Patrick James "Pat" Riley (born March 20, 1945) is an American professional basketball executive, and a retired coach and player in the
NBAThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. Currently, he is team president of the
Miami HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the
head coach of five championship teams and an assistant coach to another. He most recently won the
2006 NBA ChampionshipThe 2006 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2005–06 National Basketball Association season. The Miami Heat won the championship in six games over the Dallas Mavericks, winning the final game at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, and becoming the third team to win a championship...
with the
Miami HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
. Prior to his tenure in Miami, he served as head coach for the
Los Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
and the
New York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. He was named NBA Coach of the Year three times (1989–90, 1992–93 and 1996–97, as head coach of the
LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
,
KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
and
HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
, respectively). He was head coach of the NBA All-Star Game teams nine times: eight of the Western team (
1982-Western Conference: -Eastern Conference: -Score by Periods: *Halftime— East, 63-61*Third Quarter— East, 90-89*Attendance: 20,149....
,
1983The 33rd National Basketball Association All-Star Game was played on February 13, 1983 at The Forum in Inglewood, California. The Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference, 132–123. The Most Valuable Player was Julius Erving. Billy Cunningham coached the Eastern Conference team...
,
198535th NBA All-Star Game. Date: February 10, 1985, at the Hoosier Dome; Coaches: East: K. C. Jones , West: Pat Riley ; MVP: Ralph Sampson, Houston .-Western Conference:...
–
1990GAME 40: at Miami, Feb. 11, 1990MVP: Magic JohnsonThe East was led by the trio of Celtics' big men Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, and the Bull's dynamic duo of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen...
, all as head coach of the
LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
) and once of the Eastern team (
1993The 1993 NBA All-Star Game took place on February 21, 1993 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, home of the Utah Jazz. This was the all-star debut of Shaquille O'Neal. Utah Jazz players Karl Malone and John Stockton were named the NBA All-Star Game MVP...
, as head coach of the
KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
). In 1996 he was named one of 10 Greatest Coaches in the NBA history. As a player he played for the
Los Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
' championship team in 1972, bringing his personal total to seven NBA titles.
Biography
Riley was born in
Rome, New YorkRome is a city in Oneida County, New York, United States. It is located in north-central or "upstate" New York. The population was 44,797 at the 2010 census. It is in New York's 24th congressional district. In 1758, British forces began construction of Fort Stanwix at this strategic location, but...
, and raised in
SchenectadySchenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
. His father,
Leon RileyLeon Francis Riley was an American player and manager in minor league baseball. During a playing career that stretched from 1927-42 and 1944-49, Riley appeared in 2,267 minor league games for 21 different teams, with a brief trial with the 1944 Philadelphia Phillies during the World War II...
, played twenty-two seasons of
minor league baseballMinor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
as an
outfielderOutfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
and
first basemanFirst base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
, and appeared in 4 games for the
1944-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over St. Louis Browns , in the "Streetcar Series"*All-Star Game, July 11 at Forbes Field: National League, 7-1-Other champions:...
Philadelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
Playing career
Riley played basketball for Linton High School in Schenectady, New York under head coach Walt Przybylo and his assistants Bill Rapavy and Ed Catino. Linton High School's 74–68 victory over New York City's Power Memorial on December 29, 1961, is remembered mostly for its two stars: Power Memorial's Lew Alcindor (who later changed his name to
Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
); and his future coach with the Los Angeles Lakers, Linton's Riley. In 1991, Riley called it, "One of the greatest games in the history of Schenectady basketball."
Riley was a versatile athlete in college, participating in both basketball and
footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
. He was also a member of
Sigma NuSigma Nu is an undergraduate, college fraternity with chapters in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Sigma Nu was founded in 1869 by three cadets at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia...
Fraternity. As a junior on the
University of KentuckyThe Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage. Kentucky's all-time record currently stands at 2058–647...
basketball team in 1966 he was named First Team All-SEC, All-NCAA Tournament Team, NCAA Regional Player of the Year, SEC Player of the Year & AP Third Team All-American, leading the Wildcats to the NCAA title game. Coached by the legendary
Adolph RuppAdolph Frederick Rupp was one of the most successful coaches in the history of American college basketball. Rupp is fourth in total victories by a men's NCAA Division I college coach, winning 876 games in 41 years of coaching...
, UK lost to Texas Western (today's
UTEPThe University of Texas at El Paso is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Texas System. Its campus is located on the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The school was founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy,...
), a game that was reenacted in the movie
Glory RoadGlory Road is an American sports film directed by James Gartner, based on a true story dealing with the events leading to the 1966 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, in which the late Don Haskins – played by Josh Lucas – head coach of the Texas Western College led a team...
. His senior year Riley made First Team All-SEC, one of the only players in storied Kentucky Basketball history to make two or more First Team All-SEC teams.
He was selected by the
San Diego RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
in the 1st round of the
1967 NBA DraftThe 1967 NBA Draft was the 21st annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on May 3, 1967 before the 1967–68 season. In this draft, 12 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. A player who had finished his four-year college eligibility...
, and was also drafted as a
wide receiverA wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
by the
Dallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in the 11th round of the
1967 NFL DraftThe 1967 National Football League Draft was part of the Common Draft in the first year in which the NFL and AFL held a joint draft of college players on March 14–15.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
. He joined the Rockets and was later selected by the
Portland Trail BlazersThe Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
, in the 1970 NBA expansion draft, but immediately traded to the
Los Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, which he helped toward the
1972 NBA ChampionshipThe 1972 NBA Finals was played at the conclusion of the 1971–72 NBA season. The Western Conference Champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference Champion New York Knicks in five games...
both by coming off the bench in games and guarding friend and legendary Laker guard
Jerry WestJerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
in practice. Despite this, overall, his playing career was undistinguished, as he was a perennial bench player. He retired after the
1975-76 NBA seasonThe 1975–76 NBA season was the 30th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning the NBA Championship, beating the Phoenix Suns 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.-Notable occurrences:...
as a member of the Western Conference champion
Phoenix SunsThe Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
.
Riley finished his NBA playing career with a 7.4 points per game scoring average and a field-goal percentage of 41.4%.
Los Angeles Lakers
Riley returned to the NBA in
1977The 1976–77 NBA season was the 31st season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Portland Trail Blazers winning the NBA Championship, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.-Notable occurrences:...
as a broadcaster for the Lakers. During the
1979–80 season-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers*Rookie of the Year: Larry Bird, Boston Celtics*Coach of the Year: Bill Fitch, Boston Celtics*All-NBA First Team:**Paul Westphal, Phoenix Suns...
, when the team's head coach,
Jack McKinneyJack McKinney is a former college and professional basketball coach. He has served as head coach for three NBA teams--the Los Angeles Lakers, the Indiana Pacers, and the Kansas City Kings...
, was injured during a near fatal bicycle accident, assistant coach
Paul WestheadPaul Westhead is a basketball coach who is currently the head coach of the University of Oregon women's team...
took over the team's head coaching duties. Riley then moved from the broadcast booth to the bench as one of Westhead's assistant coaches.
Six games into the 1981–82 season,
Magic JohnsonEarvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
said he wished to be traded because he was unhappy playing for Westhead. Shortly afterward, Lakers' owner
Jerry BussGerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss Ph.D., M.S. is an American businessman, real estate investor, and a former chemist. He is the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team along with other professional sports franchises in Southern California...
fired Westhead. At an ensuing press conference, with
Jerry WestJerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
at his side, Buss named West head coach. West, however, balked, and Buss awkwardly tried to name West as "offensive captain" and then named West and Riley as co-coaches. West made it clear during the press conference that he would only assist Riley, and that Riley was the head coach. Thereafter, Riley was the interim head coach, until his status became permanent.
Riley led the Lakers to four consecutive
NBA FinalsThe NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
appearances. His first title came in his
first seasonThe 1982 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1981-82 NBA season, the top level of competition in men's professional basketball in North America. The series saw the Los Angeles Lakers face the Philadelphia 76ers....
, against the
Philadelphia 76ersThe Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
. Both teams returned to the Finals
the next yearThe 1983 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1982–83 NBA season.-Overview:The final piece of the Philadelphia 76ers' championship puzzle was completed before the 1982-83 season when they acquired center Moses Malone from the Houston Rockets...
, but Riley's Lakers were swept by the 76ers. The Lakers lost in the Finals again in
1984The 1984 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1983-84 NBA season. In 1984, the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in a seven-game Finals, winning Game 7 111-102. Larry Bird averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning the award of...
, to the
Boston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in seven games. The Lakers earned Riley his second NBA title in
1985The 1985 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1984–85 NBA season.The Boston Celtics were looking to repeat as NBA Champions for the first time since the . The Celtics had homecourt advantage for the second year in a row as they finished the regular season with a 63-19...
in a rematch of the previous year, as the Lakers beat the Celtics in six games. The Lakers' four-year Western Conference streak was broken
the following year-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Larry Bird, Boston Celtics*Rookie of the Year: Patrick Ewing, New York Knicks*Defensive Player of the Year: Alvin Robertson, San Antonio Spurs...
by the
Houston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
.
In
1987-Statistics leaders:-Yearly awards:* Most Valuable Player: Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers* Rookie of the Year: Chuck Person, Indiana Pacers* Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Cooper, Los Angeles Lakers...
, Riley coached a Lakers team that is considered one of the best teams of all-time. With future
Hall of FamersThe Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
Magic JohnsonEarvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
,
James WorthyJames Ager Worthy is a retired Hall of Fame American college and professional basketball player. Named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, "Big Game James" was a seven-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA champion...
and
Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
, plus
Michael Cooper,
Byron ScottByron Antom Scott is a retired American National Basketball Association player and current head coach of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. He was formerly the head coach of the NBA's New Jersey Nets and New Orleans Hornets. He attended Arizona State University, but left school in his junior year to...
,
A. C. GreenA.C. Green, Jr., is a retired American NBA basketball player who played in more consecutive games than any other player in NBA and ABA history. With 1,192 straight games played, he earned the nickname "Iron Man". He played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat...
,
Mychal Thompson, and
Kurt RambisDarrell Kurt Rambis is a retired American professional basketball player and former head coach for the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves.-Biography:...
, the Lakers finished 65–17 in the regular season, third-best in team history. They met with similar success in the playoffs,
dispatching the Celtics in six gamesThe 1987 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1986-87 NBA season. The match took place between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. The Lakers won 4–2, beating the Celtics in the Finals. The key moment of the series was Magic Johnson's junior sky hook in Game 4...
to win Riley his third NBA title.
One of Riley's most famous moments came when he guaranteed the crowd a repeat championship during the Lakers' championship parade in downtown
Los AngelesLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
(he first made the guarantee during the post-victory locker room celebration). While the
1988-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls*Rookie of the Year: Mark Jackson, New York Knicks*Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls...
Lakers did not produce as many wins in the regular season as the 1987 Lakers, they still managed to win the NBA title, becoming the first team in 19 years to repeat as champions. The Lakers beat the
Detroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
in seven games in the
1988 NBA FinalsThe 1988 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1987–88 NBA season.One of Los Angeles Lakers head coach Pat Riley's most famous moments came when he promised the crowd a repeat championship during the Lakers' 1986-87 championship parade in downtown Los Angeles...
, making good on Riley's promise. Riley's titles with the Lakers make him the fifth man to play for an NBA Championship team and later coach the same NBA team to a championship. The others are
Bill RussellWilliam Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
,
Tom Heinsohn,
K. C. JonesK. C. Jones is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. K. C. Jones is his full name.-Playing career:...
, and
Billy CunninghamWilliam John "Billy" Cunningham is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid.- Beginnings :...
.
Although Riley would offer no further guarantees, his Lakers embarked upon a quest to obtain a third consecutive championship in
1989-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers*Rookie of the Year: Mitch Richmond, Golden State Warriors*Defensive Player of the Year: Mark Eaton, Utah Jazz...
. Having successfully claimed a repeat championship the year before, the term used for this new goal was a "
three-peatThree-peat is a contraction of the words three and repeat, which has been trademarked for commercial use by retired basketball coach Pat Riley; the active trademarks in force are registered under numbers 1552980, 1878690, and 1886018...
" championship, and indeed Riley, through his corporate entity,
Riles & Co., actually
trademarkA trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
ed the phrase
"three-peat" via the
Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
accomplishing the feat twice (including several series wins over Riley-coached teams: the New York Knicks in 1992 and 1993, and the Miami Heat in 1996 and 1997). But ultimately, the Lakers were swept by the Pistons in the
1989 NBA FinalsThe 1989 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1988–89 NBA season. The series was a rematch of the previous year's championship round between the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers....
.
Riley stepped down as coach of the Lakers after they lost to the
Phoenix SunsThe Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
in the
1990-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers*Rookie of the Year: David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs*Defensive Player of the Year: Dennis Rodman, Detroit Pistons...
NBA playoffs, amid rumors of player mistreatment and anger problems on his part. In spite of these rumors and his resignation, he was named
NBA Coach of the YearThe National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who led the Boston Celtics to nine NBA Championships from 1956 to 1966...
for the first time.
New York Knicks
After stepping down as coach, Riley accepted a job as a
televisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
commentator for NBC. However, this job only lasted one year, as he became head coach of the
New York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in
1991-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls*Rookie of the Year: Larry Johnson, Charlotte Hornets*Defensive Player of the Year: David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs...
. In
1993-Statistics leaders:-Yearly awards:*Most Valuable Player: Charles Barkley, Phoenix Suns*Rookie of the Year: Shaquille O'Neal, Orlando Magic*Defensive Player of the Year: Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets...
, he led the Knicks to the best regular season record in team history and received his second Coach of the Year award. Commentators especially admired Riley's ability to work with the physical, deliberate Knicks, considering that he was associated with the fast-paced Lakers in the 1980s. Riley returned to the
NBA Finals in 1994The 1994 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1993–94 National Basketball Association season, featuring the Western Conference's Houston Rockets defeating the Eastern Conference's New York Knicks....
, but his Knicks lost in seven games to the
Houston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
after being up 3–2 in the series, and it denied New York City the distinction of both NBA and NHL titles in the same year.
During the 1994 Finals, Riley became the first coach in an NBA Finals Game 7 with two different teams, having been with the Lakers in
1984The 1984 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1983-84 NBA season. In 1984, the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in a seven-game Finals, winning Game 7 111-102. Larry Bird averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning the award of...
and
1988The 1988 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1987–88 NBA season.One of Los Angeles Lakers head coach Pat Riley's most famous moments came when he promised the crowd a repeat championship during the Lakers' 1986-87 championship parade in downtown Los Angeles...
