NBA Awards Watch: LeBron James Rising

Coach of the Year

1. Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors – The Warriors are the best team in the NBA right now, as evidenced by their league-leading net rating (11.7 points per 100 possessions), and Steve Kerr has transformed Golden State’s offense. The pieces were, admittedly, in place for Kerr when he took over, but there is no denying the offensive upgrades that he has made, and with a 9-game winning streak as I type this, there is little doubt that he is the front-runner.
2. Dave Joerger, Memphis Grizzlies – With the understandable buzz around Golden State, it may feel like Memphis is getting disrespected, but not here. The Grizzlies have the best record in the league at 15-2, and Joerger has done a tremendous job, even getting his team to land among the top eight in the league in terms of offensive efficiency. It seems like the cast of characters never changes in Memphis, but Joerger’s ability to adapt to his personnel and make positive tweaks keeps him in the discussion.
3. Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs – I’ve repeatedly made the claim that the league should rename this award “The Gregg Popovich Trophy”, so it is always appropriate to include the best coach alive in the proceedings. It helps that San Antonio has won eight consecutive games while still holding true to their overall organizational maintenance program, and Pop is a cut above the rest. He probably won’t win the award, simply because the Spurs won the title a year ago, and success is expected in San Antonio, but he’s the best of the best.

Next: Most Improved Player