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Don Nelson, 5-time NBA champion and pioneer of ‘Nellie Ball’ as coach, dies at 86
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Don Nelson, a five-time NBA champion player with the Boston Celtics and one of the winningest NBA coaches, died at age 86; he was known for pioneering the "Nellie Ball" style of fast-paced, small-ball offense.
- Nelson holds the second-most regular-season coaching wins in NBA history with 1,335 victories, trailing only Gregg Popovich, and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach in 2012.
- Over a 31-season coaching career, Nelson led four NBA teams, including the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, and New York Knicks, and was instrumental in building the Mavericks into a playoff contender by acquiring Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash.
- Despite never winning an NBA championship as a coach, Nelson made 18 playoff appearances and is remembered for leading the 2007 "We Believe" Warriors to a major upset over the top-seeded Mavericks.
- As a player, Nelson won five NBA titles with the Celtics, was a key sixth man on legendary teams, and had his No. 19 jersey retired by Boston; he began his coaching career in 1976 and left a lasting influence on basketball strategy and coaching.
