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5 Reasons Milwaukee Bucks’ Jason Kidd Should Win 2015 NBA Coach of the Year

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at Philips Arena on March 30, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

5 Reasons Jason Kidd Should Win 2015 NBA Coach of the Year

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Yes, Steve Kerr has turned the Warriors from good to historically great. Yes, Mike Budenholzer took a below-.500 team to 60 wins. But Jason Kidd has arguably done an as good or better of a job with the Milwaukee Bucks this year, and is getting essentially zero looks in coach of the year conversations. Here's why he belongs in the discussion.

5. He turned the worst team in the league into a No. 6 seed

Miami Heat v Milwaukee Bucks
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5. He turned the worst team in the league into a No. 6 seed

Miami Heat v Milwaukee Bucks
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Milwaukee won 15 games last season. 15 games. His Bucks' win turnaround is thus much higher than that of Budenholzer's Hawks and Kerr's Warriors. Regarding the Hawks, the team saw Al Horford (their franchise player) return after missing the majority of 2013-14, so they were destined to improve regardless.

4. He's shown a ton of trust in his players

Milwaukee Bucks giannis antetokounmpo
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4. He's shown a ton of trust in his players

Milwaukee Bucks giannis antetokounmpo
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Milwaukee's roster is a jambalaya of cast-offs, young projects and misfits. In a poor situation, this spells disaster (which we saw just last season). However, Kidd has shown faith in his players, and this bodes extremely well for the team's future. He's run isolation plays for the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, something most coaches would scoff at. In a couple years, this could prove genius.

3. He's crafted one of the NBA's best, and most fun to watch, defenses

john henson Milwaukee Bucks
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3. He's crafted one of the NBA's best, and most fun to watch, defenses

john henson Milwaukee Bucks
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The Bucks are third in defensive rating this year, and got there in style. Kidd has put length at every position and had players switch like crazy and wreak havoc in passing lanes (the Bucks are first in turnovers forced). It's a model that should treat them well going forward, and possibly be imitated across the league. Imitation is the best form of flattery, after all.

2. He's saved NBA careers

Milwaukee Bucks ersan ilyasova
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2. He's saved NBA careers

Milwaukee Bucks ersan ilyasova
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Ersan Ilyasova, O.J. Mayo, Jared Dudley, Michael Carter-Williams and Zaza Pachulia are all players whose futures (especially the first three) have been in major doubt recently. They all seem to have found a home on this quirky team, and Jason Kidd is at the center of their revivals.

1. He's done all this without Larry Sanders and Jabari Parker!

Milwaukee Bucks larry sanders
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1. He's done all this without Larry Sanders and Jabari Parker!

Milwaukee Bucks larry sanders
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Here's a quote from ESPN's Marc Stein in his preseason power rankings:

"Any suggestion of a playoff run would hinge on a big bounce-back year from Larry Sanders."

Well, Sanders took himself out of the league, and the No. 2 overall pick in a stacked draft went out for the season. And guess what? The Bucks are the No. 6 seed! Jason Kidd is the coach of the year, or at the very least right up there.

Casey Sherman is a writer for RantSports.
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