Award Watch: Coach of the Year
With the pressure of the stretch drive to the playoffs in full effect, we expect the best teams and the best coaches will step up their games and separate themselves from the rest of the pack. So far, there is little to be disappointed about, unless you are a fan of the HEAT.
Five weeks and about 19 games is all that separates us from the postseason. Time is short for coaches to change the minds of the Coach of the Year voters.
Our top five selections continue to entrench themselves in position this week, but the race is not over and anything could happen.
#1 Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs, 51-12, Pace-to-win 66, last year: 50-32
(Last week #1, 49-10)
The Spurs slipped a bit going 2-2 over the past week but Tony Parker returned from injury about two weeks ahead of schedule to help the Spurs lay a beating on the HEAT 125-95 so it is hard to be disappointed.
Coach Popovich’s quest for 70 wins is almost over as the Spurs would have to go 19-0 to reach that lofty record, but with a five-game lead in the West and playing at a pace that should end the season with 66 wins, it will be tough for anyone to take COY away from Popovich now.
#2 Doc Rivers, Boston Celtics 46-15, Pace-to-win 62, last year: 50-32
(Last week #2, 42-15)
Boston was not supposed to be the first-place team in the East this season. Coach Rivers was not expected to lead the Celtics to anything more than another 50-win regular season. Despite numerous injuries to key players however, this team has exceeded all regular season expectations.
Rivers is getting less recognition from some than he deserves because the Celtics were a preseason NBA Finals favorite, but COY is a regular season award. More wins than expected, overcoming adversity, and a much better record than last season - Coach Rivers has done everything necessary to have a legitimate shot at COY.
#3 Tom Thibodeau, Chicago Bulls, 44-18, Pace-to-win 58, last year: 41-41, (Vinny Del Negro)
(Last week: #3, 41-17)
Coach Thibodeau has been getting a lot of attention for COY and the attention is well deserved. In second place in the East, 2.5 games behind Boston, the Bulls are 8-4 against the other top-six teams in the NBA.
Expectations for Chicago were high coming into this season as the Bulls pulled together a core of proven veterans around their young All-Star point guard Derrick Rose. A 50-win season would not have been considered special for this team. As the season has progressed however, the team has continued to improve and Coach Thibodeau deserves much of the credit.
There will be good arguments about which of Rivers or Thibodeau should be more favored for COY, but for now Rivers has the season series at 2-1. In the end it may not matter as neither should catch Popovich.
#4 Doug Collins, Philadelphia 76ers, 32-30, Pace-to-win 42, last year: 27-55 (Eddie Jordan)
(Last week: #4, 30-29)
Coach Doug Collins is putting together the kind of season that gets head coaches unexpected awards.
The Sixers were supposed to be a lottery team again and getting to 30 wins an accomplishment. Now the question is can Collins steal sixth-place from the All-Star-laden New York Knicks?
Still a long shot to win unless a lot of things change over the final 20 games of the season, Coach Collins has earned some votes for COY with what he has accomplished.
#5 Lionel Hollins, Memphis Grizzlies, 36-29, Pace-to-win 44, last year: 40-42
(Last week: #5, 33-28)
The Grizzlies are 22-11 in 2011 and have unexpectedly climbed into eighth in the West, just 1.5 games behind the fifth-place Nuggets. It is still hard for most people to accept Memphis could be a good team.
Against the Spurs, Mavericks, Lakers, and Thunder, the surprising Grizzlies have built up a 9-6 record and may be the team to avoid in the first round of this year’s playoffs.
There should be no doubt that Coach Hollins has exceeded all expectations to this point.
Like Coach Collins, Hollins is a long shot for COY, but if Coach Hollins keeps the Grizzlies at their 2011 pace, they will end up with 47-wins, and that will be hard to dismiss.
Honorable Mentions
Monty Williams, New Orleans Hornets, 37-29, Pace-to-win 46, last year: 37-45, (Bryon Scott/ Jeff Bower)
(Last week: Honorable Mention, 35-26)
The Hornets headed out on a five-game road trip at the beginning of March and Coach Williams told his players just how important it was.
{AUTHOR_BOX}"He has been letting us know that this trip right here, a five-game road trip, that this is a business trip," said the newly-acquired Carl Landry. "We can’t just let these games slide. We got to take full advantage of these games and be ready because this can be a turning point in our season if we go on this road trip and don’t win the games we are supposed to win."
The Hornets went 2-3 on that just concluded trip, and while the record does not hurt their playoff chances, it has left the team stuck firmly in neutral.
The Hornets have exceeded expectations this season and Coach Williams was in our top five for COY most of the way, but the team has only won six times in their past 19 games and Williams bid for COY has slid with his team’s fortunes.
Rick Carlisle, Dallas Mavericks, 46-17, Pace-to-win 60, last year: 55-27
(Last week: Honorable Mention, 43-16 )
Since All-Star Dirk Nowitzki returned to the lineup, the Mavericks have been almost unbeatable. One-point losses to the Nuggets and Grizzlies are all the team has surrendered in over 20 games, however even this may not be enough.
The Mavericks are coming off a 55-win season and were expected to finish in second or third in the West again this time. They presently sit five games back of the first-place Spurs with 19 games remaining and while catching the Spurs is not impossible, it is becoming progressively less likely.
The Mavericks continue to hold teams to a seventh-best 96.1 points per game and Coach Carlisle gets credit for his team buying into defense and getting the most out of the players he has. Unfortunately, Coach Carlisle is not going to gain as much recognition for COY as he probably deserves.
Erik Spoelstra, Miami HEAT, 43-20, Pace-to-win 56, last year: 47-35
(Last week: Honorable Mention, 43-17)
The cracks in the HEAT’s ability to beat quality opponents has been on full display of late as the team fell to the Bulls (twice), Knicks, Magic, and Spurs. Any remote chance at COY was lost over those games.
Expectations were Coach Spoelstra would lead his team of All-Stars to a first-place finish in the East and perhaps that was unfair given a roster with few returning players, but a 56-win pace for the HEAT at this point in the season is far below expectations.
Some Coaches to Watch
There are some coaches who are still worth watching at this late date.
George Karl, Denver Nuggets, 37-27, Pace-to-win 47, (last week: 34-26), last year: 53-29
Nate McMillan, Portland Trail Blazers, 36-27, Pace-to-win 47, (last week: 33-26), last year: 50-32
Notes:
The NBA Coach of the Year (COY) is selected at the end of the regular season by a media panel whose members each cast votes for their first, second and third place choices.
HOOPSWORLD is ranking the COY race based on how the coach’s team is performing against last year’s record, this year’s preseason expectations, and on how they are handling adversity during the season. A strong winning record is almost mandatory, but merely meeting already high expectations will not be enough. There is only a slight chance of a lottery bound coach winning this award.
Did we miss someone? Let us know in the comments section below or contact us during HOOPSWORLD’s daily NBA chats.
You can send me comments or questions about COY, the Toronto Raptors, or anything else in the NBA to my weekly chat and check back on Thursday at noon ET for a response.
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