5 leading candidates to win NBA Coach of the Year feat. Rick Carlisle (Week 23)

As the 2023-24 NBA regular season nears its end, so does the competition for the Coach of the Year accolade. Throughout the season, the race for the award has undergone significant shifts, with some candidates fading away and others continuously in the spotlight.

After Week 23, let’s take a look at the top five NBA coaches in contention for the COTY award, which was won by Mike Brown last year.

Top Contenders for 2021 NBA Coach of the Year

5. Nate Bjorkgren – Indiana Pacers

Rick Carlisle has been a coach who has consistently achieved great success with limited resources. After spending over a decade coaching the Dallas Mavericks, Carlisle joined the Indiana Pacers in 2021.

This season, the Pacers hold the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference standings with a record of 42-33. Aside from Tyrese Haliburton, Carlisle does not have any other players with All-Star potential on his roster. In the previous season, the Pacers were placed 11th in the East and failed to make it to the playoffs. They had a winning percentage of only 42.7%. However, under Carlisle’s coaching, the team has significantly improved and now boasts a 56.0% win rate.

Additionally, the Pacers hold the second highest offensive rating of the season.

4. Joe Mazzulla – Basketball Coach and Former Player

Despite ending last season ranked second in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics have managed to claim the top spot this year. However, this ranking may not fully capture the team’s performance this season.

The Celtics have 11 more wins than the second-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, which is a similar margin to the difference between the top and tenth seeds in the Western Conference.

With Mazzulla at the helm, the Celtics currently hold the top spot in offensive rankings and are ranked third in defensive ratings. They are widely considered to be the most well-rounded team in the league. Mazzulla’s ranking at number four is largely attributed to the exceptional talent on the Celtics’ roster.

This year, the Celtics have achieved a 78.4% winning percentage, an improvement from last season’s 69.5%. Mazzulla’s impact on the team is undeniable, making him a deserving candidate in the NBA’s Coach of the Year race.

3. Current Coaching Position: Jamahl Mosley

The recent success of the Orlando Magic has been a bright spot for the league. Despite facing challenges in his first two seasons as head coach, Jamahl Mosley, who took over in 2021, has led the team to a significant improvement this season. The Magic have transformed from one of the weakest teams in the league to a strong contender for the playoffs.

The Magic, with a 43-31 record, currently hold the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference. In addition, they have secured a spot in the postseason. Furthermore, Mosley’s contributions have played a significant role in propelling Paolo Benchero to All-Star status.

2. Meet Chris Finch

Despite the success of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ defense, credit must also be given to Chris Finch for his role in their achievement. The margin between the Timberwolves, who currently hold the top defensive position in the NBA, and the second-ranked Magic is greater than any other difference between consecutive teams in the rankings.

In the last three seasons, the Timberwolves’ winning percentage has been a key factor in measuring Finch’s success. They achieved a 56.1% win rate in the 2021-22 season and a 51.2% win rate in the 2022-23 NBA season. However, this year, they have significantly improved with a win rate of 68.9%.

1. Billy Donovan

Despite missing the playoffs for the third time in the last three years, Mark Daigneault played a major role in transforming the OKC Thunder into a top team in the NBA this season. In the previous season, the Thunder were ranked 10th in the West, but under Daigneault’s leadership, their story has taken a different direction.

The primary factor supporting Mark Daigneault’s candidacy for Coach of the Year is the difference in their winning percentage over the past three seasons. In the 2021-22 NBA season, the Thunder had a win percentage of 29.3%, while in the following season, they improved drastically to 48.8%.

Despite this, Mark Daigneault has been instrumental in leading his team to a 70.3% win rate this season. In addition, they rank as one of the league’s strongest teams in terms of both offensive and defensive ratings.