Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics was named NBA Coach of the Year on Tuesday.
Mazzulla beat out J.B. Bickerstaff of the Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson.
Mazzulla is credited with guiding the undermanned Celtics to a 56-26 record and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Jayson Tatum missed 66 games, Al Horford and Luke Kornet departed in free agency last summer, and Kristaps Porzingis was traded to the Atlanta Hawks.
The 37-year-old dismissed the entire idea of the award in March, saying: “I don’t need it. I think it’s a stupid award.
“They shouldn’t have it. And it’s more about the players. It’s more about the work that the staff puts in. It’s just that simple. I really don’t ever want to be asked or talked about it again. It’s just that dumb.”