–) | 17 | 1,136 | 474 | 662 | .417 | 27 | 6 | 21 | .222 | None | None | [65] | ||
| San Antonio Spurs (–) Philadelphia 76ers (–) Cleveland Cavaliers (–) | 6 | 431 | 173 | 258 | .401 | 14 | 6 | 8 | .429 | None | None | [66] | ||
| ^ | Cleveland Cavaliers (–) Los Angeles Clippers (–present) | 8 | 529 | 312 | 217 | .590 | 91 | 54 | 37 | .593 | 1 (2016) | None | [67] | |
| San Diego / Los Angeles Clippers (–) Philadelphia 76ers (–) Washington Bullets (–) | 10 | 720 | 328 | 392 | .456 | 21 | 8 | 13 | .381 | None | None | [68] | ||
| Phoenix Suns (–) Dallas Mavericks (–) New York Knicks | 18 | 1,364 | 707 | 657 | .518 | 101 | 47 | 54 | .465 | None | None | [69] | ||
| ^ | Sacramento Kings (–) Denver Nuggets (–present) | 11 | 825 | 463 | 362 | .561 | 80 | 44 | 36 | .550 | 1 (2023) | None | [70] | |
| Detroit Pistons (–) New York Knicks (–) | 7 | 457 | 197 | 260 | .431 | 25 | 9 | 16 | .360 | None | None | [71] | ||
| Minnesota Timberwolves Houston Rockets (–) | 7 | 417 | 232 | 185 | .556 | 29 | 13 | 16 | .448 | None | None | [72] | ||
| Chicago Zephyrs Cincinnati Royals (–) San Diego Rockets (–) | 8 | 549 | 260 | 289 | .474 | 29 | 10 | 19 | .345 | None | None | [73] | ||
| Seattle SuperSonics (–) Portland Trail Blazers (–) Indiana Pacers (–) Atlanta Hawks (–) | 19 | 1,428 | 760 | 668 | .532 | 76 | 28 | 48 | .368 | None | None | [74] | ||
| Toronto Raptors (–) Minnesota Timberwolves | 6 | 427 | 185 | 242 | .433 | 11 | 3 | 8 | .273 | None | 1 | [75] | ||
| San Antonio Spurs (–) Denver Nuggets (–) Philadelphia 76ers | 15 | 1,157 | 628 | 529 | .543 | 83 | 33 | 50 | .398 | None | 1 | [76] | ||
| Chicago Bulls (–) Washington Bullets (–) Dallas Mavericks (–, –) Sacramento Kings (–) Denver Nuggets | 25 | 1,952 | 935 | 1,017 | .479 | 126 | 56 | 70 | .444 | 1 (1978) | 1 | [77] | ||
| Milwaukee Bucks (–) Golden State Warriors (–, –) New York Knicks Dallas Mavericks (–) | 31 | 2,398 | 1,335 | 1,063 | .557 | 166 | 75 | 91 | .452 | None | 3 | [78] | ||
| Seattle SuperSonics Houston Rockets (–) Utah Jazz (–) Cleveland Cavaliers (–) | 9 | 639 | 248 | 391 | .388 | 14 | 6 | 8 | .429 | None | 1 | [79] | ||
| ^ | Toronto Raptors (–) Philadelphia 76ers (–present) | 6 | 472 | 274 | 198 | .581 | 47 | 27 | 20 | .574 | 1 (2019) | 1 | [80] | |
| Boston Celtics (–) Philadelphia 76ers Indiana Pacers (–) | 9 | 630 | 303 | 327 | .481 | 31 | 14 | 17 | .452 | None | None | [81] | ||
| New York Knicks (–) Boston Celtics (–) | 6 | 412 | 192 | 220 | .466 | 13 | 6 | 7 | .462 | None | None | [82] | ||
| ^* | San Antonio Spurs (–present) | 28 | 2,209 | 1,388 | 821 | .628 | 284 | 170 | 114 | .599 | 5 (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014) | 3 | [83] | |
| Philadelphia 76ers (–) Buffalo Braves (–) Portland Trail Blazers (–) Indiana Pacers (–) | 21 | 1,647 | 864 | 783 | .525 | 102 | 44 | 58 | .431 | 1 (1977) | None | [84] | ||
