To further create mismatches, Nelson placed a center who was not a threat on offense, such as Alton Lister or Randy Breuer, at mid-court while running a play.
Nelson's high-scoring Bucks earned multiple Central Division titles, and were a perennial playoff contender throughout his time as Milwaukee's coach.
Nelson used an unconventional lineup that featured three guards (Richmond, Hardaway and Šarūnas Marčiulionis) and two forwards (Mullin and the 6′8″ Rod Higgins at center).
While coaching the Dallas Mavericks, Nelson employed Nellie Ball once again, utilizing the All-Star trio of Steve Nash, Michael Finley, and Dirk Nowitzki.
Nelson often played Nowitzki, a natural power forward, at the center position, placing him at the three-point line in order to stretch out the defense.
Nelson's trio of star players spearheaded the Mavericks' transformation into a promising young franchise capable of reaching the NBA Playoffs.
Nelson's last taste of success with Nellie Ball came with his second stint as head coach of Golden State, with a lineup consisting of Baron Davis and Jason Richardson, who were both larger-sized guards, and smaller forwards and centers such as Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington.
[6] Then-Mavericks head coach Avery Johnson, Nelson's protégé and successor in Dallas, had abandoned Nellie Ball in favor of a more traditional offensive lineup, which had reached the 2006 NBA Finals.
Skeptics contend that his offense is unable to disguise deficiencies, such as the inability of an undersized power forward or center in Nelson's system, to be dominant in terms of defense and rebounding.
The Run-TMC Warriors, on the other hand, lacked a strong supporting cast, and were eliminated by deeper and stronger units, such as the Kevin Johnson-led Phoenix Suns.
When Nelson was the head coach of the Mavericks during the Finley–Nash–Nowitzki era, he lacked a strong inside presence who was capable of competing defensively with other dominant interior players, such as Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan.
Avery Johnson, Nelson's protégé and successor in Dallas, had abandoned Nellie Ball in favor of a more traditional offensive lineup, which reached the 2006 NBA Finals.
En route to reaching the finals, Johnson's Mavericks defeated Mike D'Antoni's Phoenix Suns, the latter using an up-tempo style centered on former Mavs superstar and 2-time NBA MVP Steve Nash.
However, the team failed to sustain that level of success, mainly due to the eventual departures of Jason Richardson and Baron Davis and a lack of depth.
Thompson, who had suffered a left ACL injury during the 2019 NBA Finals, and then sustained a right Achilles tendon rupture in 2020, successfully returned to the Warriors in January 2022 after being sidelined for 31 months.
After cruising fairly smoothly through all 3 rounds of the Western Conference playoffs, the Warriors defeated an awesomely talented Boston Celtics squad in the 2022 NBA Finals, winning the series in 6 hard fought games.