Kenny Atkinson named Cleveland Cavaliers head coach NBA Coach of the Year. This accolade highlights Atkinson’s exceptional leadership. Under his leadership, the Cavaliers saw incredible growth, capped by an exciting second-round playoff run.
With Atkinson at the helm, the Cavaliers experienced one of the most incredible 16-win turnaround seasons in history, ultimately finishing with the best record in the East. This performance not only showcased Atkinson’s coaching prowess but solidified the Cavaliers’ position as a formidable contender in the league.
The Cavaliers’ success is certainly one of the biggest surprises in relation to the league as a whole. With first-year coach Ime Udoka at the helm, the Houston Rockets became the biggest surprise in the NBA. They clinched their first postseason birth since the 2019-20 season! Their unforeseen ascent featured an impressive run down the stretch that landed them as one of the top four teams in the Western Conference.
At the same time, the clock struck midnight on the Denver Nuggets’ historic regular season, claiming their first-ever No. That was the first 60-win season for them since 2009-10. It was more remarkable still besides the automatic discredits since they did it while missing LeBron James from their roster. Despite this success, newly appointed and favored vice chairman Josh Kroenke surprised everybody with a shocking house cleaning move. His response—firing coach Michael Malone just three games before the end of the regular season. With Malone receiving significant support for Coach of the Year, his firing underscores the irony of the team’s success contradicting with his departure.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, under Coach of the Year finalist Mark Daigneault, owned the regular season. They went an astounding 68-14, ending 16 games clear of the second-place Rockets. Daigneault’s leadership has been invaluable in navigating the Thunder through what plenty of folks would call a miraculous season.
The Detroit Pistons were another popular bet as coach J.B. Bickerstaff carried them to their first postseason since 2019. Though they may not be considered world-beaters, the Pistons demonstrated huge progress, more than tripling their win total from the prior campaign.
Atkinson’s Coach of the Year award is a reflection of his creativity and out-of-the-box coaching methods, as well as his talent for motivating players.
“Kenny Atkinson has long been respected by his peers as an innovative and humble servant to the game.” – Rick Carlisle
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