So far, 2017 has been good to the Golden State Warriors. They have won 12 games so far and ti could be 13 if they beat the Charlotte Hornets at Oracle Arena.
They have only lost two games, the first being against the visiting Memphis Grizzlies, where they blew a big lead and ended up losing the game in overtime. The second defeat came against the Miami Heat on the road thanks to Dion Waiters suddenly finding out that he can play basketball and hit the buzzer beater.
We could be talking about the Warriors are undefeated since we rang in the new year, but 12-2 isn’t too bad and the NBA noticed as well. The league has named Steve Kerr Western Conference Coach of the Month for January. This is Kerr’s 5th coach of the month award, the most in franchise history.
Don Nelson, is second on that list with two, so Kerr has gotten off to a fast start in his first three seasons with the Warriors. Since Kerr’s arrival, the Warriors have been a powerhouse and if Durant stays past this season, which is what most expect, this team will keep winning.
The monthly awards are great, but Kerr and the Warriors have their eyes on the prize. Keep racking up the accolades, but the Larry O’Brien is the ultimate prize.
Here’s the full press release from the Warriors:
OAKLAND, CA – Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr has been named NBA Western Conference Coach of the Month for games played in January, the league announced today. Kerr led the Warriors to a league-best 12-2 (.857) record, earning his fifth career Coach of the Month honor and second this season (October/November).
During the month, Golden State led the league in scoring (120.3 points per game), assists (30.6), field goal percentage (.509), blocked shots (6.71) and point differential (+14.1). The Warriors posted 7-1 mark at Oracle Arena and went 5-1 on the road, finishing the month with the fourth-most January wins in franchise history (12). The Warriors compiled a win streak of seven-straight games (Jan. 8-22), their 11th win streak of at least seven games over the last three seasons.
Golden State became the first team in NBA history to earn 40 wins before its 50th game in three-straight seasons and the first team to win 20 road games before its 25th road game in back-to-back campaigns. At 41-7 (.872), the Warriors are tied for the fifth-best record through 48 games in NBA history.
On Jan. 23, Kerr and his staff earned Western Conference coaching duties at the 2017 NBA All-Star Game by clinching the best record in the conference through games played Feb. 5. Kerr (2015, 2017) joins Alvin Attles (1975, 1976) as the only Warriors coaches to earn the honor multiple times, becoming the first coach to earn the All-Star nod in two of his first three NBA seasons since Phoenix’s Paul Westphal did so in 1993 and 1995.
Kerr now owns more career Coach of the Month honors than all other coaches in Warriors history combined (the NBA began giving out the award in 1982-83). Prior to this season, Kerr won the award in January 2015, March 2015 and March 2016.
Washington Wizards Head Coach Scott Brooks earned Coach of the Month honors in the Eastern Conference.
For more information on the Golden State Warriors 2016-17 season, presented by Kaiser Permanente, visit warriors.com.