A National Basketball season lasts 82 games and four rounds of playoff games. If you're an N.B.A. player and have played for Pat Riley you've come to a realization. First the obvious, Riley is a great coach. He led the Los Angeles Lakers to four titles in the '80s and the New York Knicks to a finals appearance plus numerous trips to the playoffs in the '90s. His present team, the Miami Heat, has consistently been in playoffs but...no cigar. Secondly he is tough. "Riles" as he is affectionately called, grew up in Schenectady, New York, the product of strict parents. He spent over eight seasons in the N.B.A. as a tenacious defender--a small forward and shooting guard. Riley ended his playing career with the Lakers and became an assistant coach with them. In the 1980-'81 season he became head coach. He applied his strict upbringing and tenacious defense displayed as a player to the core of his coaching philosophy.

Riley won four titles during his first coaching job with the Lakers. He won with superstars Earvin "Magic" Johnson, James Worthy and Kareem Ahdul Jannar. The team played an unstructured-type of offense with Magic grabbing rebounds and starting the fast break. He also displayed flashy ball handling and behind-the-back passes to teammates Jabbar or Worthy on the break. Magic also had the ability to penetrate the defense and pass to jump shooter Byron Scott or keep the ball himself and take it to the rim. The Riley-coached Lakers, referred to as "showtime" because of the flashy game and rim rattling dunks, also came at opponents with waves of defense. Their defense was led by Michael Cooper, Mike McGee and Scott. Riley preaches defense first with an offense that posts up on the block and looks for open jump shots off of baseline screens when teams double-team their post players.As several of his former Laker players have become coaches in the N.B.A. and the W.N.B.A., Riley's teachings has rubbed off. Riley's former players all coach with a base defense which requires pressure up top on the point guard. The shooting guard and small forward pressure the opposing wing and funnel players from the baseline to the middle of the floor where the center is waiting to alter or block shots. The small forward's must also drop back on defense and help the center and power forwards in the low post. Riley-coached teams are amongst the stingiest in a league known for high scoring.

Following Magic Johnson's retirement due to H.I.V., Riley quit the Lakers. He resurfaced as head coach of the New York Knicks who were less polished than the Lakers; this squad was a four-wheel truck to the Lakers' shiny sports car. The team was lead by menacing center Patrick Ewing with brutish forwards Charles Oakley, Xavier McDaniel and Anthony Mason. Mark Jackson played at point guard and hyper John Starks was the shooting guard. This team played defense for 48 minutes each night. Riley relied on an offense that revolved around Ewing in the post with the streaky Starks firing from the outside. New York made slight changes after one year and Riley remained for another three years making it to the finals once. Riley wanted general manager duties as well as head coach and left the Knicks for the Miami Heat when he wasn't afforded the desired control. Riley enjoys total control in Miami but faces the prospect of playing without their cornerstone center Alonzo Mourning-- lost for the season due to a kidney ailment. The Heat are still expected to compete with a deep roster including new players Anthony Mason and Eddie Jones (obtained for Jamal Mashburn, P.J. Brown and Otis Thorpe). This team also acquired power forward Brian Grant as a free agent to add to the mix of vets Tim Hardaway, Dan Majerle and Anthony Carter. Riley hopes to get the most out of his players to lessen the load of losing Mourning, who was putting up MVP numbers. Roaming the sidelines once again will be Riley who will join Lenny Wilkins as the only coach to reach win number 1000 with his first victory of the new season.