| Los Angeles Lakers (–) New York Knicks (–) Miami Heat (–, –) | 24 | 1,904 | 1,210 | 694 | .636 | 282 | 171 | 111 | .606 | 5 (1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2006) | 3 | [85] | ||
| ^ | Orlando Magic (–) Boston Celtics (–) Los Angeles Clippers (–) Philadelphia 76ers (–) Milwaukee Bucks (–present) | 25 | 1,896 | 1,114 | 782 | .588 | 221 | 113 | 108 | .511 | 1 (2008) | 1 | [86] | |
| Boston Celtics (–) Seattle SuperSonics (–) Sacramento Kings | 8 | 631 | 341 | 290 | .540 | 61 | 34 | 27 | .557 | 2 (1968, 1969) | None | [87] | ||
| Minnesota Timberwolves (–,) Detroit Pistons (–) Washington Wizards (–) | 17 | 1,246 | 654 | 592 | .525 | 98 | 47 | 51 | .480 | None | None | [88] | ||
| Los Angeles Lakers (–) | 7 | 560 | 315 | 245 | .563 | 71 | 33 | 38 | .465 | None | None | [89] | ||
| New Jersey Nets (–) New Orleans Hornets (–) Cleveland Cavaliers (–) Los Angeles Lakers (–) | 15 | 1,101 | 454 | 647 | .412 | 57 | 33 | 24 | .579 | None | 1 | [90] | ||
| Syracuse Nationals (–) St. Louis Hawks (–) Baltimore Bullets Detroit Pistons | 8 | 512 | 271 | 241 | .529 | 35 | 14 | 21 | .400 | None | None | [91] | ||
| San Francisco Warriors (–) Los Angeles Lakers (–) | 7 | 573 | 333 | 240 | .581 | 62 | 35 | 27 | .565 | 1 (1972) | 1 | [92] | ||
| Baltimore / Washington Bullets (–, –) Philadelphia 76ers (–) San Diego / Los Angeles Clippers (–, –) | 22 | 1,645 | 784 | 861 | .477 | 77 | 30 | 47 | .390 | None | 2 | [93] | ||
| San Diego Clippers (–) Charlotte Hornets / Bobcats (–, –) New Orleans Hornets Cleveland Cavaliers (–) | 12 | 875 | 387 | 488 | .442 | 29 | 13 | 16 | .448 | None | None | [94] | ||
| Phoenix Suns (–) Chicago Bulls (–) Milwaukee Bucks (–) Orlando Magic | 14 | 958 | 478 | 480 | .499 | 42 | 18 | 24 | .429 | None | None | [95] | ||
| Chicago Bulls (–) Utah Jazz (–) | 26 | 2,024 | 1,221 | 803 | .603 | 202 | 98 | 104 | .485 | None | None | [96] | ||
| ^ | Utah Jazz (–) Atlanta Hawks (–present) | 10 | 739 | 418 | 321 | .566 | 57 | 23 | 34 | .404 | None | None | [97] | |
| ^ | Miami Heat (–present) | 16 | 1,277 | 750 | 527 | .587 | 189 | 110 | 79 | .582 | 2 (2012, 2013) | None | [98] | |
| Sacramento Kings (–) Golden State Warriors | 6 | 450 | 172 | 278 | .382 | 4 | 1 | 3 | .250 | None | None | [99] | ||
| Boston Celtics (–) | 8 | 636 | 354 | 282 | .557 | 78 | 38 | 40 | .487 | None | None | [100] | ||
| Atlanta Hawks (–) Milwaukee Bucks (–) Portland Trail Blazers (–) | 13 | 1,003 | 517 | 486 | .515 | 67 | 23 | 44 | .343 | None | None | [101] | ||
| ^ | Chicago Bulls (–) Minnesota Timberwolves (–) New York Knicks (–present) | 12 | 916 | 527 | 389 | .575 | 85 | 38 | 47 | .447 | None | 2 | [102] | |
| Indiana Pacers (–) New York Knicks (–) | 5 | 410 | 187 | 223 | .456 | 15 | 5 | 10 | .333 | None | None | [103] | ||
| Houston Rockets (–) Los Angeles Lakers | 13 | 943 | 527 | 416 | .559 | 90 | 51 | 39 | .567 | 2 (1994, 1995) | None | [104] | ||
| Washington Bullets (–) | 7 | 547 | 202 | 345 | .369 | 5 | 2 | 3 | .400 | None | None | [105] | ||
