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Ahead of the 2022-23 NBA season, team executives voted Erik Spoelstra as the best coach in the league. However, the Miami Heat underperformed in the regular season and barely made it to the playoffs.
Mike Brown was named this season's Coach of the Year after leading the Sacramento Kings to their first playoff berth since 2006. The Kings also earned the third seed in the Western Conference for the postseason.
However, it's the second round of the NBA playoffs, and Spoelstra is still coaching, while Brown and the Kings are at home. Nevertheless, it's tough to argue that there was no better coach than Brown this season.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the best coaches of the 2022-23 season.
Best NBA coaches in the 2022-23 season
It should be noted that this ranking is based only on this season. There's no argument that Erik Spoelstra, Gregg Popovich and Steve Kerr are three of the best coaches in the league.
However, their teams all underperformed in the regular season and they would not be in this list. Here's a look at the top five in ascending order:
#5 Mark Daigneault - OKC Thunder
The OKC Thunder were not supposed to be good this season, but Mark Daigneault ensured that his team would be compete for a playoff spot. Daigneault has turned Shai Gilgeous-Alexander into a superstar while also navigating through a very young roster.
The 38-year-old is mostly known for his leadership, which is needed for a young team. He's already one of the best coaches in terms of in-game adjustments and plays out of timeouts. He even had the Thunder playing a top-10 defense in the NBA this season.
#4 Joe Mazzulla - Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla was forced into the spotlight this season. Mazzulla was named interim head coach after Ime Udoka was suspended for violating team policy. There was immense pressure on the rookie coach, as the Celtics had made the NBA Finals last season.
Mazzulla's main characteristic is his competitiveness, which makes it easier to motivate his players. However, in his coaching, he excels in offensive schemes primarily about taking a lot of shots, specifically 3-point shots. The result? The Celtics had the best offense in the NBA this season.
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#3 Michael Malone - Denver Nuggets
Michael Malone has been the coach of the Denver Nuggets for eight seasons. Malone can be credited into turning Nikola Jokic to a two-time MVP and one of the best players in the world. He's known for being a great motivator and getting the best out of his role players.
There were certainly some pressure on Malone heading into this season due to finally having a healthy roster. He didn't disappoint, as the Nuggets finished with the best record in the West and have a great chance to making it to their first NBA Finals appearance.
#2 Mike Budenholzer - Milwaukee Bucks
Mike Budenholzer was just fired by the Milwaukee Bucks a week after they were eliminated by the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs. Budenholzer was with Milwaukee for five seasons, turning Giannis Antetokounmpo into a two-time MVP and winning the NBA championship in 2021.
The 53-year-old coach has developed a really nice offensive and defensive schemes that favors "The Greek Freak." Despite the end result of their campaign, Budenholzer got Milwaukee the best record in the league even though they were plagued by injuries the entire season.
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#1 Mike Brown - Sacramento Kings
There's no question that Mike Brown was the best coach in the NBA this season. He won the Coach of the Year award after leading the Sacramento Kings back to the playoffs after 17 years. He was also voted unanimously, beating Mark Daigneault and Joe Mazzulla.
Mainly known as a defensive coach, Brown turned the Kings offense into one of the best in the league. Sacramento led the NBA in points per game, while De'Aaron Fox finally tapped into his potential. His main mantra for the season was accountability, and it rubbed off perfectly with his team.
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Guess the Bulls players in this quiz and it's not going to be easy!
