Toronto Raptors’ Nick Nurse should win Coach of the Year

The Toronto Raptors head coach has taken the team to new heights, which is why Nick Nurse should be put in the conversation for the Coach of the Year.

Nick Nurse was coming into this season with some big shoes to fill. He was promoted to the Toronto Raptors head coaching position after the firing of former head coach Dwane Casey.

Remember, Casey was the NBA’s coach of the year recipient last season. As his replacement, Nurse’s expectations were sky-high. Not only has Nurse been able to meet the expectations of the Toronto faithful, but he has exceeded them, leading the Raptors to an impressive season.

Nurse’s ability to run a smooth offense, juggle injuries (and load management) and empower his players is what makes him a candidate for the Coach of the year award.

It hasn’t been an easy season for the first-year head coach, but his even-keel attitude and his gritty mentality is something his team has embodied, which shows how much respect he has already gained from his players throughout his first go-round as the head coach.

Offensive Growth & Grit

Nurse has been able to grow a number of players on his team this season, specifically on the offensive side of the court. Many of his players are having career years statistically.

Serge Ibaka is having one of the best seasons of his career under Nurse, scoring a career-high 15.1 points per game. Pascal Siakam is having a breakout season, averaging career highs in multiple categories this season and placing himself in the Most Improved Player conversation. Kawhi Leonard is also putting up a career high in points (27.1). Kyle Lowry is also dropping a career-high nine dimes a game this season as well. All throughout the Raptors roster, players are playing at an all-time high.

Offense is Nurse’s strong suit, and he has improved the Toronto Raptors’ on that end of the floor, making them a well-oiled machine for the duration of the season.

He’s done a good job of using his player’s strengths to his advantage and using that to create opportunities for others. Nurse also brought his gritty mentality. That mentality shows through himself and through his players.

That grit is shown on both ends of the floor, as Nurse has the Raptors in the top ten when it comes to offensive and defensive rating. Only the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics are in that same category. That efficiency on both sides of the floor is what has propelled the Raptors in becoming one of the more complete teams in the NBA.

The biggest reason for Nurse’s success this season is his ability to find the right spots for his players.

Whether it’s Siakam hitting that corner three, Kawhi utilizing his midrange game, or Lowry using the pick and roll for three-point shots, Nurse has done a nice job putting his players in the right positions to score. He has found a role for every player on his team.

Coach of the Year

There are many worthy candidates for coach of the year, but Nick Nurse should be the frontrunner. Being a first-year coach and already changing the identity of a team is something that many coaches aren’t able to do.

Nurse has changed the Toronto Raptors into a gritty group. He’s also given his players a chance to grow within his system, allowing them to find their roles and play within those roles. Nurse has done a better job using his talent and making sure they are in the right spots to flourish on the court compared to the guy who won Coach of the Year last year.

Despite all of their surrounding circumstance, the team has been able to stick to their playing style and churn out win after win. This can be credited to Nurse and his ability to plug the next in the lineup without missing a beat.

He has the trust of all of his players and they believe he will put them in the best position to succeed, which is rare for a head coach to have in his rookie campaign.

Nurse has led the Toronto Raptors to the second best record in the NBA, a monumental task considering the circumstances. After an 11-1 start to the season, Toronto has only gotten better as the year progressed and now have the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

If they can end the season strong, they could potentially snatch the one seed and have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. How many coaches can say they did that in their first year?

Nick Nurse has done an outstanding job in his first season as the Raptors head coach and he’s been very low-key about it the entire season. He has changed the culture in Toronto, and he has positioned the team for a deep playoff run when the postseason begins.

Coach of the Year will certainly be a tight race, but if you look at the complete body of work Nick Nurse has done, it should be him who hoist that trophy when its all said and done.