The NBA has always been a player-driven league, but there’s no question an elite head coach can push teams over the edge and take them from merely good to undoubtedly great.
As such, there have been multiple examples of that throughout NBA history, where the perfect head coach has come along at the right time and led superstar players to previously unreached heights.
There are guys like Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, Gregg Popovich and Red Auerbach who we can cite as four top examples of that, all men who elevated their teams, particularly in the playoffs when games matter so much more.
Below, you can check out the NBA head coaches with the most playoff series won in league history.
1. Phil Jackson: 56 playoff series won
68.8 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Bulls and Lakers
2. Pat Riley: 40 playoff series won
60.6 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Lakers, Knicks and Heat
3. Gregg Popovich: 37 playoff series won
59.9 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Spurs
4. Red Auerbach: 24 playoff series won
60.3 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Blackhawks and Celtics
5. John Kundla: 22 playoff series won
61.2 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Lakers
6. Jerry Sloan: 20 playoff series won
48.5 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Bulls and Jazz
7. Larry Brown: 19 playoff series won
51.8 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Nuggets, Nets, Spurs, Clippers, Pacers, Sixers, Pistons and Hornets
8. Steve Kerr: 18 playoff series won
73.3 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Warriors
8. Erik Spoelstra: 18 playoff series won
61.2 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Heat
8. KC Jones: 18 playoff series won
58.7 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Bullets, Celtics and SuperSonics
11. Lenny Wilkens: 17 playoff series won
44.9 percent winning percentage in the postseason with SuperSonics, Cavaliers, Hawks, Raptors and Knicks
12. Chuck Daly: 16 playoff series won
59.5 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Pistons, Nets and Magic
13. Billy Cunningham: 15 playoff series won
62.9 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Sixers
13. Don Nelson: 15 playoff series won
45.2 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Bucks, Warriors and Mavericks
15. Doc Rivers: 14 playoff series won
50.6 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Magic, Celtics and Clippers
15. Rick Adelman: 14 playoff series won
50.3 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Blazers, Kings and Rockets
17. George Karl: 13 playoff series won
43.2 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Cavaliers, Warriors, SuperSonics, Bucks and Nuggets
18. Rudy Tomjanovich: 12 playoff series won
56.7 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Rockets
18. Red Holzman: 12 playoff series won
55.2 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Hawks and Knicks
20. Alex Hannum: 11 playoff series won
57.0 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Nationals (Sixers), Hawks and Warriors
20. Bill Fitch: 11 playoff series won
50.5 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Cavaliers, Celtics, Rockets, Nets and Clippers
20. Rick Carlisle: 11 playoff series won
47.6 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Pistons, Pacers and Mavericks
20. Dick Motta: 11 playoff series won
44.4 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Bulls, Wizards and Mavericks
24. Tyronn Lue: 10 playoff series won
67.2 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Cavaliers
24. Tom Heinsohn: 10 playoff series won
58.8 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Celtics
24. Mike D'Antoni: 10 playoff series won
49.1 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Suns, Knicks, Lakers and Rockets
24. John MacLeod: 10 playoff series won
46.5 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Suns, Mavericks and Knicks
28. Frank Vogel: Nine playoff series won
57.3 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Pacers and Lakers
28. Mike Brown: Nine playoff series won
56.6 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Cavaliers and Lakers
28. Al Cervi: Nine playoff series won
55.9 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Nationals (Sixers)
28. Stan Van Gundy: Nine playoff series won
52.7 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Heat, Magic and Pistons
28. Scott Brooks: Nine playoff series won
52.2 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Thunder and Wizards
28. Del Harris: Nine playoff series won
43.2 percent winning percentage in the postseason with Rockets, Bucks and Lakers
