Does Coaching Matter in the NBA in 2025?

Coaching has been a debate for a long time in the NBA. Lately, it has been put into the spotlight even more with the Warriors-Rockets game the other day, as Inside the NBA’s Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley had a viral debate on the subject the other day after the Rockets’ horrible performance on Sunday. The discussion and discourse are silly, as coaching matters, but the players have to put the ball in the hoop. I’m saying that coaching and play on the floor matter, but how much does it matter? Let’s look at the evidence.

Coaching 

The Rockets, Pistons, and Lakers are great examples of how coaching can elevate you to another level in the 2024-25 season, specifically with Ime Udoka, J.J. Redick, and J.B. Bickerstaff.  Let’s look at the Pistons in more detail because that’s my best argument, and were one of the worst teams in the league in 2023-24. Then they hired J.B. Bickerstaff, then they get elevated to the next level, make the playoffs as a six-seed, and are in a 1-1 series with the Knicks after earning their first playoff win since 2008.

That win snapped a historic 15-game losing streak in the playoffs, as the only impactful move the Pistons made in the offseason was the signing of Malik Beasley.  JB Bickerstaff has brought back the toughness to the Motor City with his style of play that he has implemented. Another reason why coaching matters is the strategy in the playoffs. As the pressure rises, you need a coach who will get you in the right situations and spots to win. A prime example of this was Greg Poppivich. Poppivich would know the right situations for those great Spurs teams. 

Players Performances

Meanwhile, the players must play exceptionally during the year, looking at the 27 straight threes the Rockets missed in 2019 against the Warriors. You blame the players for that loss rather than the coaching, because most of those threes were open. Players like Luka Doncic, Stephen Curry, SGA, etc., can sometimes make up for bad coaching with their elite scoring ability. This is typically the casual fan’s first response to a loss, more so unless the coach is really bad. 

Final Thoughts

These arguments about coaching mattering in the NBA have a whole bunch of nuances that many people would have to have great knowledge of the game to understand how coaches do their job. As a casual fan, you’ll lean towards the players’ performance more so in the NBA. Looking at all the details I have learned throughout my life as an NBA fan, I have learned that coaching and player performances matter equally, with a slight edge to coaching in the Playoffs. Total Apex Sports is the place for more NBA news and topics like this on the website.