Mike Brown may take over the Golden State Warriors head coaching duties in the NBA Finals
The Cleveland Cavaliers may not be going against Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors in the 2017 NBA Finals. Mike Brown could be the Warriors’ acting head coach instead.
According to ESPN’s Marc J. Spears, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr may not be coaching the Dubs in the 2017 NBA Finals. That would leave acting head coach Mike Brown to continue his current duties in what will be his second NBA Finals appearance, the first coming with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2007.
Kerr has been dealing with back pain and a spinal fluid leak from a back surgery he had two years ago. Kerr, who is one of the NBA’s most innovative coaches and best motivators, has went 207-39 in three seasons as the Golden State Warriors head coach.
He’s been a Coach of the Month five times, the NBA’s Coach of the Year for the 2015-2016 season and led the Warriors to two Western Conference championships and, of course, one NBA Finals appearance.
For comparison, Brown has traditionally been a coach whose focus is on the defensive end. His offenses would be slow-paced and a complete juxtaposition of the pace-and-space offense that the Warriors play with. However, the Warriors’ offense is basically on autopilot with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green’s chemistry, especially alongside Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala in a “Death Lineup”.
Brown’s influence on the offense will mostly be seen in substitution patterns, lineup choices and playcalling.
Brown, who has a coaching record of 347-216, coached James and the Cleveland Cavaliers for five seasons but was fired in the 2010 offseason as an attempt to appease James.
"During his tenure, Brown rarely — if ever — criticized James. The opposite wasn’t true.In past seasons, James complained about the team’s lack of offensive imagination, saying the Cavs should run more. He and Brown worked through most differences and seemed to have a solid relationship, but it began to fade as this brief postseason unfolded.Because of an injury to O’Neal, Brown was forced to integrate the center back into the offense during the playoffs, and the Cavs never got into a flow. Also, James and some of the team’s other veterans questioned Brown’s game plans in both the series against Chicago and Boston.James publicly questioned why O’Neal played only 49 seconds in the fourth quarter of the Game 4 loss in Boston. In the opening round against the Bulls, James campaigned to get J.J. Hickson more playing time, creating an awkward standoff between the coach and superstar."
Brown was brought back in 2013, as the Cavs hoped he could coach up the young Cavs on the defensive end. This is what owner Dan Gilbert had to say when Brown was hired in 2013 (per ESPN.com news services):
"We need an authentic, hard-working grinder who is a defensive-first coach who is engaged at all levels at all times."
That describes Brown to the tee.
Brown was fired again in 2014, as general manager David Griffin opted to bring in a head coach with – again – a more imaginative offense. That coach would be former head coach David Blatt, who was fired as the Cavs promoted Tyronn Lue.
In the battle of these two coaches, Lue is the more innovative offensive mind and, based on the Cavs’ defense in the postseason, at least as good as a defensive coach. That will matter when it comes to the Cavs and Warriors preparation before the NBA Finals, in-game adjustments, halftime adjustments and game-to-game adjustments.
Last year, Lue outcoached Kerr in the 2016 NBA Finals, not hesitating to put players like Kevin Love and Channing Frye on the bench in big moments despite their offensive firepower. Meanwhile, Kerr played an aged Anderson Varejao too much towards the end of the series and refused to take Harrison Barnes out of the game although he was struggling to hit open shots.
Those are perhaps two factors that contributed to the Cavs victory in the 2016 NBA Finals that aren’t discussed enough. Now there will be another coach Lue faces off against in the chess match.
Brown, unlike Kerr, will allow his superstars to dominate stretches of the game without regard to the rest of the team. Kerr would rather let his team play off of each other, making it harder to defend. The question will be is if Brown’s offensive philosophy will make the Warriors easier to defend than Kerr’s offensive philosophy.
Will Brown, who has a history of issues on the offensive end but a revitalized spirit with the Golden State Warriors, be able to do what Kerr was unable to last year?
Or will Lue, consistent with his performance in the playoffs, outcoach Brown as well?
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Do the Cleveland Cavaliers have a better or worse chance with Mike Brown coaching the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section or Twitter @KJG_NBA.