Handing out awards for the first full month of the NBA season.
The NBA is back.
That, of course, isn’t big news as the calendar flips to December, but we now have a full month of data under our belts and there are story lines everywhere. In this space, we will examine the state of the league’s individual award races at this (very) early juncture, to get a hard start on the arguments that inevitably begin across the league in the coming months.
Let’s begin our glance at the six major award categories, beginning with Coach of the Year.
Coach of the Year
- Frank Vogel, Indiana Pacers – Vogel is doing incredible work in Indiana. Many projections (including my own) pegged the Pacers to miss the playoffs after overhauling their roster toward a small-ball concept with little talent in the frontcourt, but Vogel has made it all work in short order. The Pacers sit at a startling 11-5, and their record does not appear to be a fluke, thanks to a +6.4 net rating per 100 possessions and a top-three defense that is allowing only 95.5 points per 100. I have my doubts that Indiana can maintain this pace, but Vogel’s performance has been nothing short of incredible to this point.
- Rick Carlisle, Dallas Mavericks – Much like Vogel, Carlisle entered the season with an impossibly difficult task, as the Mavericks largely swung and missed in free agency. Still, Dallas has remained afloat with a record above .500 on the year, which in the West is no small feat. It is tough to pinpoint a specific area that allows the Mavericks to hold on to playoff hope (outside of Dirk’s brilliance), but Carlisle continues to churn out winning teams, almost regardless of circumstance.
- Steve Clifford, Charlotte Hornets – This third spot could easily go to someone like Luke Walton or Gregg Popovich, but Clifford has this Charlotte team appearing quite competent and that should be commended. The Hornets are above the .500 mark at 10-7 despite a dearth of talent in some spots on the roster, and Charlotte posting a top-10 offense in the NBA (104.3 points per 100) is startling in and of itself. Clifford’s reputation as a solid tactician is spot-on, but he is maximizing the assets he has been given in a big way, and the Hornets are respectable as a result.
Next: Most Improved Player