Warriors' Steve Kerr believes Rockets' Mike D'Antoni will win Coach of the Year

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr says Houston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni should be the Coach of the Year.

In matchup of two of the top teams in the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets 113-106 on Tuesday night. But while his team was the victors of the game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr was quite impressed with the Rockets, who have been sensational all season long due in large part of the guidance of coach Mike D'Antoni.

D'Antoni has transformed Houston into one of the best offensive teams in the league and by playing James Harden at point guard, the Rockets All-Star is having one of the best years of his career and is a leading candidate for the MVP award. Because of Houston's success, Kerr believes D'Antoni will be awarded with the Coach of the Year award at the end of the season.

From the SF Gate's Connor Letourneau:

“I think the fit with the roster and Mike’s philosophy has been perfect,” said Kerr, who was D’Antoni’s general manager in Phoenix. “What he’s so good at is really giving his players confidence and belief. They’re obviously having an amazing year. My guess is that he’ll get the trophy. He’s earned it.”

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“There’s probably a couple other guys in the conversation” for Coach of the Year, said Kerr, who won the award last year. Miami’s Erik “Spoelstra has done an amazing job, (San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich) — you could just give it to Pop any year — but I think Mike has been brilliant, when you look at where the team is now compared to where they were projected.”

It is hard not to agree with Kerr. The Rockets last year were largely inconsistent and finished the season 41-41, barely making the playoffs, where they lost to the Warriors in the first round. This season, the Rockets are a top three team in the West, have one of the best offenses in the league and seem poised for a lengthy postseason run. A large part of Houston's turnaround has to be attributed to D'Antoni, as he has put players like Harden, in the perfect position to be successful.

D'Antoni will have plenty of competition for the Coach of the Year award. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, San Antonio's Gregg Popovich and Boston's Brad Stevens are also part of the conversation. But a vote of confidence from Kerr, who won the award last year, is a reflection of how D'Antoni's success in Houston is being viewed across the league.