Awards season in the NBA is nearing, and there will be a few interesting races for a few awards in particular.
As far as the Coach of the Year award, many feel Mike Brown of the Sacramento Kings is pretty much a lock to win that honor.
But there are those who feel Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics or Mark Daigneault of the Oklahoma City Thunder may be more deserving.
All three have been announced as the finalists for Coach of the Year.
The 2022-23 Finalists for NBA Coach of the Year.
Mike Brown of the @SacramentoKings
Mark Daigneault of the @okcthunder
Joe Mazzulla of the @celtics— NBA (@NBA) April 14, 2023
Not many people expected the Kings to reach the playoffs this season, especially since the franchise hadn’t made it there since all the way back in 2006.
But not only did they do so, but they also finished third in the Western Conference.
Even better, Sacramento led the NBA in scoring by averaging 120.7 points per game, making them one of a select few squads that have ever put up at least 120 points a contest for an entire season.
Brown is in his first season at the helm of the team after six seasons as an assistant with the Golden State Warriors and prior head coaching stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Mazzulla took over for Ime Udoka at the start of the season after Udoka was removed following an inappropriate relationship with a female staffer of the team.
Mazzulla, who is now Boston’s permanent head coach, guided them to a 57-25 finish and the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
In Oklahoma City, Daigneault got his team to overachieve with a 40-42 record, and after winning their play-in tournament game against the New Orleans Pelicans, they will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday with the eighth seed in the Western Conference at stake.
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