OKC Thunder Billy Donovan Named Western Conference Coach of Month
In his fifth season at the helm, OKC Thunder coach Billy Donovan has been named the Western Conference Coach of the Month for the first time.
OKC Thunder coach Billy Donovan has been named the Western Conference Coach of the Month for the first time in his five year NBA career. This is recognition for the fact that the OKC Thunder had the best record in the Western Conference for December.
After the off-season, the Thunder were expected to be a mediocre team in the Western Conference. The trades of Paul George, Russell Westbrook, and Jerami Grant left most pundits saying “well they would make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.
After a slow October/November when the Thunder were in games but losing in the clutch, Donovan and the team have flipped the story line. They are now the most clutch team in the league.
Coming into November the Thunder had a 7-11 record and were sitting outside the playoffs. Then December happened, Chris Paul and company became clutch and the record went to 11-4 for the month, giving the Thunder an 18-15 record at the end of the decade.
https://twitter.com/okcthunder/status/1212852901053370369?s=20
OKC Thunder twitter has also stopped calling for Donovan’s head as he has shown what he can do when he is allowed to coach without the superstar pull over a team. What he has achieved with this team is incredible.
The ball is moving on offense, the open man with the hot hand is the player who shoots the ball. He has implemented the three guard closing lineup which is closing out every team in the clutch.
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Donovan has not had an easy tenure as the bench boss of the Thunder. In his first season, he had the pressure of Kevin Durant potentially leaving. Despite missing the finals by one game, Durant left to go to the Golden State Warriors.
Donovan was then in charge of a team that only had Russell Westbrook as a star. The team happened to make the playoffs, but still, Donovan was given shade. He helped Westbrook lead the team but was not recognized as a good coach.
Then Donovan had to manage three egos when Paul George, Westbrook, and Carmelo Anthony were on the team. History tells us that Anthony’s inefficiency would cause the Thunder to not get the expected seeding, and exit the playoffs early.
Last year Donovan had George and Westbrook but unfortunately, George played injured from the All-Star break until the Thunder were eliminated from the playoffs from that Damian Lillard three.
Now, Donovan has a clean slate and he is writing his name all over it, with the help of floor general Chris Paul.
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I said to site expert Tamberlyn Richardson at the start of the season I would judge Donovan’s coaching on this season, I believed he would show us something else. Right now, coach Donovan is looking good.