Attendance apparently didn't factor in to the NBA's decision-making process when it chose the Golden State Warriors' Steve Kerr as the league's Coach of the Year. While Kerr undoubtedly had a successful season, with his team finishing 73-9 and breaking the Chicago Bulls' record of 72-10 for the best in league history, he missed the team's first 43 games of the season while recovering from back surgery.
That left assistant coach Luke Walton in charge for more than half the season. Walton didn't receive nearly as many accolades, however: While Kerr won 64 first-place votes from the 130-member panel, earning him the Coach of the Year title, Walton only tied for eighth place.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.