Thomsen: Blazers' Terry Stotts Deserves Coach Of The Year Consideration

Ian Thomsen of Sports Illustrated lists Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts among his Coach of the Year favorites, along with Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel, Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson, Atlanta Hawks coach Larry Drew, and Denver Nuggets coach George Karl.

Terry Stotts, Trail Blazers: They've had no business contending for the playoffs for most of the year. The Blazers have surprised because Stotts has squeezed unexpected production from Damian Lillard, Nicolas Batum and J.J. Hickson.

Thomsen also gets a list of candidates from an NBA advance scout, which includes Stotts too.

"Terry Stotts' team [the Trail Blazers] doesn't have a lot of depth and he's kept them in the mix. They play hard, he's got a very good starting five and he has kept them in the hunt. A lot of his guys are playing well, but that's because he has no other players to play. He has to depend on the same five guys so of course their numbers are going to be better. But Terry is a good offensive coach and I could see the point being made for him to be in consideration.

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter