He lost more than won (944 wins for 1,106 losses) during his long career, but Bill Fitch, who died on February 2, remains a big name in coaching, especially in the 1980s.
This former instructor in the navy made his military sense speak during his career on the benches of the NBA. His attention to detail led him to quickly resort to video. Quite nicknamed “Captain Video”, he was a precursor in this field.
It was in 1970 that he landed in Cleveland. He thus becomes the first coach in the history of the Cavaliers and remains in Ohio for nine seasons. The beginnings are difficult, but the team progresses and in 1976, it even disputes the final of conference. In 1975/1976, Bill Fitch was also named coach of the year.
In 1979, he left the Cavs to join the Celtics. That same summer, a rookie named Larry Bird also arrived in Boston. The two men quickly settled at the top of the league: Bill Fitch was again elected coach of the year in 1980, then in 1981, Larry Bird and Boston won the NBA title.
Double coach of the year, he is champion with Boston then finalist with Houston
These are the best seasons of Bill Fitch’s career since he wins almost 75% of the regular season matches he plays with the Celtics, without however managing to win a second ring. In 1983, dissatisfied, he left the franchise when it was bought out.
The following season, he bounced back to Houston. Here again, strong rookies (two first draft picks in a row) reinforced him: Ralph Sampson in 1983, then Hakeem Olajuwon in 1984. In 1986, with these two interiors, they brought the Rockets to the Finals, against… the Celtics of Larry Bird, but Boston is too strong.
Then begins the second part of his career, where Bill Fitch takes charge of disappointing franchises to make them progress, as he had done in Cleveland. He therefore accumulates more defeats than victories, but in New Jersey, he won a place in the playoffs in 1992, after five years of scarcity. Same success at the Clippers in 1997. The Californians had not played a first round for four years and they will wait another nine seasons later to review the playoffs.
In 1998, the coach retired and almost twenty years later, in 2019, he was elected to the Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, sick, he will not be able to attend the ceremony.
Hall of Famer Bill Fitch, twice Coach of the Year and a champion with Boston in 1981 as Larry Bird’s first NBA coach, has died at age 89.
Fitch’s passing was confirmed by daughter Marcy Ann Coville via Indiana’s Rick Carlisle, who broke into coaching under Fitch in New Jersey. pic.twitter.com/IsTcCDOAMR
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 3, 2022
