NBA
NBA select Daigneault as Coach of the Year
The Oklahoma Thunder head coach was the firm favourite and scoops the award ahead of Jamahl Mosley (Magic) and Chris Finch (Timberwolves).
Mark Daigneault, head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder has won the NBA Coach of the Year award. The 39-year-old Daigneault (39 years old) edged out the other two finalists for the award: Jamahl Mosley (Orlando Magic) and Chris Finch (Minnesota Timberwolves) with a media voting panel.
With the talented Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading a very young team full of promise, the Thunder, whose other key players include Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, finished the regular season as first in the West, with a record of 57- 25.
This represented an increase of 17 victories compared to the previous season (40-42) for a team that has been the youngest (just over 23 years on average) to finish in first position in its Conference since 1971.
Daigneault is in his fourth season at the helm of the Thunder and they currently dominate their West first round series against the Pelicans 3-0 and will have the option this Monday to seal the sweep with a fourth game to be played in New Orleans.
Shai praise
OKC star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was offhand when asked what makes Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault good at his job.
“He’s annoying. Always nagging,” the All-Star guard said with a chuckle but then continued with a more serious tone.
“The best thing about him is no matter who you are, he has a standard,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “And it doesn’t matter if you’ve been here five years, if you’re the best player on the team, if you’re the worst player on the team, if you just got here last week — there’s a standard, and you’ve got to play to it and live up to it on and off the court. I think that’s what’s allowed our culture to be what it is as a group. And it starts with him.”
Oklahoma City Thunder have never won an NBA Championship and were beaten finalists in 2012 when they fell to Miami Heat.