NBA Awards Watch: The Final Ballot

Coach of the Year

1. Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors – The Coach of the Year shouldn’t be reserved for the coach of the best team, but in this case, Kerr deserves the nod. In one sense, the transformation of the Warriors could be predicted, given their loaded roster, but the first-year coach has gone above and beyond in helping his team to be a two-way terror. Offensively, Golden State does not resemble the clogged approach from a year ago under Mark Jackson, and Kerr has managed to infuse a bit of style and movement while keeping the defense at an uber-elite level. The Warriors have put together one of the best regular seasons in recent memory, with a double-digit net rating and a runaway in earning the number one seed in the loaded Western Conference, and Steve Kerr has been a revelation. He deserves the honor.
2. Mike Budenholzer, Atlanta Hawks – The Atlanta Hawks have 60 wins. Yes, the Atlanta Hawks have 60 wins. If that seems like a foreign notion, it is because the franchise has never eclipsed 57 wins in its history, and Budenholzer has captained this group to an incredible regular season performance. Atlanta finished as the 8-seed in the East a year ago, and even with the return of Al Horford and an improving supporting cast, the Hawks were not predicted to approach the number one seed in the East. Budenholzer is an elite tactician who has created a culture of unselfish play on both ends, and even amid credit for his impressive offense, the Hawks have played as a top-10 defense all season long, and that is impressive in any context. Atlanta has the benefit of the East and isn’t quite playing at the historic pace of Golden State, but Budenholzer will undoubtedly earn some first-place votes and deservedly so.
3. Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics – There is a significant drop-off from the Kerr/Budenholzer tier to everyone else, but Stevens has done a fantastic job in Boston. The Celtics jettisoned both Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green midseason, and somehow, Boston performed much better without their two high-profile veterans. In fact, the Celtics have clinched a playoff spot with a 38-42 record, and while that may not seem impressive, Stevens is working with a roster that has no business making a playoff push. The former Butler head coach is already a big-time coach in the area of X’s-and-O’s, his players swear by him, and given that his team outperformed expectations, he fits the profile of a COY candidate perfectly.

Next: Most Improved Player