The Whiteboard: The 5 best NBA coaches so far this season

Coaching in the NBA is about so much more than rotations and after-time-out playsets.

It’s managing egos above and below. You’re trying to keep your players engaged and focused on team goals by sacrificing things to ensure those players get what they need for their contracts.

You’re trying to manage the expectations of the fans and ownership while filling out the long-term plans of the front office.

Have a clear plan and elicit buy-in but don’t be antiquated or too much of a player’s coach.
Be modern and efficient but don’t be too much of a nerd.

You have to win the politics of the locker room, the PR of the press conference, and, oh yeah, the scoreboard.

With that in mind, here are the 5 coaches doing the best job so far this season

Kenny Atkinson, Cleveland Cavaliers: It’s easy to say with Cleveland leading the East, even above mighty Boston by a half-game, but even if the Cavaliers were several spots lower in the standings, Atkinson would lead this list.

It’s not just that Atkinson has turned a good team into a great one with a chance at 60 or more wins; it’s that he’s gotten the best individually out of so many players like Caris LeVert and Ty Jerome, not to mention a bounceback season from Darius Garland and a breakout year from Evan Mobley.

The Cavs are better both individually and collectively this season, and Atkinson is the biggest reason why.

Jamahl Mosley, Orlando Magic: Orlando just does not know when to quit. Despite losing Paolo Banchero and then Franz Wagner, the Magic have somehow managed to stay in the top five of the East. Their offense is dreadful, and that’s a knock on him, but keep in mind the shots the Magic are generating, if shot at a league-average rate, would have them as a top-five offensive team.

They just can’t shoot right now. Don’t be surprised if this squad makes noise in the playoffs because not only has Mosley built one of the best defensive schemes, but he’s figured out all 12 guys’ role in it.

Ime Udoka, Houston Rockets: Udoka is known to be abrasive, and that’s what the Rockets are. They rub you the wrong way on the floor, often in ways that leave burn marks. Their physicality may be the highest in the league and their collective spirit exceeds their talent. Now if they can just figure out who their best player is… or trade for one…

Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder: The reigning Coach of the Year was not a flash in the pan. Daigneault’s commitment to detail and willingness to experiment puts him above most of his contemporaries. He’s winning games with Kenrich Williams at center and playing rookie Ajay Mitchell meaningful minutes. No one has made their team more than the sum of their parts like Daigneault has the past three seasons. ‘

Joe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics: The Celtics aren’t a surprise, but I’ll put Mazzulla here for one reason: he’s gotten his guys to go even further down the rabbit hole. Boston shot a lot of threes last year, the most. They are shooting preposterous amounts this season. They have made the 3-point line the entire battlefield, and unless you find a way to defeat math, you will lose nine times out of 10.

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NBA news and rumors roundup

• Lua Doncic was absolutely absurd Sunday in Dallas’ win Sunday over the Warriors, finishing with 45 points on 23 shots, 11 rebounds, 13 assists, three steals and two blocks, going +18 in a huge win over their conference rival. For as good as Nikola Jokic has been, the MVP race is far from over and Doncic is absolutely in it.

• After the Warriors traded for Nets guard Dennis Schróder, Hall-of-Famer Marc Stein reported Schróder could be redirected in another trade before the deadline. That makes more sense than the Warriors loading up on the oftentimes cantankerous and ball-dominant guard who should have a range of suitors again before February as Golden State continues chasing another star to pair with Steph Curry.

• LeBron James returned after a lengthy absence as the Lakers got a more-dominant-than-the score win over Memphis 116-110. Anthony Davis continued to dominate that matchup with 40 points but suffered a shoulder injury. James had 18-8-8 in the win.

5 things I heard about the NBA Cup from NBA Personnel this week

"I don't mind it, but it's wreaked havoc on our schedule. We wound up having to play (a good team) while a team we're chasing got more time off and get (a weaker team). We wanted to go for it, but how do we wind up worse for the wear while our competitors benefit, even if we make a little extra money?"

"I think the novelty wore off a little from last year, but that's to be expected. One thing I will say is that everyone, fans, the players, the league, everyone seems to think it's fun. The teams are always going to be curmudgeons about stuff like this, but they have to keep inventing new stuff to keep it fresh, which will be hard.

"We've had four days off like three times already, then we have a five-in-seven because of this cup thing. I don't mind doing it, I get why it's important, but can they not screw with us by making it uneven?"

"I thought it was really great for Atlanta. They're trying to find their way back to being competitive, and even if they're not very good, they showed they have talent. There's something there for the fans and, honestly, for ownership to invest in. The Cup gave folks a reason to buy in in December."

"Hearing the guys argue about tiebreakers once we got within range was really funny. You saw that they hadn't paid attention to anything about it, but once that $500,000 and a trip to Vegas got to be a real thing, they're all breaking down point differential."