The Four Best Coaches Right Now

A couple days ago, I wrote about the four best players right now. Today, I want to talk about the four best coaches in the NBA right now. Just a couple things to remember. First, this column is just for active, current NBA coaches. That's why Red Auerbach isn't listed. Second, it's just my opinion. If you disagree, leave your four best coaches in the comments section. Here we go:

Greg Poppovich--No one's going to argue with me on this pick. He's got five championships and has led the Spurs to the playoffs in fifteen consecutive seasons. He's been able to change styles and change players, depending on what is best for the team. Pop is up there with Phil Jackson and Red Auerbach, no question. The secret to his success, according to him? "Draft Tim Duncan."

Rick Carlisle--Within NBA circles, Carlisle is highly respected. But casual basketball fans don't give him the love he deserves. I don't know why. He was great in Detroit and Indiana, and has been exactly what the Dallas Mavericks needed the last few years. He gets the most defensively out of any team and lets the players play on offense. I've seen him turn several lost-cause cases on defense into serviceable defensive players. The guy got Monta Ellis to play hard on defense. Do you need anymore proof? Also, he and Poppovich are the only two coaches to defeat Erik Spoelstra in the playoffs since 2010.

Erik Spoelstra--I know a lot of people think Spoelstra was just lucky to coach LeBron James. But that's not giving him the credit he deserves. There will always be that kind of criticism when you coach great players (see: Phil Jackson), but you have to remember that the Big Three Miami Heat wasn't working out in the beginning. They started out their first season 9-8, with some bickering and a lot of self-doubt. Spoelstra changed his style of play, loosened up, and let the athletes on his team attack. The rest is history. It'll be interesting to see what he does now that LeBron is gone.

Doc Rivers--The current coach of the Los Angeles Clippers has been successful at every coaching stop in his career. He's won a championship with the Celtics and is widely known as a favorite of players everywhere. Even more impressive was the way he held together the Clippers franchise during the Donald Sterling catastrophe last year. Doc is smart and knows the game of basketball as well as the other coaches on this list.

Who do you think are the four best coaches right now?