| Los Angeles Lakers (–) Detroit Pistons (–) Phoenix Suns New Orleans Jazz (–) | 9 | 519 | 266 | 253 | .513 | 33 | 21 | 12 | .636 | None | None | [106] | ||
| New York Knicks (–) Houston Rockets (–) | 11 | 748 | 430 | 318 | .575 | 88 | 44 | 44 | .500 | None | None | [107] | ||
| Miami Heat (–) Orlando Magic (–) Detroit Pistons (–) New Orleans Pelicans | 13 | 979 | 554 | 425 | .566 | 91 | 48 | 43 | .527 | None | None | [108] | ||
| Indiana Pacers (–) Orlando Magic (–) Los Angeles Lakers (–) Phoenix Suns | 12 | 902 | 480 | 422 | .532 | 92 | 49 | 43 | .533 | 1 (2020) | None | [109] | ||
| Los Angeles Lakers (–) Sacramento Kings (–) | 6 | 407 | 166 | 241 | .408 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | None | None | [110] | ||
| San Antonio Spurs (–) Atlanta Hawks (–) Los Angeles Clippers Seattle SuperSonics | 7 | 522 | 223 | 299 | .427 | 11 | 2 | 9 | .182 | None | None | [111] | ||
| Los Angeles Lakers (–) Chicago Bulls Denver Nuggets (–) | 6 | 407 | 183 | 224 | .450 | 19 | 13 | 6 | .684 | 1 (1980) | None | [112] | ||
| Phoenix Suns (–) Seattle SuperSonics (–) Sacramento Kings (–) | 10 | 597 | 318 | 279 | .533 | 49 | 27 | 22 | .551 | None | None | [113] | ||
| Seattle SuperSonics (–, –) Portland Trail Blazers (–) Cleveland Cavaliers (–) Atlanta Hawks (–) Toronto Raptors (–) New York Knicks (–) | 32 | 2,487 | 1,332 | 1,155 | .536 | 178 | 80 | 98 | .449 | 1 (1979) | 1 | [114] | ||
| New Orleans Hornets / Pelicans (–) Phoenix Suns (–) Detroit Pistons | 10 | 785 | 381 | 404 | .485 | 56 | 29 | 27 | .518 | None | 1 | [115] | ||
| Cleveland Cavaliers (–) Minnesota Timberwolves (–) Washington Wizards (–) | 10 | 684 | 278 | 406 | .406 | 21 | 12 | 9 | .571 | None | None | [116] | ||
| Atlanta Hawks (–) New York Knicks (–) | 9 | 680 | 315 | 365 | .463 | 46 | 18 | 28 | .391 | None | None | [117] | ||
Below is a list of the most playoff series by a coach (minimum 20 or more playoff series). Phil Jackson, who appeared in 20 playoffs, coached the most series with 65, and won the most with 56. However, Gregg Popovich and George Karl actually made the most playoff appearances at 22. Karl has the most losses, having lost a series in each of his 22 appearances without winning a championship. Jerry Sloan coached the most playoff series without winning a championship with 40, compiling 20 wins and 20 losses. Steve Kerr owns the highest win percentage at 88.5%, and Jack Ramsay owns the lowest win percentage at 31.8%. Note that the playoff format has expanded over time. Results from the NBA play-in tournament are not counted.
| Yrs | Number of years coached | |
| SC | Series Coached | |
| SW | Series Wins | |
| SL | Series Losses | |
| Win% | Winning percentage | |
| App. | Playoff Appearances | |
| ^ | Denotes coach who is currently coaching an NBA team | |
| Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach | ||
| Active NBA coach who has been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |