NBA Coach of the Year: Let's Pick the Right Guy

Sweet redemption for the guy who was forced out of Miami after Pat Riley showed signs that he wanted to coach the team.

And another thing that makes his situation so good is that he wasn't even coaching last season.

The Magic did make a big offseason move by acquiring Rashard Lewis, but Van Gundy is still a big reason why the Magic holds the third best record in the Eastern Conference.

The Winner: Byron Scott

Other Candidates

Phil Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers

Doc Rivers, Boston Celtics

Maurice Cheeks, Philadelphia 76ers

Rick Adleman, Houston Rockets

NBA Coach of the Year Past Winners

2006-07 - Sam Mitchell, Toronto
2005-06 - Avery Johnson, Dallas
2004-05 - Mike D'Antoni, Phoenix
2003-04 - Hubie Brown, Memphis
2002-03 - Gregg Popovich, San Antonio
2001-02 - Rick Carlisle, Detroit
2000-01 - Larry Brown, Philadelphia
1999-00 - Doc Rivers, Orlando
1998-99 - Mike Dunleavy, Portland
1997-98 - Larry Bird, Indiana
1996-97 - Pat Riley, Miami
1995-96 - Phil Jackson, Chicago
1994-95 - Del Harris, Los Angeles Lakers
1993-94 - Lenny Wilkens, Atlanta
1992-93 - Pat Riley, New York
1991-92 - Don Nelson, Golden State
1990-91 - Don Chaney, Houston
1989-90 - Pat Riley, Los Angeles Lakers
1988-89 - Cotton Fitzsimmons, Phoenix
1987-88 - Doug Moe, Denver
1986-87 - Mike Schuler, Portland
1985-86 - Mike Fratello, Atlanta
1984-85 - Don Nelson, Milwaukee
1983-84 - Frank Layden, Utah
1982-83 - Don Nelson, Milwaukee
1981-82 - Gene Shue, Washington
1980-81 - Jack McKinney, Indiana
1979-80 - Bill Fitch, Boston
1978-79 - Cotton Fitzsimmons, Kansas City
1977-78 - Hubie Brown, Atlanta
1976-77 - Tom Nissalke, Houston
1975-76 - Bill Fitch, Cleveland
1974-75 - Phil Johnson, Kansas City-Omaha
1973-74 - Ray Scott, Detroit
1972-73 - Tom Heinsohn, Boston
1971-72 - Bill Sharman, Los Angeles
1970-71 - Dick Motta, Chicago
1969-70 - Red Holzman, New York
1968-69 - Gene Shue, Baltimore
1967-68 - Richie Guerin, St. Louis
1966-67 - Johnny Kerr, Chicago
1965-66 - Dolph Schayes, Philadelphia
1964-65 - Red Auerbach, Boston
1963-64 - Alex Hannum, San Francisco
1962-63 - Harry Gallatin, St. Louis

Michael Whittenberg is a senior writer and NBA Community Leader at BleacherReport.com

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