Nick Nurse Wins Coach of the Year

Nick Nurse Wins Coach of the Year

Toronto Raptors’ head coach Nick Nurse has been named the NBA Coach of the Year. Nurse was the runaway winner, receiving 90 first-place votes from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer finished second and Billy Donovan of the Oklahoma City Thunder finished third.

The award was announced on TNT’s pre-game show before Game 3 of the Orlando Magic – Milwaukee Bucks series. Raptors guard Kyle Lowry presented Nurse with the award while during a live interview.

This was the first time a Raptors coach has won the award since Sam Mitchell in the 2006-07 season.

Success Equals Recognition

Nurse has had a great run of success with the Raptors since taking the head coaching job. In his two seasons coaching the team, the Raptors have a record of 111-43. In the 2018-19 season, the Raptors won their first championship in franchise history, led by Nurse’s brilliant coaching and Kawhi Leonard setting the tone on both ends of the floor.

What’s even more impressive is the fact that the Raptors have been even better this season, after losing Leonard and Danny Green in free agency. Through 72 games last season, the Raptors were 51-21. This season, as mentioned, they finished 53-19. Despite losing a top-five player in the league in Leonard, the Raptors won an extra two games.

The Raptors also finished second in the league in Defensive Rating this year (104.7) compared to fifth last year (106.8). What stands out about the Raptors defense compared to other teams is how tight their rotations are, and how often they are willing to send help. Yes, this results in the occasional open three-point shot for the opposition, but the Raptors never make those costly, self-inflicted, mistakes on defense that you see other teams make more frequently.

To any NBA fan, it was obvious that Nick Nurse was the choice to win Coach of the Year for the 2019-20 season. Given where everyone said the Raptors would be in the standings versus where they ended up, Nurse and his coaching staff have finally gotten the credit they deserve.