. However, he had the unfortunate distinction of having become the first (and to date, the only) coach to lose an NBA Finals Game 7 with two different teams, having lost to the Celtics in 1984. It also denied him the distinction of becoming the first coach to win a Game 7 NBA Finals on two different teams, having defeated the Pistons in 1988.
Miami Heat
In 1995, Riley resigned from the Knicks via fax to become the head coach of the Miami Heat. The move caused some controversy, as the Heat were accused by the Knicks of tampering by pursuing Riley while he still had a year remaining on his contract with the Knicks. The matter was settled after the Heat sent their
1996 first roundThe 1996 NBA Draft was the 50th draft in the National Basketball Association . It was held on June 26, 1996 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the Turner Network Television...
pick (which the Knicks would use to draft
Walter McCartyWalter Lee McCarty is an American former basketball player who played for the NBA's New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, and the Los Angeles Clippers....
) and $1 million in cash to the Knicks on September 1, 1995. Riley's coaching of the Heat to playoff contention would later make them
bitter rivals with his former teamThe Heat-Knicks rivalry was a rivalry between two professional basketball teams, the Miami Heat and the New York Knicks, of the NBA.Known as one of the fiercest rivalries in recent history, the Heat-Knicks rivalry was derived from their frequent, and frequently long, playoff series. In a SI...
.
In 1995–96, Miami was swept in the first round by
Phil JacksonPhilip Douglas "Phil" Jackson is a retired American professional basketball coach and player. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association . His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 through 1998;...
-coached
Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
, who had completed the regular season with a record 72 wins. This season was most notable for the ongoing housecleaning that took place, with the arrival of building blocks
Alonzo MourningAlonzo Harding Mourning, Jr. is a former American professional basketball player, who played most of his 15-year NBA career for the Miami Heat....
and
Tim HardawayTimothy Duane "Tim" Hardaway is a retired American basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association and who in his prime was one of the league's best point guards...
. The offseason would also bring them Nets forward P.J. Brown and Suns swingman
Dan MajerleDaniel Lewis Majerle is a retired American professional basketball player and currently an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. Known by his fans as "Downtown Dan," "Thunder Dan," and "Dan the Man," he played 14 years in the NBA, primarily with the Phoenix Suns, also with the Miami...
.
In 1997, Riley's Heat defeated his old team, the Knicks, in a physical seven game series. Advancing to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in franchise history, they proved no match for Jordan and his Bulls. Riley was selected as Coach of the Year for the third time, after leading Miami to a 61–21 regular season record, 1st in the Atlantic division.
The Heat would compile consecutive seasons over .600. However, the 1998, 1999, and 2000 playoffs would be disappointments as they lost to the arch-rival Knicks; the first two in the opening round and the latter in the second round. In 1999, the Knicks themselves reached the Finals.
Riley then entered the 2000 season armed for bear. In a shuffling of the deck, Riley traded away Brown and
Jamal MashburnJamal Mashburn is a retired American professional basketball player. A small forward, Mashburn was a prolific scorer in his 12 seasons in the league, with a career scoring average of 19.1 points per game...
in exchange for
Eddie JonesEddie Charles Jones is an American former professional basketball player. Jones played college basketball at Temple University and was the 1993–94 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year...
in one trade and acquired
Brian GrantBrian Wade Grant is a retired American basketball player. He played the power forward and center positions for five teams during 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association. He was known for his tenacious rebounding and blue-collar defense...
in another, although suffering a major setback after discovering
Alonzo MourningAlonzo Harding Mourning, Jr. is a former American professional basketball player, who played most of his 15-year NBA career for the Miami Heat....
's kidney condition. After finishing a respectable 50–32 in 2000–01 in spite of the new nucleus and the loss of their star center, the Heat organized a housecleaning after the season, as the Heat lost two of their best players when guard
Tim HardawayTimothy Duane "Tim" Hardaway is a retired American basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association and who in his prime was one of the league's best point guards...
was traded to the
Dallas MavericksThe Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
and
Anthony MasonAnthony George Douglas Mason is a retired American National Basketball Association player with the New Jersey Nets, Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Charlotte Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat. He averaged 10.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in his 13-year NBA career...
signed with the
Milwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
. In part because of these departures, the Heat finished a disappointing 36–46 in 2002. Riley was so disgusted with the Heat's performance that he declared he was about to "fire himself."
Before the beginning of the 2003–04 season, he did step down as Heat coach, to fully dedicate his attention to his duties as general manager. Longtime assistant
Stan Van GundyStanley A. "Stan" Van Gundy is the head coach of the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. From 2003 to 2005, he was the head coach of the Miami Heat but resigned in 2005 mid-season, turning the job over to Pat Riley...
and rookie
Dwyane WadeDwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
, whom Riley drafted 5th overall, led the Heat back into the playoffs with a 42–40 record after starting 0–7. Riley concentrated on improving the team even further before the 2004–2005 season. One of his biggest moves as full-time general manager was to trade
Caron ButlerJames Caron Butler, widely known as Caron Butler , is an American professional basketball player who most recently played at small forward for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks.-Early life:...
