The Cleveland Cavaliers have been the best team in the NBA this season, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they ended up with some awards when it’s all said and done. One of those awards is Coach of the Year, which Kenny Atkinson should be the frontrunner for the achievement. There are some other coaches that should be considered for the award, and Stephen A. Smith named that person on First Take.
“J.B. Bickerstaff is the Coach of the Year,” Smith said. “I am shell-shocked at what I’ve seen from Detroit. I’m so happy for Malik Beasley. Cade Cunningham is averaging over 25 a game… This brother is special.”
There’s no doubt that what Bickerstaff has done for the Pistons is amazing. After having the worst record in the league last season at 14-68, the Pistons are now 6th in the Eastern Conference and have a chance to avoid the Play-In. They’re also on an eight-game winning streak and could find themselves moving up in the standings.
Nonetheless, the Cavs are the best team in the league, and Atkinson should be given credit for what he’s doing having them in a position to be potentially in the Finals at the end of the season.
Some still don’t believe in the Cavs
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Even though Stephen A. Smith doesn’t believe Kenny Atkinson will be the Coach of the Year, that doesn’t mean he’s doubting what the team is capable of. He recently went off on Mad Dog Russo after he said he didn’t see the Cavs as a contender.
“Something is wrong with you,” Smith said to Russo on First Take. “Have you been paying attention? Have you watched the Cleveland Cavaliers this year? Boston’s championship pedigree and experience cannot be denied, but you can make a bonafide argument that the No. 1 threat to the Boston Celtics in the entire NBA is the Cleveland Cavaliers.”
Unfortunately, there are more people who don’t believe in the Cavs after all they’ve been doing this season. They’re on their third 8-plus game-winning streak this season, and they’ve added De’Andre Hunter and Javonte Green to the fold to help with their wing depth.
The one team that is standing in their way is the defending champion Boston Celtics, and that could make for an exciting playoff series if they end up seeing each other. In all honesty, the Cavs are the Celtics’ biggest threat this season, but the question is will they be able to knock them off?
