NBA: Top 10 candidates for Coach of the Year Award in 2017-18

1. Tom Thibodeau

After winning 31 games last season, the Minnesota Timberwolves are poised to make as large a leap in the Western Conference standings as anyone. If they go from 13th in the West to a top-four team with home-court advantage in the first round, or even a 5-seed, you can be guaranteed the Tom Thibodeau redemption story will come full circle with his second COY Award.

His first year in charge of the T-Wolves made for a disappointing start, but with career years coming from Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, not to mention Jimmy Butler entering the fold, Minnesota is ready to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

It’ll take a top-four or top-five finish for Thibs to win Coach of the Year in a stacked 2017-18 race, but that’s the expectation for the Wolves at this point. People want to see this Chicago Bulls cast-off succeed, and now that he’s reunited with several of his former players, the narrative here is strong.

Next: Top 5 candidates for 2017-18 Executive of the Year Award

It takes more than a good storyline to win awards, but it’s an undeniable factor. If the Wolves finish above the Thunder in the standings, the CP3 experiment underwhelms in Houston and people tire of voting for Kerr and Pop at the top of the West, Thibodeau will be the clear frontrunner.