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

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5. Gregg Popovich

With the Warriors being the Warriors and so many teams in the Western Conference making power moves this summer, the undying San Antonio Spurs might actually be overlooked. After years of learning better, we’re not making that mistake with Gregg Popovich and company.

True enough, the Houston Rockets may have leapfrogged San Antonio as the biggest threat to Golden State this season. The Spurs mostly got older, Tony Parker will miss most of the season and the team lost two important defenders in Jonathon Simmons and Dewayne Dedmon.

However, a three-time Coach of the Year Award winner can never be counted out in this conversation, and as long as Kawhi Leonard stays healthy, this team is a threat to win 60-plus games. If no one else makes a compelling case, voting for Pop out of principle isn’t the worst strategy.