(Continuing in my awards process, here is my take of the COY)
Recently, many have taken the time to call this the ‘tightest’ award race. Those who believe that are both right and wrong. Right because there are 10 teams with 50+ wins, including a couple dark-horses. Wrong because people are forgetting the precedent that has been set with this award. If you look at the history of the COY award, rarely does the coach of the best team win it. There is a reason why Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich have just as many COY awards in their house as Don Chaney…one.
It would be easy to get wrapped up in everything because legitimately there are about 10-12 coaches who could enter the discussion. However, if you take a deeper look at the history of the award, things will slowly but surely whittle down. The proof is in the pudding: lately the award has been given to a coach who has taken his team from the bottom to the top unexpectedly. Rarely do we find ourselves with the coach of the team with the best record winning the award. Don’t believe me? Let’s take a look at the last 4 years shall we.
- 2006-07: Sam Mitchell takes a Toronto team that was 27-55 the year before to 47-35 the next year and a division title. He won Coach of the Year.
- 2005-06: Avery Johnson could mess up my argument a little bit but he had a special circumstance. The Mavs were 60-22 that year, had the third best record in the L behind Detroit and San Antonio and he won it because it was his first year and everyone was like ‘Whoa he’s the best coach ever for winning 60 games in a year.’ Boy those days seem a while ago. Moving along.
- 2004-05: Mike D’Antoni turned a Suns team that went 29-53 the year before into a 62 win team.
- 2003-04: Hubie Brown took a Memphis team that was 28-54 in 2002-03 to 50-32 the next year.
If you subscribe to this theory than there are really only two candidates: Doc Rivers and Byron Scott. However let us not forget about the other people who deserve (or have been) in the discussion.
- Phil Jackson: for somehow keeping Kobe happy, getting him to play selfless and finding ways to use everyone almost perfectly. It doesn’t hurt that they got a PG that can work in his system (Fisher) and strong play from big men (Gasol, Bynum)
- Popovich: For getting the to 55 plus wins despite them not having a pulse for half of the season, the assorted injuries to the Big Three and the fact that they got old. What works against them is that they are the Spurs (aka still really good) and they have looked pretty dang back the last week or so
- Rick Adelman: For finding a way to completely change everything from X’s and O’s to philosophy once Yao went down. He was not stubborn, he changed the offense to give them their best chance possible and got them to buy in to playing really had defense. Very few coaches could have handled it as well as he has, they have held their own.
- Mike D’Antoni: For finding a way to use Old Shaq and make him look like Shaq. The difference between Miami Shaq and this Shaq is ridiculous. Also for using Grant Hill in a way that makes him look great and getting the most out of Amare.
- Jerry Sloan: I’ve heard people throw his name around that he should be the COY…I don’t agree at all. I think this sentiment goes under the ‘Lifetime Achievement’ type thing. I don’t know about you but a team that is 4th only because of he fact that they won their division AND has played horrible on the road (17-23) doesn’t exactly strike me as COY material. I will give him his due: the system is still working
- Eddie Jordan/Maurice Cheeks: I put these two together because I think in any other year these two would be front-runners. Jordan moreso than Cheeks. Jordan had to deal with Gilbert going down 8 games in and then watching Caron Butler go down before the All-Star break and he not only managed to keep the wheels going but they actually improved and are looking dangerous going into the playoffs. Mo on the other hand won’t get as much credit as Stefanski, but no one in their right mind could have seen the Sixers not only in the playoffs but having a better record than the Raptors.
It still comes down to Doc Rivers and Byron Scott. Doc has the following going for him. Boston has the best record in the NBA. The C’s single-handedly had the biggest turnaround in NBA history. If they gave it to Sam Mitchell they have to give it to Doc. Yes, the Celtics added KG and Ray Allen. However the X-Factor all along has been their bench. The Celtics were only going to go as far as their bench carried them. One of the biggest concerns about Doc dating back from last year was his inability to effectively manage a rotation. Well this year he pretty much shut people up about that, moreso because he didn’t have a bunch of options but still. If you look at how that second unit is playing down the stretch…you can’t say that’s all KG.
What’s working against him? The fact that he is coaching a team that has Paul Pierce, KG and Ray Allen. Also, KG brought a crazy work-ethic and attitude that rubbed off on the rest of the team. The team is pretty much self-coached to a degree, Doc’s job isn’t that hard.
For Byron Scott…to unexpectedly go from the 9th spot to the top of the West in one year was crazy. He doesn’t have much to work with either: major minutes are going to Ryan Bowen and Morris Peterson for pete’s sake. A lot of people thought the Hornets were a fluke around the All-Star break. However they just kept winning, kept winning and are still in contention for the #1 seed. Credit Scott for making it work. The argument against him? He does have the MVP who can create at anytime on his team along with two legit big men and a great shooter. It’s not hard to create an offense with all that.
And the winner is…Doc Rivers. Has to be, biggest turnaround in NBA history. He’s gotten the most out of undersized big men (Perkins, Powe, Davis), Rajon Rondo looks like a star and Kendrick Perkins has been a legit starter. Tell me that’s not more impressive than having Chris Paul come off a high screen and roll.