Scott Brooks, Nate McMillan - Ten greatest active coaches in NBA (Part 2)
Scott Brooks: Currently coaching Oklahoma City Thunder
University of California’s hall of famer and former NBA player Scott Brooks took over as an interim coach in 2008 for the Oklahoma City Thunder after the franchise fired P.J. Carlesimo. Later Brooks was named as the head coach
of the Oklahoma City.
Thunder had an abysmal end in the first season of Scott as they managed to win only 23 games. However Brooks showed his true potential in the next two years by guiding Oklahoma City Thunder to back to back 50-win seasons.
The offensive guru Brooks transformed the young talent of the Thunder into a formidable threat on the offence even for the best defensive teams in the league. Brooks’ extraordinary leadership skills and transforming a young line-up
into a competitive unit earned him the award of the Best Coach of the Year in 2010.
In the last season, Oklahoma City Thunder startled the world of NBA by finishing with the fourth seed in the Western Conference and making it into the Conference finals where they were defeated by the eventual champions Dallas
Mavericks.
Scott Brooks’ ability to guide a young squad against the rigid and experienced teams of the league is an evidence of his extra special potential. One can expect that the Oklahoma City Thunder will only get better under the guidance
of 46-year-old Brooks.
Brooks is on the threshold of his coaching career and he has already amassed 127 regular season and 11 post-season victories.
Nate McMillan: Currently coaching Portland Trail Blazers
After spending a decent career in NBA as a player, the 47-year-old Nate McMillan has earned the reputation of one of the best active NBA coaches.
McMillan was drafted by the Seattle Supersonic, now known as Oklahoma City Thunder, during the 1986 NBA Draft. Nate spent his entire 12-year playing career in the Sonics uniform and joined the coaching staff of the team after the
retirement.
Nate was hired as an interim coach during the 2000-2001 season in which the Seattle Supersonics failed to clinch a play-off berth. The franchise removed the interim tag from Nate McMillan in the next season in which he guided the
team into the play-offs.
After spending five years as a coach in Seattle during which he led the team to a Northwest Division title in his last season, McMillan was hired by the depleted Portland Trail Blazer in 2005 to fulfil their empty coaching position.
McMillan’s tenure with the Trailblazer proved that he was highly underrated. After an average performance in the first two seasons, Nate transformed Portland Trail Blazers into a consistent play-off contender who had a lot of off-court
issues.
Over the past few years, Trail Blazers key players Brandon Roy, Nicolas Batum, Greg Oden and Marcus Camby have had serious issues including injury problems. The success of Nate McMillan is this situation was even more amazing who
marshalled the team quite impressively.
After spearheading Trail Blazers into the play-offs three times consecutively despite of all the injuries, Nate is capable to turn Portland into a championship contender with a healthy team. McMillan has gathered 458 regular season
victories and the experience and the extent of his abilities will help Portland Trail Blazers to be a consistent play-off contender.
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