Tom Thibodeau, Monty Williams awarded NBA’s coaches of the month for January
After a lot of hard work and going through tough practices with the teams, two NBA coaches finally made it to the NBA's monthly coach award. On 1st February,
the league announced that Chicago Bulls’ coach Tom Thibodeau and New Orleans Hornets’ Monty Williams have been selected as the coaches of the month in their respective divisions, for the games played through January 2011.
The duo prevailed over a group of nominees featuring icons like Boston Celtics’ Doc Rivers, Charlotte Bobcats’ Paul Silas, Los Angeles Clippers’ Vinny Del Negro,
Miami Heat’ Erik Spoelstra, Memphis Grizzlies’ Lionel Hollins, Philadelphia 76ers’ Doug Collins and San Antonio Spurs’ Gregg Popovich.
Tom Thibodeau
It takes a lot of nerve and focus to coach a basketball team. A coach is the spinal cord of a team, the one who runs the team. It was under the very influence of
Thibodeau, that the Bulls started January with an edgy win against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Continuing their surge, they steam rolled the big boys of the East, the Boston Celtics 90-79 on January. 8. The 53-year-old Bulls head coach who once used to be the
assistant coach to the Celtics was quoted after the victory, "I liked the way we played. It was a well-balanced game." He is encouraging, focused and his counselling background gives him a firm grip on the coaching.
Thibodeau maintains a good coaching profile. He has acted as a coach in 87 playoff games and has also been a part of the 1999 NBA Finals, in which he was the assistant
coach of New York Knicks. Thibodeau is a defensive coach and under his skilful coaching, the Chicago Bulls at present enjoy a whopping 11-0 record in the Central Division, making them the only team in the league so far that has not lost in its division.
The Bulls went 12-4 through the month of January. They are the second best in NBA for their 44.5 rebounds per game and ranked third for their 92.0 points allowed
per game.
Monty Williams
The New Orleans Hornets have seen shiny days in the cold January, a month in which they have been led to a 12-4 record by the youngest coach of NBA, Tavares Montgomery
Williams Jr. The 39-year-old head coach, who used to be a small forward himself, joined the Hornets as a coach in the year 2010.
Like Chicago, the New Orleans also had an exciting beginning of the New Year. Under their inspirational coach, the Hornets produced a franchise record 10-game winning
streak. Williams has transformed the Hornets into one of the most formidable defensive powerhouses in the league. The Hornets averaged 7 steals per game during January. They are now leading all the teams in NBA by allowing 9.71 chance points to their opponents.
The previous month the Hornets limited 9 out of 16 opposite teams to below 90 points.
Williams has been instrumental in marshalling the Hornets, despite their lingering relocation rumours. And he is hungry for some more success. After beating the leading
team of Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs 75-71 loss on 22 January, the coach said: “We can't be satisfied. I know everybody is going to be talking about how the Hornets beat the best team in the league and making a lot out of that, but we haven't
beaten Oklahoma City in the regular season or the preseason. We have to maintain our focus and our discipline."
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