NEW ORLEANS (AP)—New Orleans coach Byron Scott, who led the Hornets to their first playoff appearance in four years this season, has been chosen as the NBA coach of the year, The Associated Press has learned.
A person with knowledge of the award spoke with the AP on condition of anonymity because the league had not yet announced it.
New Orleans sent a media advisory Monday afternoon, saying it planned a “major announcement” at 10 a.m. Tuesday following the Hornets’ gameday shootaround.
Scott is expected to receive the award Tuesday before the Hornets host the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series. New Orleans leads 3-1.
Scott took over the Hornets in 2004-05 and went 18-64 while presiding over a roster overhaul that included the trade of star guard Baron Davis to the Golden State Warriors.
New Orleans then drafted guard Chris Paul with the fourth overall pick in 2005 and steadily improved from there. The Hornets narrowly missed the playoffs last season before setting a franchise record for wins this season at 56-26, good for the Southwest Division crown and the second seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
This marks the first time Scott, who twice coached the New Jersey Nets to the NBA finals earlier this decade, has received the award.
Scott became a front-runner for the award after the Hornets went into the All-Star break with the best record in the Western Conference, which earned Scott the nod to coach the West squad in the game.
While the Hornets were widely expected to slide in the standings during the stretch drive toward the playoffs, they remained in contention for the top seed in the West until the final week of the season.
New Orleans won what many considered the toughest division in the NBA, finishing ahead of San Antonio, Houston and Dallas, all 50-win teams.
Other front-runners for coach of the year included Boston coach Doc Rivers, who led the Celtics to the best record in the NBA (66-16), as well as Houston coach Rick Adelman, who oversaw the Rockets’ improbable 22-game winning streak and helped his team stay competitive after a season-ending foot injury to star center Yao Ming.
thanks for the information man 
Hot Forum Topics
