Despite missing their best player the Chicago Bulls currently are first in the Central Division and third in the Eastern Conference and 2 1/2 games behind the Heat for the top spot. Tom Thibodeau has his team playing ultimate team basketball with five players averaging double digit points per game. Carlos Boozer is seeing a resurgence to his career averaging 15.8 points and 9.7 rebounds a game. Thibodeau earned coach of the month honors after guiding the Bulls to a 12-4 record in January while beating the top two teams in the Miami Heat and New York Knicks.
Thiboudeau hasn’t allowed Derrick Rose being out and the rumors of him coming back distract his team, which is only going to make them stronger once Rose does return. Now that they have a balanced scoring attack, they should be harder to defend and shouldn’t be one dimensional when they need a basket in crunch time.
George Karl may be the most underrated coach in the league. When the great coaches in the league are mentioned he’s usually not at the top of the list because of the lack of championships to his name. The Denver Nuggets are only one of 5 teams that have won 30 or more games so far ( Spurs, Thunder, Clippers and Grizzlies) and rank in the top four in points per game (4th) rebounds per game (2nd) and assists per game (3rd).
In the month of January the Nuggets went 12-3 tied for the best record in the month with the San Antonio Spurs. Karl has the his team currently in the 6th spot in the Western Conference and only one game from the 4th spot which would give them home court advantage in throughout the playoffs.
The biggest argument for giving George Karl coach of the month; He’ s got JaVale McGee playing well, and that right there might be enough to just give him the Coach of the Year award right now.
H/T RealGM.com
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