Jacque Vaughn on successful Coach of the Month: ‘I’m only a turtle.’
The NBA named the Nets head coach Eastern Conference Coach of the Month of December on Tuesday after Vaughn steered Brooklyn to a franchise-best 12-1 document within the ultimate month of 2022.
Ahead of Wednesday’s matchup in Chicago in opposition to the Bulls, Vaughn — who entered the evening with a 23-7 document since taking up for former coach Steve Nash — used a peculiar, however spot-on analogy to selflessly give credit score to everybody else for the award.
“I got a great text from a friend of mine — he said, ‘what’s so special about a turtle sitting on top of a fencepost?’” Vaughn started. “He didn’t get there on his personal. So I’m very good to know that award is the efficiency crew, it’s the teaching workers, it’s, on the finish of the day, it’s the gamers. So we had a fantastic month as a crew as a result of these guys got here out and so they balled out and so they hooped.
”So I’m only a turtle. That’s it.”
Vaughn’s success turning round a 2-5 begin to the season beneath Nash begins with holding gamers accountable on each ends of the ground. But he’s left his imprint in quite a few methods: from utilizing an iPad throughout timeouts to successfully level out mishaps earlier than the gamers return to the courtroom.
Almost each participant on the Nets roster has sung Vaughn’s praises not just for “simplifying” the sport plan, but additionally for his capacity to narrate to every participant on a person foundation.
Vaughn is right: The crew has caught fireplace largely attributable to a roster that has lastly turned wholesome. Every participant — except for these on G-League task — was obtainable to play in Wednesday’s matchup in opposition to the Bulls. His 12-1 stretch in December, nonetheless, consists of the unlikely 136-133 victory over the Indiana Pacers — a recreation the Nets rested each key rotation participant besides Yuta Watanabe and Edmond Sumner however nonetheless defeated what was a surging Pacers crew at that time within the season.
New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green gained Western Conference Coach of the Month for steering his crew to a 10-5 document regardless of All-Star ahead Brandon Ingram lacking all of December with a toe damage.
Vaughn beat Eastern Conference finalists J.B. Bickerstaff (Cavaliers), Rick Carlisle (Pacers), Jamahl Mosley (Magic) and Doc Rivers (76ers) for the distinction.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com
