Lately, JJ Redick has been getting some buzz as a potential Coach of the Year candidate for the job he’s done with the Lakers. But he’s not the only name in the mix. With Mark Daigneault, Michael Malone, and Kenny Atkinson all making their cases, it’s been a tight race. Still, one name keeps coming up more than the others—J. B. Bickerstaff. Many believe he’s the frontrunner, and now, some big voices in the NBA world are weighing in.
Stephen A. Smith is already convinced. “JB Bickerstaff is the Coach of the Year,” he said on ESPN this week. And he didn’t stop there. “I can’t believe—I am shell-shocked at what I have seen from Detroit,” Smith continued. Detroit’s transformation this season has been one of the biggest surprises in the league, and Bickerstaff is right at the center of it.
Meanwhile, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce see things a little differently. While they agree that Bickerstaff is deserving, they think the competition isn’t over yet. “He [J. B. Bickerstaff] should be coach of the year. It’s a couple coaches of the year out here,” Pierce said. “JB’s in there, but then you gotta give JJ. JJ Redick is in there.” Clearly, the battle isn’t as cut-and-dried as Smith believes.
Then, the two Celtics legends turned their attention to another contender. “Kenny [Atkinson] with the Cavs,” Pierce and Garnett said. But despite acknowledging other strong candidates, they both landed on the same conclusion. “JB should get it, bro. He should be, like, hands down, actually,” Kevin Garnett said, with Pierce backing him up.
March 20, 2013 – New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America – March 20, 2013: Boston Celtics center Kevin Garnett (5) and small forward Paul Pierce (34) react during the NBA Basketball Herren USA basketball game between the New Orleans Hornets and the Boston Celtics at the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, LA. NBA Basketball Herren USA 2013: Celtics vs Hornets MAR 20 – ZUMAc04
And honestly, it’s hard to argue with them. Detroit is sitting at 33-26 heading into Friday’s matchup against Denver. They’re on an eight-game winning streak, tied with Cleveland for the longest active run in the league. If Bickerstaff keeps this up, it’ll be tough for anyone else to steal that award.
Who’s leading the NBA Coach of the Year race right now?
Now that Week 18 is in the books, it’s time to take a look at the top three Coach of the Year candidates. First up, Michael Malone. Despite Denver’s nine-game winning streak coming to an end, he holds onto the No. 3 spot. The Nuggets have already bounced back and now tied with the Memphis Grizzlies for the second-best record in the West. After a slow start to the season, Malone has his team back in title contention—exactly where they belong.
Then there’s the fast-rising J. B. Bickerstaff, who was ranked No. 5 just two weeks ago. With Detroit on fire, he now sits at his highest ranking yet. The Pistons are seven games above .500 and holding down the No. 6 seed in the East. Even more impressive? They’ve built a 4.5-game cushion over the seventh-place Orlando Magic. Kevin Garnett and Pierce already see him as the frontrunner, and with the way Detroit is rolling, it’s hard to argue.
At No. 1, it’s still Kenny Atkinson. The Cavs coach has been a steady force all season, and Cleveland hasn’t slowed down. Adding De’Andre Hunter at the trade deadline gave them an extra edge, and Atkinson wasted no time making it work. Plus, coaching in the All-Star Game was just another reminder of how dominant the Cavs have been under his leadership.
So, who takes home the award when it’s all said and done? That’s the big question. With a few weeks left in the season, this race is far from over.
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