NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau was named the NBA’s coach of the year on Monday following a successful season which saw the franchise return to the playoffs for the first time since 2013.
Thibodeau, who was appointed to the Knicks coaching role last July, oversaw a transformation in fortunes in his first season in charge, helping the team finish 41-31.
It marked the Knicks first winning season since their last playoff appearance eight years ago.
The Knicks lost in the first round of this year’s Eastern Conference playoffs to the Atlanta Hawks.
Thibodeau, a winner of the coach of the year accolade in 2010-2011 while with the Chicago Bulls, beat out fierce competition from Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams.
Thibodeau received 43 first place votes to amass 351 total points, just ahead of Williams, who was second in the polling with 340 points after amassing 45 first place votes.
Williams just missed out on completing a double of accolades after last month being named the National Basketball Coaches Association’s coach of the year.
The coach of the year voting is carried out by a global panel of 100 sports journalists and broadcasters, with coaches earning five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote.
Quin Snyder of the Utah Jazz finished third in the voting with 161 points while the Philadelphia 76ers’ Doc Rivers was fourth with 24 points.
© Agence France-Presse