,
Brian GrantBrian Wade Grant is a retired American basketball player. He played the power forward and center positions for five teams during 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association. He was known for his tenacious rebounding and blue-collar defense...
,
Lamar OdomLamar Joseph Odom is an American professional basketball forward with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association.-Early life:...
and a first-round draft pick to the Lakers for superstar
Shaquille O'NealShaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
. Head coach Van Gundy led the Heat to the Eastern Conference finals during the 2005 playoffs, although they lost to the Detroit Pistons after being up 3–2 in the series.
Riley resumed coaching the Heat on December 12, 2005, replacing
Stan Van GundyStanley A. "Stan" Van Gundy is the head coach of the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. From 2003 to 2005, he was the head coach of the Miami Heat but resigned in 2005 mid-season, turning the job over to Pat Riley...
after the Heat started the season with a disappointing 11–10 record. Van Gundy had resigned in order to "spend more time with [his] family."
The move came as a shock to the basketball community, with some speculating that with
Shaquille O'NealShaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
returning from injury,
Dwyane WadeDwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
having his best season yet, and a high-caliber roster including
Gary PaytonGary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
, Jason Williams and
Antoine WalkerAntoine Devon Walker is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League...
, Riley wanted to try to regain his former glory by coaching Miami to its first NBA Championship. Riley's Heat team defeated his
Los Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
-days nemesis, the
Detroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
, in the 2006 Eastern Conference playoffs on June 2, 2006, making it the first time the Miami Heat reached the finals. Riley's Heat squared off against the
Dallas MavericksThe Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
in the
2006 NBA FinalsThe 2006 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2005–06 National Basketball Association season. The Miami Heat won the championship in six games over the Dallas Mavericks, winning the final game at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, and becoming the third team to win a championship...
. Despite losing the first two games to Dallas, the Heat rallied to win the next four games and their first NBA Championship. It was Riley's fifth championship as a head coach, and his first with a team other than the Lakers. Riley became the only NBA coach to take three different teams to the NBA Finals and joined
Alex HannumAlexander Murray Hannum was a professional basketball player and Hall-of-Fame coach.-Coaching career:Hannum is mostly known for coaching the Wilt Chamberlain-led Philadelphia 76ers of 1966-67 to the NBA championship, ending the eight-year title streak of the Boston Celtics. He had also coached the...
and
Phil JacksonPhilip Douglas "Phil" Jackson is a retired American professional basketball coach and player. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association . His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 through 1998;...
as the only coaches to coach two different teams to NBA titles. He also became the only coach to
twice replace a coach in mid-season and take that team to an NBA title.
Citing "hip and knee problems," Riley took a leave of absence from coaching from January 3, 2007 through February 19, 2007. Assistant coach
Ron RothsteinRonald "Ron" Rothstein is an American professional basketball coach and former college basketball player, who has led many different NBA teams. He served as the first head coach for the Miami Heat, and later coached the Detroit Pistons. He has also coached in the Women's National Basketball...
assumed interim duties.
Retirement
On April 28, 2008, Riley announced that he would step down as coach of the Miami Heat after the team finished with an NBA-worst 15–67 record, the worst regular season output of Riley's career. Former Heat assistant
Erik SpoelstraErik Spoelstra is an American professional basketball coach and the current head coach of the National Basketball Association's Miami Heat...
was announced as his replacement. Riley remains team president.
Outside of basketball
Outside of basketball, Riley has developed into a pop-culture figure. This is born out of Riley's signature look, a slicked-back hairstyle, which is often described as gangster-looking, and his immaculate
tanSun tanning or simply tanning is the process whereby skin color is darkened or tanned. The process is most often a result of exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun or from artificial sources, such as a tanning bed, but can also be a result of windburn or reflected light...
. He came to the public eye leading the "Showtime" Lakers of the 1980s, furthering his image by "guaranteeing" a championship. Riley has coached in three American cities well known for popular nightlife and
celebrity cultureA celebrity culture is the structure that influences those deemed to be celebrities.-Brief history of celebrity culture:Any medium can be viewed as a vehicle for creating a celebrity culture. The famous religious books of the world's faiths are replete with examples of individuals who are well...
.
In 1988, Riley published a book entitled
Showtime, which recapped the Lakers' successful run to the 1987 NBA Championship. One of the phrases Riley coined in the book was the "Disease of More", stating that "success is often the first step toward disaster" and that defending champions often fail the following season because every player who returns wants more playing time, more shots per game, and more money. The phrase stemmed from the Lakers' disappointing 1980–81 campaign coming off a championship the previous season.
Riley is known for his friendship with
Giorgio ArmaniGiorgio Armani is an Italian fashion designer, particularly noted for his menswear. He is known today for his clean, tailored lines. He formed his company, Armani, in 1975, and by 2001 was acclaimed as the most successful designer to come out of Italy, with an annual turnover of $1.6 billion and a...
