Well, that’s certainly not how it’s supposed to work.

 

After leading the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals in his first year as head coach and becoming a favorite for Coach of the Year in 2022-23, Ime Udoka has been suspended from the team for the entire season.

 

As a result, COY’s odds have shifted a bit, with Tyler Jenkins of the Grizzlies and Chris Finch of the Timberwolves at the top of the list.

Coach	Odds to win COY
Taylor Jenkins (Memphis)	+1,000
Chris Finch (Minnesota)	+1,000
Joe Mazzulla (Boston)	+1,200
Erik Spoelstra (Miami)	+1,300
Tyronn Lue (L.A. Clippers)	+1,300
Steve Nash (Brooklyn)	+1,400
Monty Williams (Phoenix)	+1,400
Jason Kidd (Dallas)	+1,400
Michael Malone (Denver)	+1,400
JB Bickerstaff (Cleveland)	+1,400
Steve Kerr (Golden State)	+1,500
Willie Green (New Orleans)	+1,500
Darvin Ham (L.A. Lakers)	+1,700
Nick Nurse (Toronto)	+1,800
Mike Budenholzer (Milwaukee)	+1,800
Steve Clifford (Charlotte)	+2,200

NBA Coach of the Year Favorites

 

• Taylor Jenkins (+1,000)

A COY finalist last season, Jenkins led the team’s meteoric rise in Memphis, where the Grizzlies quickly rebuilt and left the eventual champion with Ja Morant injured for much of the series.

Memphis will struggle to gain a foothold in the West, and the Clippers and Nuggets could be healthier this season, but that was the case last year when the Grizzlies swept the NBA.

This roster is very talented, deep, full of upside, and led by a coach who shows a penchant for the right lineup and squeezes every ounce of potential out of his youngsters.

 

• Chris Finch (+1,000)

The Timberwolves were a rising team last season, enough to convince new general manager Tim Connor to use a home run trade for Rudy Gobert to bolster Minnesota’s interior.

With the DPOY odds leaders holding the fort, many predict massive success for Wolves, at least during the regular season. The best offenses in the league, Minnie can now be flexible on both ends of the floor, assuming the absences of Patrick Beverley and Jared Vanderbilt don’t create too many holes for Gobert.

Finch is an intelligent mind and an underrated tactician well positioned to compete in COY.

 

• Joe Mazzulla (+1,200)

As a result, Mazura will make his NBA head coaching debut within a month, replacing the former coach of the year odds leader who can only expect to make it to the NBA Finals.

When Mazzulla stepped into the pressure cooker to replace the ousted Ime Udoka, he was the team’s three-year assistant, familiar with the organizational culture. He wouldn’t have been promoted if Brad Stevens didn’t have the utmost trust in him.

Remember that Udoka was a rookie head coach last year. Mazura will almost certainly push his narrative through the controversial preseason environment in whatever success the Celtics have this season.

 

Find out the odds on NBA Coach of the Year

 

Most sportsbooks will display odds in the US, as listed above. We’ll use the 2019-2020 Rookie of the Year contest as an example:

Ja Morant has been the favorite as the season progresses, and his odds have a minus sign (-) in front of the numbers:

• Ja Morant (-500)

A bettor needs to wager 500 USD to win $100. Other candidates with lower odds will have a plus sign (+) in front of the numbers. Before any clear favorites are established, the betting options will be listed as follows:

• Zion Williamson (+650)

Here, bettors make a profit of $650 for every $100 bet.

If you don’t like American odds, use our odds converter to convert your odds to decimal or fractional format. Most online sportsbooks also give you the alternative to change the form of the odds you see.

 

Year	NBA Coach of the Year Winner
2021-22	Monty Williams (Phoenix)
2020-21	Tom Thibodeau (New York)
2019-20	Nick Nurse (Toronto)
2018-19	Mike Budenholzer (Milwaukee)
2017-18	Dwane Casey (Toronto)
2016-17	Mike D’Antoni (Houston)
2015-16	Steve Kerr (Golden State)
2014-15	Mike Budenholzer (Atlanta)
2013-14	Gregg Popovich (San Antonio)
2012-13	George Karl (Denver)
2011-12	Gregg Popovich (San Antonio)
2010-11	Tom Thibodeau (Chicago)
2009-10	Scott Brooks (Oklahoma City)
2008-09	Mike Brown (Cleveland)
2007-08	Byron Scott (New Orleans)
2006-07	Sam Mitchell (Toronto)
2005-06	Avery Johnson (Dallas)
2004-05	Mike D’Antoni (Phoenix)
2003-04	Hubie Brown (Memphis)
2002-03	Gregg Popovich (San Antonio)