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NBA Awards Watch: Golden State Runs the Table

By Brad Rowland

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after scoring against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after scoring against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

Coach of the Year

  1. Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors – This is an absolute no-brainer. The Warriors are easily the best team in the NBA right now, as they sport a 21-2 record with a comically impressive 16-game winning streak, but Kerr’s performance stands on its own. Golden State did not undergo a full-fledged roster overhaul before Kerr took over, but he has transformed them into a top-5 offense while sacrificing nothing from a defense that already belonged in the elite category. It remains to be seen whether Steve Kerr can effectively navigate an 82-game schedule, but he is soaring above the rest right now.
  2. Mike Budenholzer, Atlanta Hawks – The Hawks keep rolling along, despite the fact that the organizational history holds them back from the national spotlight. Atlanta is now 17-7 and sitting alone as the third seed in the East after a home win over Chicago on Monday night, and the Hawks have improved drastically on the defensive end to precipitate this latest surge. Budenholzer isn’t blessed with a star-laden roster, but he has managed to implement Spurs-like principles in Atlanta, and the cohesion shown by his team is a positive reflection on his performance.
  3. Dave Joerger, Memphis Grizzlies – If not for Steve Kerr, it is a safe bet to assume that Joerger would be garnering a great deal of praise. The Grizzlies have the second-best record in the NBA at 19-4, and Joerger’s decision to allow the offense to run through Marc Gasol was a brilliant one. Memphis will always have style concerns, at least from casual viewers, but Joerger has graduated to high-level coaching in what seems like the blink of an eye, and his team is a legitimate contender as a result.

Next: Most Improved Player

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