3. Erik Spoelstra (MIA) – 85 Playoff Wins

Having started as the Miami Heat’s video coordinator in 1995, the young Asian-American has come a long way. Coaching the Miami Heat for 13 years now, Spoelstra has verified himself as the rightful heir to the Godfather: Pat Riley.

He was an integral part of the rebuilding process of Miami in 2008 and won two championships while leading Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and LeBron James. Very recently, he led the Heat to a darkhorse NBA Finals run in the 2020 playoffs, alongside Jimmy Butler and Miami’s young core.

His coaching style is more on getting the most out of his offensive sluggers but also taking things very carefully. That is committing fewer turnovers and maximizing every possession.

But like any other championship team, Spoelstra’s main focus is to have a gritty defense that would pressure ball rotations both inside and way beyond the arc. He is an undeniable basketball mind that will still be relevant to his franchise in the upcoming years.

Spoelstra earns the third spot in the list of the active NBA coaches with most career playoff wins.