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NBA Award Watch: James Harden rises to the top

By John Buhler

Mar 28, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) argues a call while playing against the Golden State Warriors in the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) argues a call while playing against the Golden State Warriors in the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 11, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra stands in front of his players during a timeout in the second half against the Toronto Raptors at American Airlines Arena. The Heat won 104-89. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra stands in front of his players during a timeout in the second half against the Toronto Raptors at American Airlines Arena. The Heat won 104-89. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

Coach of the Year: Erik Spoelstra

It’s becoming a reality. The Miami Heat are probably going to end up making the Eastern Conference Playoffs, presumably as the No. 8 seed. This team won’t finish above .500, but this has been Erik Spoelstra’s most impressive coaching job to date.

The 2016-17 Heat were expected to be a 20-win dumpster fire, hanging out in the Eastern Conference cellar with Brooklyn and Philadelphia. Miami struggled to win games early in the season, then something magical happened.

The Heat won 13 games in a row to force their way back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture in late January. NBA fans know that point guard Goran Dragic and center Hassan Whiteside are good players, but this Heat team had no business winning over 10 games in a row. This was supposed to be a trying rebuilding year in South Beach!

Next: Worst NBA Awards Snubs of All-Time

Spoelstra has instilled elite defensive principles. He is doing this without the franchise’s best player in Dwyane Wade, now with the Chicago Bulls, and his top assistant in David Fizdale, now leading the Memphis Grizzlies. If you don’t think Spoelstra isn’t an outstanding head coach, you haven’t been paying attention.

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