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NBA: Top 10 candidates for 2018-19 Coach of the Year award

By Gerald Bourguet

Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images /
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Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images
Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images /

6. Nick Nurse, Toronto Raptors

On the outside, it may seem like former assistant coach Nick Nurse is just inheriting a good situation Dwane Casey built, only with an even better roster that now includes Kawhi Leonard. However, that assumption wouldn’t be giving Nurse the credit he deserves for helping architect the Toronto Raptors‘ new and improved offense last season.

In 2016-17, the Raptors ranked sixth in offensive rating (109.8), but were dead-last in assist percentage and assists per game, and their offense stalled in the playoffs when Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan couldn’t create one-on-one. Toronto once again flamed out in the playoffs, but Nurse’s adjustments featured a more well-rounded, 3-point heavy attack that ranked third in O-rating (111.0), 11th in assist percentage and sixth in assists per game.

With a superior two-way player like Leonard replacing a defensive sieve in DeRozan, this team could be a legitimate Eastern power, especially with LeBron James out of the conference. If it looks that way during the regular season, Nurse could very well find himself in the running in his first year on the job.