NBA Coach of the year

[Rock Strongo]

Well deserved

Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer was named NBA Coach of the Year for the 2014-15 season, the league announced Tuesday.

Budenholzer received 67 first-place votes and 513 total points from a panel of 130 sportswriters and broadcasters, edging out Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who finished in second place with 56 first-place votes and 471 total points. Bucks coach Jason Kidd was third with 57 points (one first-place vote).

Budenholzer led Atlanta to a 60-22 record in his second season. The 60 wins were a franchise-record, beating the previous best of 57 during the 1986-87 season. The Hawks earned the No. 1 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference and won the Southeast Division title for the first time since 1993-94.

The Hawks had a 22-win improvement after going 38-44 in 2013-14. Atlanta tied for sixth in the league in offensive rating (points scored per 100 possessions) and ranked seventh in defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions). They had six players average double figures in scoring, and the team set a franchise-record for 3-pointers with 818.

 

[CitySushi]

Congrats to Coach Bud. Can't really argue against him. The Hawks had a fantastic year and he was very much the reason for that. The few Hawks games I was able to catch I was highly impressed with their unselfishness and system play, which is a direct result of Coach Bud. They're fun to watch.

I know I will get the "homer" call here but I think what Kerr did was better than the Hawks. The Warriors had a historically great season, winning 16 more games than last year and holding both the #1 offense and #1 defense for much of the year. Additionally the Warriors played the majority of their games against the Western Conference competition, versus the East.

Coach Bud also had the advantage of continuity. He laid the foundation last year and was able to build upon it this year with the same exact core. Kerr was coming in fresh and not only had to gain the trust of the locker-room but make some tough decisions in sending Iguodala to the bench and pretty much relegating a former all-star in David Lee to a role player. All this from a rookie coach, with no coaching experience at all.

As a Warrior fan we were all waiting for the first stumble of the season to see how Kerr would react and how the team would react to Kerr. That just never happened, which in itself is amazing.

Both deserving, but congrats again to Coach Bud.

 

[purguy12]

I agree with it. It was him or Kerr. I give it to Atlanta just because no one had them to have this good of a record. GS was good last year. Atlanta made the bigger jump. Both deserve it.

 

[gordontrue]

Pretty close race. I would've given it to Kerr... but can't really argue with either one.

 

[logic]

I think they got it right. Hawks had an amazing year out of nowhere with no superstar.

 

[Demonjoe93]

Glad to see him get recognition. Him and Ferry have transformed this franchise from perennially mediocre to, finally, a contender.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

Great choice!

 

[Mecca]

Name one guy on that roster, besides Horford, that was seen as more than a role player before the season began?

He deserved it.

 

[gordontrue]

Name one guy on that roster, besides Horford, that was seen as more than a role player before the season began?

He deserved it.

I would say certainly Teague... but I get your point. As surprising as the Warriors season was... the Hawks season was far more surprising.

 

[logic]

Name one guy on that roster, besides Horford, that was seen as more than a role player before the season began?

He deserved it.

Can you name one who still isn't a role player? They are just playing their roles really well and working together; you know the whole team sports, the sum greater than the parts= COY.

 

[LAD]

Name one guy on that roster, besides Horford, that was seen as more than a role player before the season began?

He deserved it.

Hey there my friend! How ya been?
Honestly, and I'm not just saying this cuz I like the Warriors, but I think the Warriors season has been more impressive. The reason being that they went from the 6th see all the way to being the best out of all 30 teams and did it in the more competitive conference. They started this season as #1 and never waivered. There's someting to be said about a coach that can keep his young ball club that focused throughout an entire season that's 82 games long.

 

[Mecca]

Hey there my friend! How ya been?
Honestly, and I'm not just saying this cuz I like the Warriors, but I think the Warriors season has been more impressive. The reason being that they went from the 6th see all the way to being the best out of all 30 teams and did it in the more competitive conference. They started this season as #1 and never waivered. There's someting to be said about a coach that can keep his young ball club that focused throughout an entire season that's 82 games long.

I agree that the West is brutal.

But, the Hawks laid the smack down on several Western Conference playoff Teams too.

Plus, on paper, Atlanta's top player would be a 3rd or 4th option on the Warriors.

Ps. Howdy...miss you!

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

I agree that the West is brutal.

But, the Hawks laid the smack down on several Western Conference playoff Teams too.

Plus, on paper, Atlanta's top player would be a 3rd or 4th option on the Warriors.

Ps. Howdy...miss you!

Plus, the Warriors were good last year.

 

[LAD]

I agree that the West is brutal.

But, the Hawks laid the smack down on several Western Conference playoff Teams too.

Plus, on paper, Atlanta's top player would be a 3rd or 4th option on the Warriors.

Ps. Howdy...miss you!

Ok, ok you make great points! Dang it I hate when you do that!
I miss you too! I also miss the old days when we all met up all the time. I thought bout SD while watching the Spurs lose to your team. Have you heard from him at all?

 

[LAD]

Plus, the Warriors were good last year.

Yea they were but they weren't the best across the league and the Hawks made the playoffs too.

 

[CitySushi]

Yea they were but they weren't the best across the league and the Hawks made the playoffs too.

Hawks also made the playoffs last year without Horford for the majority of the year. If they had him last season, the Hawks would have easily been a 4-5 seed last year. Pretty much the same boat as the Warriors.

If you look at the accomplishments Bud and Kerr have had with their teams, it's virtual deadlock. I'm not sure how people can say he deserved it more. What I'm saying is that I definitely don't have an argument against him winning it.

 

[Mecca]

Ok, ok you make great points! Dang it I hate when you do that!
I miss you too! I also miss the old days when we all met up all the time. I thought bout SD while watching the Spurs lose to your team. Have you heard from him at all?

I don't think anyone could complain if Kerr would have won it....except maybe Mark Jackson...lol

You and I always debate well.

Even if it gets heated, we are right as rain by the next page!

Nope to the SD question.

I miss that Joker too.

I wish M3at and Justin would come here more too.

Have you started looking at the Draft yet?

 

[Mecca]

Hawks also made the playoffs last year without Horford for the majority of the year. If they had him last season, the Hawks would have easily been a 4-5 seed last year. Pretty much the same boat as the Warriors.

If you look at the accomplishments Bud and Kerr have had with their teams, it's virtual deadlock. I'm not sure how people can say he deserved it more. What I'm saying is that I definitely don't have an argument against him winning it.

Yeah, you are right.

 

[Hambombs]

Hawks top player would be 3rd option on dubs

 

[CitySushi]

It looks like Bud was on all voter's lists in some order of 1st, 2nd or 3rd. I find it irresponsible to have him anything less than 2nd. What's baffling is that Kerr was completely left off the following voter's ballots all together:

Voting 1st/2nd/3rd
Gary Washburn - Bud/Kidd/Stevens
Malik Rose - Bud/Thibs/Casey
Neil Funk - Bud/Stevens/Hornacek
Phil Chenier - Bud/Kidd/Rivers
Tom Heinsohn - Bud/Stevens/Kidd

Just weird.