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Dwane Casey was named NBA coach of the year Monday night for a season during which he led the Toronto Raptors to their best regular season only after being sacked for a third consecutive round by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Casey, who was hired as head coach of the Detroit Pistons, led Toronto to a team record of 59 wins last season, but he lost his job after the Raptors were swept by the Cavs.
"Once you're fired, it's not a good feeling when someone, after having a franchise record [in wins] Casey said, "Say, OK, there's something wrong with me. But the opportunity in Detroit has given me more excitement, and I'm delighted to be able to go back there. Again, a lot of things go with Tom Gores, the owner; he is exciting and excited to have another chance in Detroit. "
Brad Stevens of Boston Celtics and Quin Snyder of Utah Jazz were also in the running for the award.
The Raptors record has improved in six of the seven seasons under Casey.
"A lot of guys from the same core have been there and they've grown up," Casey said. "It's a regret that we did that we got to the Eastern Conference finals, but we could not overcome the bump to get to the final to try to win a championship, so that's it." always a regret, hold your head high for what we had and what we came from and no one will ever be able to take it off.
Last month, Casey was also named the winner of the Michael H. Goldberg NBCA Coach of the Year award, which is voted annually by the 30 head coaches of the league.
"I have no regrets," Casey said. "I am excited by the new trip to Detroit with the group we have there, so Winston Churchill says that success is measured by failure, failure, and then comes back with enthusiasm, and that I did it.
Other awards were presented at the NBA Awards in Santa Monica, California:
Defensive player of the year: Rudy Gobert from Jazz
The center was the main voter for the league's first All-Defensive team. Gobert anchored a Jazz defense that ranked second in the NBA defensive classification.
He defeated Anthony Davis of New Orleans and Joel Embiid of Philadelphia.
"Defense is something that when you watch a game, you do not really pay attention to defense unless you are very – unless you're a specialist," Gobert said. "People look at the points, they look at the highlights, but the defense, I think, helps the offensive, I think when you're a very good defensive team, it's very rare that a team wins a championship when you are not a very good defender. team.
"I think when you're a very good defensive team, you give yourself a chance every night, on the road, at home, it's an important factor and something to develop."
Sixth man of the year: Lou Williams of the Los Angeles Clippers
The goalkeeper became the first player to average at least 20 points for the first time in his 13th season or later.
He dominated the league in the fourth quarter and scored the average.
He beat Eric Gordon of Houston, winner of last year, and Fred VanVleet of Toronto. Williams kissed his two young daughters on the way to the stage after becoming the Clippers' third winner in the last five years.
"I'm out on the pitch, I play as hard as I can and I live with the results," said Williams. "It's very exciting to be recognized for that, to have the chance to win a sixth man, that's my second in my career, to be one of the guys coming out at night and at night, it is in this way.
"You have Jamal Crawfords, Eric Gordons, VanVleet, we are like special teams and we go out there and try to do our best for our respective games and change the course of the matches so that tonight is an incredible achievement. . "
Most improved player: Victor Oladipo of the Indiana Pacers
The goalie averaged 23.1 points in his first season with the Pacers.
He also got his first place in the ranking of stars. Oladipo also led the league in the flights for the first time. He beat Clint Capela of Houston and Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets.
"I did a lot of work, obviously it was a good season," Oladipo said. "I am blessed and grateful, sometimes you get to points in your life where you catch yourself, but at the end of the day, I'm thankful, it's only the beginning for me and the organization Pacers, so I look to the future. "
Information from Ohm Youngmisuk and ESPN 's Associated Press has been used in this report.
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