Named as one of the Top 10 Coaches in NBA history during the 1996-97 season, Fitch coached for 25 years in the NBA. He spent time with five different franchises: the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, New Jersey (now Brooklyn) Nets and LA Clippers. His Coach of the Year honors came in 1975-76 (with Cleveland) and in 1979-80 (with Boston).
Known to some as “Captain Video”, Fitch was one of the first coaches to use videotape to film an analyze opponents as well as scout talent. He was well known for his ability to turn around NBA franchises, something he did at every stop in his career.
Fitch made his NBA coaching debut in 1970-71 as the first coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers. After five seasons of gradual improvement there, the Cavs broke through with their first playoff appearance in 1976. That crew — led by Jim Chones, Jim Cleamons and Campy Russell — knocked off the defending Eastern Conference-champion Washington Bullets in a thrilling, seven-game series. The series win was punctuated by a last-second layup by Dick Snyder in Game 7 in a game known as the “Miracle of Richfield.”
He resigned as coach of the Cavs on May 21, 1979, but two days later had another job — this time as coach of the Boston Celtics. Fitch’s arrival coincided with that of star rookie and future franchise icon Larry Bird and, over the next four seasons, Boston would experience a franchise revival.
Fitch turned around a team that had won 27 games the previous season, improving Boston to 61-21 in 1979-80 and a spot in the East finals. Boston won 60 games in three of Fitch’s four seasons there, with the high point coming in 1981 as the Celtics ousted the Houston Rockets in The Finals.