, preferring to wear Armani suits during basketball games, and even modeling once at an Armani show.
Riley is also a motivational speaker during the off-season. Riley earns in excess of $50,000 for each speaking engagement.
Riley and his wife Chris have two children, James Riley and Elisabeth Riley. Riley is a practicing Roman Catholic.
On February 27, 2007, the Miami Heat were honored for their 2005–2006 NBA Championship at the White House. During the ceremony, Riley presented
George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
with a jersey before announcing, "I voted for the man. If you don’t vote, you don’t count." After the ceremony, Riley was questioned by reporters about the political nature of his comments. He responded by saying, "I’m pro-American, pro-democracy, I’m pro-government. I follow my boss. He’s my boss."
Riley and his wife are
Bruce SpringsteenBruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
fans. At his 2008 induction into the NBA Hall of Fame, he ended his speech with a quote from the Springsteen song, "Back in Your Arms Again".
College basketball statistics as a player
University of Kentucky
| Season | Games
Played | Minutes | FG | FGA | % | FT | FTA | % | Total
Rebs | RPG | Asst. | APG | F | Total
Points | PPG |
| 1964–65 |
25 |
825 |
160 |
370 |
43.2 |
55 |
89 |
61.8 |
212 |
8.5 |
27 |
1.1 |
98 |
375 |
15.0 |
| 1965–66 |
29 |
1078 |
265 |
514 |
51.6 |
107 |
153 |
69.9 |
259 |
8.9 |
64 |
2.3 |
106 |
637 |
22.0 |
| 1966–67 |
26 |
953 |
165 |
373 |
44.2 |
122 |
156 |
78.2 |
201 |
7.7 |
68 |
2.6 |
90 |
452 |
17.4 |
| Total |
80 |
2856 |
590 |
1257 |
46.9 |
284 |
398 |
71.4 |
672 |
8.4 |
159 |
2.0 |
294 |
1464 |
18.1 |
NBA statistics as a player
Regular Season Stats
| Year |
Age |
Team |
G |
Min |
Pts |
PPG |
FGM |
FGA |
FGP |
FTM |
FTA |
FTP |
3PM |
3PA |
3PP |
REB |
RPG |
AST |
APG |
STL |
BLK |
TO |
| 1967–68 The 1967–68 NBA season was the 22nd season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning the NBA Championship, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.- Notable occurrences :...
|
22 |
San Diego Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
|
80 |
1263 |
628 |
7.9 |
250 |
660 |
.379 |
128 |
202 |
.634 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
177 |
2.2 |
138 |
1.7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1968–69 The 1968–69 NBA season was the 23rd season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning the NBA Championship, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.- Notable occurrences :...
|
23 |
San Diego Rockets |
56 |
1027 |
494 |
8.8 |
202 |
498 |
.406 |
90 |
134 |
.672 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
112 |
2.0 |
136 |
2.4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1969–70 The 1969–70 NBA Season was the 24th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the New York Knicks winning the NBA Championship, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.-Notable occurrences:...
|
24 |
San Diego Rockets |
36 |
474 |
190 |
5.3 |
75 |
180 |
.417 |
40 |
55 |
.727 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
57 |
1.6 |
85 |
2.4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1970–71 The 1970–71 NBA season was the 25th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Milwaukee Bucks winning the NBA Championship, beating the Baltimore Bullets 4 games to 0 in the NBA Finals.- Notable occurrences :...
|
25 |
Los Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
|
54 |
506 |
266 |
4.9 |
105 |
254 |
.413 |
56 |
87 |
.644 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
54 |
1.0 |
72 |
1.3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1971–72 |
26 |
Los Angeles Lakers |
67 |
926 |
449 |
6.7 |
197 |
441 |
.447 |
55 |
74 |
.743 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
127 |
1.9 |
75 |
1.1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1972–73 The 1972–73 NBA season was the 27th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the New York Knicks winning the NBA Championship, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals.- Notable occurrences :...
|
27 |
Los Angeles Lakers |
55 |
801 |
399 |
7.3 |
167 |
390 |
.428 |
65 |
82 |
.793 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
65 |
1.2 |
81 |
1.5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1973–74 The 1973–74 NBA season was the 28th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning the NBA Championship, beating the Milwaukee Bucks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.- Notable occurrences :...
|
28 |
Los Angeles Lakers |
72 |
1361 |
684 |
9.5 |
287 |
667 |
.430 |
110 |
144 |
.764 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
128 |
1.8 |
148 |
2.1 |
54 |
3 |
0 |
| 1974–75 The 1974–75 NBA season was the 29th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Golden State Warriors winning the NBA Championship, sweeping the Washington Bullets 4 games to 0 in the NBA Finals.-Notable occurrences:...
