NBA Coach of the Year Power Rankings featuring JB Bickerstaff, Monty Williams and more | February 25th, 2021
We are getting back into NBA regular-season action after the All-Star break and the teams have roughly 23-24 games remaining. There haven't been many games in the last week due to the break, so the standings haven't changed much at all. Similarly, there is minimal change in any of the end-of-the-season award races, including the NBA Coach of the Year award.
The top teams in the Western Conference have been the same for weeks, while the East has been quite chaotic. Coach Erik Spoelstra is on pace to re-enter the top five of the Coach of the Year power rankings as the Miami Heat are leading the East despite facing injuries and hardships all season.
Coaches Quin Snyder, Doc Rivers, Steve Nash and Mike Budenholzer are out of the top five of the race despite having title-contending teams as the other coaches have a major case over them.
Coaches like Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks, Ime Udoka of the Boston Celtics and Mike Malone of the Denver Nuggets do have a strong chance of entering the race, but their teams will need to perform spectacularly down the stretch of the season.
On that note, let's take a look at the top five of the NBA Coach of the Year power rankings by Sportskeeda.
#5 J.B. Bickerstaff
Previous week's NBA Coach of the Year Power Ranking - 5th (-)
Last Week: Games played - ; Games won - ; Games lost -
Overall: Games played - 58; Games won - 35; Games lost - 23
Offensive Rating: 110.8 (18th of 30)
Defensive Rating: 106.5 (4th of 30)
Average Points Scored: 106.7 (23rd of 30)
Average Points Conceded: 102.5 (1st of 30)
The Cleveland Cavaliers are the dark horse to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. They are a group of young guns who play as a team and defend at an extremely high level. They are first in the NBA in points allowed and fourth in overall defensive rating.
Coach JB Bickerstaff has been excellent in rallying his men in the face of adversity. They lost Collin Sexton to a season-ending injury in November but are still dominating with a lineup featuring multiple seven-footers.
"We've got a lot of games left and there's a lot on the table to be had."
J.B. Bickerstaff discusses the team's mentality coming out of the break.
@Cavs vs. Pistons tonight on Bally Sports Ohio & the Bally Sports app. https://t.co/F28vGgzV4h
#4 Steve Kerr
Previous week's NBA Coach of the Year Power Ranking - 4th (-)
Last Week: Games played - ; Games won - ; Games lost -
Overall: Games played - 59; Games won - 42; Games lost - 17
Offensive Rating: 111.8 (12th of 30)
Defensive Rating: 104.8 (1st of 30)
Average Points Scored: 110.6 (12th of 30)
Average Points Conceded: 103.7 (4th of 30)
The Golden State Warriors enter the second half of the season having lost four of their last five games, and that is primarily why coach Steve Kerr is slipping in the Coach of the Year ladder.
They do still possess the league's best defensive rating but have been abysmal on that end lately without Draymond Green on the floor. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson seem to be out of their shooting slumps, so the Dubs should have an interesting 23 remaining games as their players steadily return from injury.
Dubs Talk with Steve Kerr » bit.ly/3HgGZlB
Read more » bit.ly/3hbu1LtKerr isn't fazed by social media criticism 🤷♂️
🎧 Dubs Talk with Steve Kerr » bit.ly/3HgGZlB
📝 Read more » bit.ly/3hbu1Lt https://t.co/pnibsaEBoa