Coach of the Year
Posted on May 10th, 2005 by
A few days after Steve Nash was officially named the 2004-2005 MVP the Phoenix Suns’ coach was named coach of the year. Mike D’Antoni was honoured with the Red Auerbach Trophy after leading the Phoenix Suns to the best record record in the NBA. He received the most first place, and second place votes from the panel of 125 judges.
D’Antoni, who is in his first full season as the Suns’ head coach, received 326 points, including 41 first-place votes, from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Coaches were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote received. Indiana’s Rick Carlisle was second with 241 points (26 first-place votes) and Seattle’s Nate McMillan was a close third with 234 points (30 first-place votes).
D’Antoni engineered the third largest turnaround in NBA history this season, guiding the Suns to a club record-tying 62 wins, a remarkable 33-game improvement over last season’s disappointing 29-53 record. After finishing 11-30 on the road in 2003-04, they finished a league-best and franchise-best 31-10 (.756) on the road this season, the seventh-best road winning percentage in league history. Phoenix is only the second NBA team (1979-80 Boston Celtics) to win 60 games after a 50-loss season. #
