With the All-Star game in the rearview mirror and the playoffs quickly approaching, attention around the NBA is turning to which teams will finish at the top of their conferences and who will be this year’s MVP. NBA players seem to get all of the credit for their team’s successes, as it should be. After all, they sweat it out, week after week, during a grueling 82 game regular season.
However, a critical component of an NBA team’s success is often overlooked—the head coach. Head coaches work behind the scenes to ensure their players have the best chance to win. It doesn’t matter how many superstars are on a team’s roster; they won’t take home the championship without a good coach. So, let’s take a look at the top contenders for this year’s coach of the year award.
Monty Williams—Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams leads the team with the best record in the NBA coming out of the All-Star break. Under Monty’s leadership, the suns have gone 48-10 after a lackluster 1-3 start to the season. They’re currently 6.5 games ahead of their closest rival, the Golden State Warriors.
The Sun’s superstar point guard Chris Paul, known to fans as the “Point God,” injured his hand in a game against Houston Rockets on February 16th and is expected to be out until the playoffs begin. Will the Suns be able to maintain their championship pace without their floor general? The last part of the season will test Monty’s coaching skills.
Monty almost won coach of the year during the 2020-2021 season but narrowly lost out to New York Knicks’ coach Tom Thibodeau in the smallest margin of victory since the NBA introduced the current format during the 2002-2003 season.
Betting is a big part of the NBA experience, especially leading up to the playoffs. Monty Williams is currently the favorite to win coach of the year, according to the latest NBA coach of the year odds. Given how he’s taken the Suns from a losing team with the worst record in the league to a championship contender in two years, he’s certainly deserving of the coach of the year award.
Steve Kerr—Golden State Warriors
If Monty Williams isn’t named NBA coach of the year this season, the award will most likely go to Gold State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr. The Warriors boast the second-best record in the league behind the Suns. Like the Suns, one of their superstars, Draymond Green, is sidelined with a back injury.
The Warriors have been in a slump since Green’s injury, going 12-7 during the 19 games he hasn’t played. However, Klay Thompson has returned to their lineup, adding to their already outstanding offensive game. Arguably Steve Kerr has had an easier go of it than Monty Williams and other potential awardees. After all, he’s got Steve Curry, and that’s a lot more than most.
The league usually doesn’t award coach of the year to coaches with superstars capable of turning the tide of a game single-handedly. However, Kerr may have a chance if the Warriors manage to go on a win streak and take the #1 spot in the Western Conference from the Suns.
Taylor Jenkins—Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies have had an impressive season up to now. With a 41-9 record, they have the third-best record in the NBA and the Western Conference. They’re 1-1 against the league-leading Suns and 2-1 against the second seed Warriors. The young Grizzlies team has proven it can compete against the best and win.
The Grizzlies are the third-youngest team in the NBA, yet they’re playing like veterans under Taylor’s leadership. Ja Morant is the team’s star, and Taylor has done a superb job coaching his young star. Besides Ja, Taylor has also done an outstanding job developing players like Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, Brandon Clarke, Tyus Jones, and John Konchar.
It’s a crowded field for coach of the year for the 2021-2022 season, and a strong case could be made for Monty Williams, Steve Kerr, Taylor Jenkins, and several others. We’ll have to wait a couple more months to see how it all plays out.
