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NBA Award Watch: Nikola Jokic is moving mountains

By John Buhler

March 10, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Nikola Jokic (15) looks on during the first half against the Boston Celtics at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
March 10, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Nikola Jokic (15) looks on during the first half against the Boston Celtics at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 13, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra watches the game during the first half against the Orlando Magic at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra watches the game during the first half against the Orlando Magic at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

Coach of the Year: Erik Spoelstra

Who is the second best coach in the NBA today? We know who No. 1 is and that would be Gregg Popovich of the Spurs. Don’t think to hard on this, as it’s more obvious than you think. He’s won two NBA Championships and been to four NBA Finals.

It’s Erik Spoelstra and he’s doing an outstanding job with the 2016-17 Miami Heat team. Miami is 32-35 on the year and only half a game back of the Bucks for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

In three years time, Spoelstra has lost all of The Big Three (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh) and still has the Heat vying for the playoffs. This team was supposed to rebuild, not push for the playoffs with guys like Luke Babbitt, Rodney McGruder and Dion Waiters.

Next: Worst NBA Awards Snubs of All-Time

Miami probably won’t win a game against the Cavaliers in the first round of the 2017 Eastern Conference Playoffs, but being there in a total rebuilding year is a testament to how great of a head coach Spoelstra is. This was a 20-win team that might finish at or around .500.

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