CHICAGO - George Karl has won the NBA?s Coach of the Year award for the first time in his illustrious 25 years as a head coach. Karl guided the Denver Nuggets to 57 wins and finished with the league's fourth best record. He joins Doug Moe as the only Denver coaches to win this distinct honor.
Karl received 62 first-place votes, followed by Eric Spoelstra with 24 first-place votes. Mike Woodson finished third, and Greg Popovich, who won the award last year, finished in fourth.
"I am honored and energized to represent coaching and be their ambassador as coach of the year and continue to symbolize the great coaching there is in the NBA," Karl said in a statement. "There are probably seven or eight guys who are deserving of it and another 10 or 15 other coaches who have done a great job and aren't getting any recognition."
The Nuggets were one of the hottest teams down the stretch, winning a team record 15 straight and finishing 24-4 after the All-Star break. The Nuggets relied on an up-tempo offense and deep bench all season long. They led the league scoring, fast break points, and points in the paint.
The award was bitter-sweet for Karl, after getting ousted by the Golden State Warriors in the first round. It was his fourth straight first round exit in the playoffs. Karl has completed 21 straight seasons without a losing record, which is tied for Phil Jackson for the longest such streak in NBA history. (Ricky Gardunio)
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