Popovich can step into a tie for third this season.

riles retires. he got a lucky championship with a so-so miami heat team. he's at five. but he's not that good of a coach anymore, not like was used to be.

so gregg popovich, with four championships, can make his move into a tie for that third slot with pat riley.

NBA Top 10 Coaches (NBA 50 Year Anniversary - pre-Gregg Popovich or PGP)

As part of the "NBA at 50" celebration during the '96-97 season, voters were asked to select the top 10 coaches in NBA history, without ranking them. Ten men who collectively have amassed more than 7,500 regular season wins and 33 NBA championships comprise the list of the Top Ten Coaches in NBA History, as selected by balloting among media members who regularly cover the NBA.

The ten coaches have combined to win 741 playoff games and 13 Coach of the Year Awards, which the NBA first awarded for the 1962-63 season. Four of the coaches - Jackson, Nelson, Riley and Wilkens - are still active.

The Top Ten Coaches in NBA History
(alphabetical order)

	Red Auerbach	938 wins	479 losses	(.662)
	Third-winningest coach in NBA history ... Served 20 seasons as NBA head coach ... Coach of the Year for 1964-65 ... NBA 25th Anniversary All-Time team coach ... Selected as the "Greatest Coach in the History of the NBA" by the PBWAA in 1980 ... Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1968.
	Chuck Daly	605 wins	420 losses	(.590)
	Fifteenth-winningest coach in NBA history ... 1998-99 is his second season as Orlando Magic coach; 14th season as NBA head coach ... Guided Detroit Pistons to victories in 1989 and 1990 NBA Finals ... His teams posted winning records in 11 of 13 campaigns ... Elected to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994.
	Bill Fitch	944 wins	1,106 losses	(.460)
	Second-winningest coach in NBA history ... 22 seasons as NBA head coach with Cleveland, Boston, Houston, New Jersey, LA Clippers... Guided Boston Celtics to victory in 1981 NBA Finals ... Coach of the Year for 1975-76 and 1979-80.
	Red Holzman	696 wins	604 losses	(.535)
	Eleventh-winningest coach in NBA history ... Served 18 seasons as NBA head coach ... Led Knicks to victory in 1970 and 1973 NBA Finals ... Coach of the Year for 1969-70 ... Elected to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985.
	Phil Jackson	545 wins	193 losses	(.738)
	Best winning percentage in NBA history ... Enjoyed nine successful seasons as Chicago head coach (1989-98) ... Reached 400 wins in only 557 games, second-fastest to milestone in league history ... Guided the Chicago Bulls to NBA championships in 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1995-96, 1996-97 and 1997-98 ... 1995-96 Coach of the Year.
	John Kundla	423 wins	302 losses	(.583)
	Coached Minneapolis to five NBA championships in six seasons from 1948-49 through 1953-54 ... Served 11 years as NBA head coach ... His 1949-50 Minneapolis team recorded fourth-best home winning percentage in NBA history (.868/30-1) ... Elected to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995.
	Don Nelson	867 wins	679 losses	(.575)
	Sixth-winningest coach in NBA history ... Has served 20 years as NBA head coach with Milwaukee, Golden State, New York and Dallas ... Joins Pat Riley as the only coaches ever to be named Coach of the Year three times (1982-83, 1984-85 and 1991-92) ... His clubs have recorded nine 50-plus-win seasons and seven divisional championships.
	Jack Ramsay	864 wins	783 losses	(.525)
	Seventh-winningest coach in NBA history ... Served 20 years as NBA head coach ... Coached 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers to victory in NBA Finals ... Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.
	Pat Riley	914 wins	387 losses	(.703)
	Fifth-winningest coach in NBA history ... Achieved 800th career win on Nov. 2, 1996, reaching the mark faster than any coach in league history... 1998-99 will be his fourth season as Miami head coach; 17th season as a head coach in NBA ... Led four L.A. Lakers teams to victory in 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988 NBA Finals ... 1989-90, 1992-93 and 1996-97 Coach of the Year.
	Lenny Wilkens	1,120 wins	908 losses	(.526)
	Winningest coach in NBA history ... 1998-99 will be his sixth season as Atlanta head coach; 26th season as a head coach in NBA ... 1993-94 Coach of the Year ... Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990 ... Recently selected one of 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.

i don't know if pop had coached any nba games when this list was made. if he had, then he was a losing coach (that was his only losing season, but i consider it a victory).

here is my list of best nba coaches (i gave no consideration to coaches from before i watched basketball):

1. phil
2. pop
3. riles
4. rudy t
5. daly
6. kc jones
7. cunningham
8. motta
9. fitch
10. brown