The Los Angeles Clippers, who overachieved in the eyes of many by not only making the playoffs, but taking two games in their first-round series against two-time defending champion Golden State, had coach Doc Rivers and star reserves Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams nominated for NBA awards.
Rivers, Milwaukee’s Mike Budenholzer and Denver’s Michael Malone are the finalists for coach of the year. Rivers guided a rebuilding team that added a handful of players at the trade deadline into the playoffs with a record of 48-34, about a dozen more wins than many experts predicted.