Monday, May 02, 2011

Collins finished second in NBA Coach of the Year voting

PHILADELPHIA (The Phanatic Magazine) - The Sixers' Doug Collins finished as the runner-up to Chicago rookie head coach Tom Thibodeau in the race for NBA Coach of the Year.

Collins piloted Philadelphia to a 14-game improvement and a return to the playoffs where the Sixers lost to the Miami Heat in five games. Thibodeau, meanwhile, guided the Bulls to the best regular season record in the NBA and a No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

The NBA made the announcement Sunday, one day before Thibodeau's Bulls were set to begin their second-round playoff series against Atlanta.

Thibodeau garnered 76 of 119 available first-place votes and earned 475 points overall from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Collins finished with 18 first-place votes and 210 points.

San Antonio's Gregg Popovich finished third in the voting and Denver's George Karl was fourth. Portland's Nate McMillan and Miami's Erik Spoelstra were the only other coaches to earn first-place votes.

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