|
29 |
Los Angeles Lakers |
46 |
1016 |
507 |
11.0 |
219 |
523 |
.419 |
69 |
93 |
.742 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
85 |
1.8 |
121 |
2.6 |
36 |
4 |
0 |
| 1975–76 The 1975–76 NBA season was the 30th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning the NBA Championship, beating the Phoenix Suns 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.-Notable occurrences:...
|
30 |
Phoenix SunsThe Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
|
62 |
813 |
289 |
4.7 |
117 |
301 |
.389 |
55 |
77 |
.714 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
50 |
0.8 |
57 |
0.9 |
22 |
6 |
0 |
| 9 Season Totals |
528 |
8187 |
3906 |
7.4 |
1619 |
3914 |
.414 |
668 |
948 |
.705 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
855 |
1.6 |
913 |
1.7 |
112 |
13 |
0 |
Playoff Stats
| Year |
Team |
G |
Min |
Pts |
PPG |
FGM |
FGA |
FGP |
FTM |
FTA |
FTP |
3PM |
3PA |
3PP |
REB |
RPG |
AST |
APG |
STL |
BLK |
TO |
| 1968–69 The 1968–69 NBA season was the 23rd season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning the NBA Championship, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.- Notable occurrences :...
|
San Diego Rockets |
5 |
76 |
37 |
7.4 |
16 |
37 |
.432 |
5 |
6 |
.833 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
11 |
2.2 |
2 |
0.4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1970–71 The 1970–71 NBA season was the 25th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Milwaukee Bucks winning the NBA Championship, beating the Baltimore Bullets 4 games to 0 in the NBA Finals.- Notable occurrences :...
|
Los Angeles Lakers |
7 |
135 |
66 |
9.4 |
29 |
69 |
.420 |
8 |
11 |
.727 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
15 |
2.1 |
14 |
2.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1971–72 |
Los Angeles Lakers |
15 |
244 |
78 |
5.2 |
33 |
99 |
.333 |
12 |
16 |
.750 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
29 |
1.9 |
14 |
0.9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1972–73 The 1972–73 NBA season was the 27th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the New York Knicks winning the NBA Championship, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals.- Notable occurrences :...
|
Los Angeles Lakers |
7 |
53 |
18 |
2.6 |
9 |
27 |
.333 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
5 |
0.7 |
7 |
1.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1973–74 The 1973–74 NBA season was the 28th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning the NBA Championship, beating the Milwaukee Bucks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.- Notable occurrences :...
|
Los Angeles Lakers |
5 |
106 |
39 |
7.8 |
18 |
50 |
.360 |
3 |
4 |
.750 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
6 |
1.2 |
10 |
2.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1975–76 The 1975–76 NBA season was the 30th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning the NBA Championship, beating the Phoenix Suns 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.-Notable occurrences:...
|
Phoenix Suns |
5 |
27 |
13 |
2.6 |
6 |
15 |
.400 |
1 |
1 |
1.000 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
0 |
0.0 |
5 |
1.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Totals |
44 |
641 |
251 |
5.7 |
111 |
297 |
.374 |
29 |
38 |
.763 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
66 |
1.5 |
52 |
1.2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Coaching record
|-
| align="left" |
LALThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| align="left" |
|71||50||21||.704|| align="center" |1st in Pacific||14||12||2||.857
| align="center" |
Won NBA ChampionshipThe 1982 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1981-82 NBA season, the top level of competition in men's professional basketball in North America. The series saw the Los Angeles Lakers face the Philadelphia 76ers....
|-
| align="left" |LAL
| align="left" |
|82||58||24||.707|| align="center" |1st in Pacific||15||8||7||.533
| align="center" |Lost in
NBA FinalsThe 1983 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1982–83 NBA season.-Overview:The final piece of the Philadelphia 76ers' championship puzzle was completed before the 1982-83 season when they acquired center Moses Malone from the Houston Rockets...
|-
| align="left" |LAL
| align="left" |
|82||54||28||.659|| align="center" |1st in Pacific||21||14||7||.667
| align="center" |Lost in
NBA FinalsThe 1984 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1983-84 NBA season. In 1984, the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in a seven-game Finals, winning Game 7 111-102. Larry Bird averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning the award of...
|-
| align="left" |LAL
| align="left" |
|82||62||20||.756|| align="center" |1st in Pacific||19||15||4||.789
| align="center" |
Won NBA ChampionshipThe 1985 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1984–85 NBA season.The Boston Celtics were looking to repeat as NBA Champions for the first time since the . The Celtics had homecourt advantage for the second year in a row as they finished the regular season with a 63-19...
|-
| align="left" |LAL
| align="left" |
|82||62||20||.756|| align="center" |1st in Pacific||14||8||6||.571
| align="center" |Lost in
Conf. FinalsThe 1986 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1985-86 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets, four games to two, in the NBA Finals. The Celtics won...
|-
| align="left" |LAL
| align="left" |
|82||65||17||.793|| align="center" |1st in Pacific||18||15||3||.833
| align="center" |
Won NBA ChampionshipThe 1987 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1986-87 NBA season. The match took place between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. The Lakers won 4–2, beating the Celtics in the Finals. The key moment of the series was Magic Johnson's junior sky hook in Game 4...
