Dunking With Wolves
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2017-18 NBA Award Predictions: Donovan Mitchell wins Rookie of the Year

By Trey Flynn

HOUSTON, TX - MAY 2: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz speaks with the media after the game against the Houston Rockets in Game Two of Round Two of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 2018 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - MAY 2: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz speaks with the media after the game against the Houston Rockets in Game Two of Round Two of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 2018 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – JUNE 19: Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens talks to reporters at the grand opening of the new Celtics practice facility, named the Auerbach Center, in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston on June 19, 2018. Located at the New Balance World Headquarters in Brighton, the 70,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art workspace more than doubles the size of the team’s old facility in Waltham. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – JUNE 19: Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens talks to reporters at the grand opening of the new Celtics practice facility, named the Auerbach Center, in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston on June 19, 2018. Located at the New Balance World Headquarters in Brighton, the 70,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art workspace more than doubles the size of the team’s old facility in Waltham. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) /

I really don’t think there is a coach in the NBA that deserves this award more than Brad Stevens this year. Of course the other contenders for this award put up great seasons, but nothing like what Brad Stevens had to work with.

Finishing the Celtics season as second in the Eastern Conference with a record of 55-27 without playing his newly signed forward and friend, Gordon Hayward, for one game the whole season – that in itself is an accomplishment.

Stevens went on to lead his Celtics team in the playoffs without their All-Star guard, Kyrie Irving. And when everyone counted the Celtics out, they finished their playoff run being one game away from the 2018 NBA Finals.

Losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals – finishing a truly remarkable season that may finish at the top of Brad Steven’s resume until he retires.

There are talks that Dwane Casey could surprise the league and get more media votes than we believe. Most of that coming from Casey winning the coach’s vote for Coach of the Year.

"Via, NY Times “In a vote of his peers, Dwane Casey of the Toronto Raptors has been selected as the National Basketball Coaches Association’s coach of the year for the 2017-18 season — while Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics stunningly failed to win a single vote from fellow coaches.”"

After Casey was chosen by his peers and fellow coaches around the NBA to win that award, he was fired from the Toronto Raptors and was quickly hired to long contract as the Head Coach of the Detroit Pistons. The firing may hurt Casey in trying to get some votes for Coach of the Year, or it could help him win some sympathy votes, time will tell.

Unfortunately, Quin Snyder may not get any votes. His perseverance to lead the Utah Jazz with Gordon Hayward leaving was amazing, but Stevens’ coaching ability without Hayward seemed a bit more impressive – possibly having to do with the difference in GM’s that Utah and Boston possess.

Brad Stevens should be happy with this award, the best of the best sometimes don’t get to ever see this.

Timberwolves Coach of the Year:

As for the Minnesota Coach of the Year, you may think the obvious answer is Tom Thibodeau, but not with this writer. I have Jimmy Butler down as the Timberwolves’ COY, strictly because he is the glue of the organization right now.

For every game that Butler was out (which was a lot) he was the one yelling at teammates and giving them some sort of morale boost, he can even be seen helping assistant coaches with plays and roll calls for the majority of games. Sometimes the best coach is just the best leader, and that’s what we have here with Jimmy.

Tom Thibodeau gets a lot of hate, but if the Timberwolves can add to their potential success in the near future, then he may finally get the recognition he may deserve in Minnesota that he got in Chicago.