Coach of the Year: Doc Rivers
I’m fairly certain only head coaches are eligible to win this award, and since he is the only head coach on the team, Doc Rivers has this award locked up. But he doesn’t take the cake just because he’s the best of the Clippers’ coaching staff. Doc Rivers has been a legitimate name in the Coach of the Year race.
There is a stacked recipient pool for this award this season. Mike Budenholzer unlocked the Bucks potential and guided them to the top record in the league. Mike Malone turned the Nuggets into the second seed in the West after missing the playoffs for the past several seasons. Perhaps Nate McMillan will win it after the Pacers finished the season surprisingly well after losing their star player, Victor Oladipo. Kenny Atkinson also deserves consideration for turning the Nets around after making the worst trade in NBA history and finally earning a playoff spot.
The Clippers came into this season with one glaring goal on the horizon: Become the most attractive location for star free agents. A team headlined by Tobias Harris and Danilo Gallianri was understandably slated for a sub-.500 season. They were flirting with .500 record for the first half of the season, but when they dealt Harris, their best player, at the deadline, they were expected to make their second consecutive lottery appearance.
Doc Rivers then led the new-look Clippers to rattle off some of their best wins of the year, capping off the regular season on a 18-9 record.
This is certainly Doc Rivers’ most impressive coaching performance, especially considering he has coached the likes of Kevin Garnett, Blake Griffin, Tracy McGrady, Patrick Ewing, and Shaquille O’Neal on his teams.
Rivers played a big role in the Clippers becoming the premier location to land stars this summer and deserves recognition for his excellent work.