|-
| align="left" |LAL
| align="left" |
|82||62||20||.756|| align="center" |1st in Pacific||25||15||9||.625
| align="center" |
Won NBA ChampionshipThe 1988 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1987–88 NBA season.One of Los Angeles Lakers head coach Pat Riley's most famous moments came when he promised the crowd a repeat championship during the Lakers' 1986-87 championship parade in downtown Los Angeles...
|-
| align="left" |LAL
| align="left" |
|82||57||25||.695|| align="center" |1st in Pacific||15||11||4||.733
| align="center" |Lost in
NBA FinalsThe 1989 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1988–89 NBA season. The series was a rematch of the previous year's championship round between the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers....
|-
| align="left" |LAL
| align="left" |
|82||63||19||.768|| align="center" |1st in Pacific||9||4||5||.444
| align="center" |Lost in
Conf. SemifinalsThe 1990 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1989-1990 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons successfully defending their championship by beating the Western Conference champion Portland Trail Blazers...
|-
| align="left" |
NYKThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| align="left" |
|82||51||31||.622|| align="center" |1st in Atlantic||12||6||6||.500
| align="center" |Lost in
Conf. SemifinalsNBA Champions: Chicago BullsThe 1992 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament following the National Basketball Association's 1991-1992 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their second consecutive NBA championship by defeating the Western...
|-
| align="left" |NYK
| align="left" |
|82||60||22||.732|| align="center" |1st in Atlantic||15||9||6||.600
| align="center" |Lost in
Conf. FinalsThe 1993 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1992-1993 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their third consecutive championship by defeating the Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns four...
|-
| align="left" |NYK
| align="left" |
|82||57||25||.695|| align="center" |1st in Atlantic||25||14||11||.560
| align="center" |Lost in
NBA FinalsThe 1994 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1993–94 National Basketball Association season, featuring the Western Conference's Houston Rockets defeating the Eastern Conference's New York Knicks....
|-
| align="left" |NYK
| align="left" |
|82||55||27||.671|| align="center" |2nd in Atlantic||11||6||5||.545
| align="center" |Lost in
Conf. SemifinalsThe 1995 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1994-1995 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets winning their second consecutive NBA championship by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic...
|-
| align="left" |
MIAThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
| align="left" |
|82||42||40||.512|| align="center" |3rd in Atlantic||3||0||3||.000
| align="center" |Lost in
First RoundThe 1996 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1995-1996 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their first NBA championship in three years by defeating the Western Conference champion Seattle...
|-
| align="left" |MIA
| align="left" |
|82||61||21||.744|| align="center" |1st in Atlantic||17||8||9||.471
| align="center" |Lost in
Conf. FinalsThe 1997 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1996–97 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning the NBA championship by defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazzfour games to two...
|-
| align="left" |MIA
| align="left" |
|82||55||27||.671|| align="center" |1st in Atlantic||5||2||3||.400
| align="center" |Lost in
First RoundThe 1998 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1997-98 NBA season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their sixth championship of the decade by defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazz four...
|-
| align="left" |MIA
| align="left" |
|50||33||17||.660|| align="center" |1st in Atlantic||5||2||3||.400
| align="center" |Lost in
First RoundThe 1999 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1998-99 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs by defeating the eighth-seeded Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks four games to one...
|-
| align="left" |MIA
| align="left" |
|82||52||30||.634|| align="center" |1st in Atlantic||10||6||4||.600
| align="center" |Lost in
Conf. SemifinalsThe 2000 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1999–2000 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers win their first championship in twelve years by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers...
|-
| align="left" |MIA
| align="left" |
|82||50||32||.610|| align="center" |2nd in Atlantic||3||0||3||.000
| align="center" |Lost in
First RoundThe 2001 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2000–01 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers winning their second consecutive championship by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers...
|-
| align="left" |MIA
| align="left" |
|82||36||46||.439|| align="center" |6th in Atlantic||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
|-
| align="left" |MIA
| align="left" |
|82||25||57||.305|| align="center" |7th in Atlantic||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
|-
| align="left" |MIA
| align="left" |
|61||41||20||.672|| align="center" |1st in Southeast||23||16||7||.696
| align="center" |
Won NBA ChampionshipThe 2006 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2005–06 National Basketball Association season. The Miami Heat won the championship in six games over the Dallas Mavericks, winning the final game at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, and becoming the third team to win a championship...
|-
| align="left" |MIA
| align="left" |
|82||44||38||.537|| align="center" |1st in Southeast||4||0||4||.000
| align="center" |Lost in
First RoundThe 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
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| align="left" |MIA
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|82||15||67||.183|| align="center" |5th in Southeast||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |Missed Playoffs
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Career
| ||1904||1210||694||.636|| ||282||171||111||.606
External links