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Power ranking NBA head coaches: 2015-16 season

By John Buhler

Oct 23, 2015; Manchester, NH, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens gestures from the sidelines during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Verizon Wireless Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2015; Manchester, NH, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens gestures from the sidelines during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Verizon Wireless Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 11, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Frank Vogel smiles on the side line during the first quarter against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 11, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Frank Vogel smiles on the side line during the first quarter against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /

8. Frank Vogel, Indiana Pacers

It was only a matter of time before people started becoming aware of just how good of a head coach Frank Vogel was for the Indiana Pacers. In six seasons as the head coach of the Indiana Pacers, Frank Vogel has gone 213-149, made the playoffs four times, and played for an Eastern Conference Championship in back-to-back years in 2013 and 2014. The one year Vogel’s Pacers didn’t make the postseason, their star player small forward Paul George had suffered one of the worst leg injuries in recent memory.

Vogel is a sound defensive mind and his Pacers are always a sound defensive team, no matter how difficult it can get on offense. Since his first full season in 2011-12, Vogel’s Pacers have never been anything but a top ten defensive team, twice finishing with the best marks in the NBA.

What has made Vogel’s 2015-16 Indiana Pacers so interesting is that the big bruisers of center Roy Hibbert and power forward David West are no longer with the team. Indiana has abruptly gone all in on the small ball era defensive philosophies, opting to start Paul George at the four.

Shockingly, the Indiana Pacers are 8-5 in their first 13 games and are 4th in team defensive rating (98.1). Defense has never been the issue in Indianapolis during the Frank Vogel Era. When healthy, this is a team essentially guaranteed to make the playoffs. If offense becomes a bigger part of the equation, Vogel could one day win the Pacers their first championship since the ABA days.

Next: 7. Erik Spoelstra

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