Mark Daigneault led the Thunder to a play-in appearance and 40 wins this season. He has always known how to get the most out of his squad, and the mentality he has instilled in his team is showing more and more.
With more nationally televised games and a team at the top of the Western Conference, he’s in the spotlight quite often. Now the NBA community sees what a good coach he really is. He entered the season as one of the favorites to win the NBA Coach of the Year award, and given the Thunder’s potential ascension, it seemed like a good bet.
Now, with only a month and a few changes left in the season, it’s paying off. He’s heavily favored and is a few games away from completely locking him up.
According to Odds checker, Daigneault is -450 favorite. He has a considerable lead among his peers and it’s starting to look like a runaway.
Behind Daigneault in second place are Jamahl Mosley at +1000 and Joe Mazzulla in third place at +1200. Chris Finch completes the top four at +2000. Outside of Daigneault, Mosley and Mazzulla have been impressive. Mos has Magic looking well ahead of schedule and currently owns the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. Mazzulla would likely win the award most years, as he leads a historically good team. The Celtics were favorites for the preseason title and lived up to expectations with the best record in the NBA.
The fact that the team was loaded and already had a very high ceiling is probably why Daigneault is able to pass on him. Oklahoma City was expected to win 45 games and the team currently sits at 49-20. For the second straight season, the Thunder exceeded preseason expectations and outperformed as a team.
Daigneault’s offensive system is magnificent and the defense complements it well. He has referenced the team’s style several times this season when asked about the lack of interior presence. He knows how he wants to play and sticks to his game plan.
Ending the regular season with the Coach of the Year award would be quite fitting for Daigneault, who led the Thunder to a great season.
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