GM Survey: Top Coaches

Will the Boston Celtics be the first NBA team to repeat as champions since the 2002 Lakers? Perhaps it will be the latest version of the Lake Show to stop them? Is this the year that the King gets crowned MVP? Which team helped themselves the most this summer? Will the Rookie of the Year come from this year's draft class or last year's?

NBA.com posed these questions and more to the league's general managers, and nearly all of the GM's responded to our survey.*

Here's what the guys who call the shots think will transpire this season.

• Predictions
• Players
• Moves
• Rookies & International
• Defense
• Coaches
• Miscellaneous
• Q&A with Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak
• 2008-09 NBA Expert Predictions
• 2008-09 NBA Celebrity Predictions
• 2007-2008 GM Survey

Who is the best head coach in the NBA?
1. Gregg Popovich -- 53.8%
2. Phil Jackson -- 23.1%
3. Jerry Sloan -- 7.7%
Others receiving votes: Rick Adelman, Rick Carlisle, Nate McMillan, Stan Van Gundy

Which head coach is the best manager/motivator of people?
1. Phil Jackson -- 44.0%
2. Gregg Popovich -- 28.0%
3. Doc Rivers -- 12.0%
4. Nate McMillan -- 8.0%
Others receiving votes: Rick Adelman, Jerry Sloan

Which head coach makes the best in-game adjustments?
1. Gregg Popovich -- 28.0%
2. Larry Brown -- 20.0%
3. Rick Carlisle -- 12.0%
4. Eddie Jordan -- 8.0%
Don Nelson -- 8.0%
Doc Rivers -- 8.0%
Jerry Sloan -- 8.0%
Others receiving votes: Rick Adelman, Phil Jackson

Which head coach is the best in the last two minutes of a close game?
1. Gregg Popovich -- 45.8%
2. Larry Brown -- 12.5%
3. Rick Adelman -- 8.3%
Phil Jackson - 8.3%
Jerry Sloan -- 8.3%
Others receiving votes: Mike Dunleavy, Byron Scott, Scott Skiles, Stan Van Gundy

Which coach runs the best offense?
1. Mike D'Antoni -- 53.8%
2. Phil Jackson -- 19.2%
Jerry Sloan -- 19.2%
Others receiving votes: Don Nelson, Byron Scott

Which coach has the best defensive schemes?
1. Gregg Popovich - 50.0%
2. Doc Rivers -- 30.8%
3. Jerry Sloan -- 7.7%
Others receiving votes: Mike Brown, Sam Mitchell, Stan Van Gundy

Who is the best assistant coach in the NBA?
1. Tom Thibodeau -- 41.7%
2. Del Harris -- 20.8%
3. Tim Grgurich -- 12.5%
Others receiving votes: Bernie Bickerstaff, Mike Budenholzer, Tyrone Corbin, Frank Hamblen, Keith Smart, Elston Turner

Which active player will make the best head coach someday?
1. Eric Snow -- 24.0%
2. Sam Cassell -- 16.0%
3. Derek Fisher -- 12.0%
4. Darrell Armstrong -- 8.0%
Steve Nash -- 8.0%
Jacque Vaughn -- 8.0%
Others receiving votes: Shane Battier, Raja Bell, Luol Deng, Keyon Dooling, Chris Paul, Kurt Thomas

* - Percentages are based on the pool of respondents to each question of the survey, rather than all 30 general managers.