5 Leading candidates to win Coach of the Year | NBA 2020-21
Coaching can make or break an NBA team. A timely adjustment during an intense series or giving confidence to the squad during tough runs can be the difference between a contending team and merely a good one. For the upcoming NBA 2020-21 season, we will have some new names undertaking big coaching jobs, and it will be interesting.
On that note, we will take a look at the five candidates for the Coach of the Year award in the NBA 2020-21 season.
5 Leading candidates to win Coach of the Year | NBA 2020-21
Hall-of-Fame player Steve Nash getting the job as the Brooklyn Nets' coach was a big story when it was announced. Nash does not have experience as a coach, but he did play 18 years in the NBA as a point guard and even won two Most Valuable Player awards.
Nash has Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on his team, and he will need to keep them in check from the sidelines. Of course, having lots of talent on the roster will never be a problem for an NBA coach, but he still needs to give them structure.
In this article, we will review five head coaches who have a big chance of winning the Coach of the Year award in the NBA 2020-21 season. Without further ado, let us start.
#5 Tyronn Lue
Tyronn Lue is the head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers. Lue certainly has pressure on him to steer the team in the right direction after their meltdown in the 2020 NBA Playoffs.
Lue is an experienced coach who probably has a good level of chemistry with the roster. He was an assistant coach to the previous coach of the LA Clippers, Doc Rivers. If the team's management selected Lue to guide the roster, it is likely that the top players on the squad wanted him as the head coach.
The LA Clippers had a decent regular season last year, even though injuries and load management saw Kawhi Leonard and Paul George miss several games (Leonard missed 15 and George 24).
If Lue can guide the Clippers to a solid record, it will not be a surprise. However, if the team has an established identity and can solve their weaknesses, he will be a contender for the NBA Coach of the Year award.
#4 Erik Spoelstra
Erik Spoelstra is arguably the best coach in basketball. 'Spo' guided the Miami Heat to an unlikely appearance in the 2020 NBA Finals, and the team looked fantastic against their Eastern Conference rivals.
Of course, Miami was only a fifth seed in the East last year, but it did not matter in the NBA Bubble at Orlando. However, seeding could be important in the upcoming season.
If Spoelstra can have another great regular-season run with the Miami Heat, the team will be in good shape to defend their Eastern Conference title. Of course, some East teams got a lot better for the NBA 2020-21 season, and the Heat will have a tough regular round.
If the Heat can remain a contender in the East, Spoelstra will be a candidate for NBA Coach of the Year yet again (he finished fourth last year). Miami is not the most talented team in the Eastern Conference, but it might be the most driven team. It all starts with the coach.
#3 Steve Nash
Steve Nash is the favorite to win the Coach of the Year award according to the oddsmakers.
Of course, the Canadian has a solid roster built for him, but his input will be one of the keys for the team. He is not experienced at coaching, but he is experienced at leading.
Nash will need his leading skills to make this team work together as a unit and play winning basketball. Kevin Durant is a great scorer who can share the ball, while Kyrie Irving might need to have the ball in his hands for a longer time.
Nash will need to make things easier for both on offense while involving the rest of the squad (Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, and sniper Joe Harris, for example).
Nash can win the NBA Coach of the Year award if his input on the team is noticeable and they are true contenders for the NBA championship.
#2 Monty Williams
The Phoenix Suns had a good year in the 2019-20 NBA season. Even though the team did not enter the postseason, they won more than 24 games for the first time since the 2014-15 NBA season.
Clearly, Monty Williams was one of the reasons why the team showed improvement. Williams even led them to an 8-0 record in the NBA seeding games of the Orlando bubble. Devin Booker guided the team on the court, while Williams guided Booker and his teammates from the sidelines.
With a revamped roster and future Hall-of-Famer Chris Paul at Phoenix, the Suns are contenders to make the NBA Playoffs. Williams is likely to take advantage of his roster's talent, and the team should be good in the regular season.
Williams is also one of the main candidates according to oddsmakers, and his case to win the NBA Coach of the Year award in the NBA 2020-21 season should be solid.
#1 Nick Nurse
Last year's deserved Coach of the Year award winner, Nick Nurse, should be a clear candidate to win the same prize in the NBA 2020-21 season.
The oddsmakers are not fans of Nurse's chances for the NBA 2020-21 season, but he will definitely be in the mix.
Last season, the Toronto Raptors lost their reigning NBA Finals MVP, Kawhi Leonard. Still, Nurse's team went on to secure the East's second seed.
Nurse will be coaching in the NBA for only his third year, but he has been stellar. The team won the NBA championship in 2019 and reached the second round of the NBA Playoffs in 2020.
For this season, Nurse has a challenge on his hands, as the team lost Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol. He will be the main candidate to win the NBA Coach of the Year award if he can help his team continue to perform at a high level.
Also read: Utah Jazz 2020-21 NBA Season Preview and Prediction - Key acquisitions, complete roster, and starting five