San Antonio's Gregg Popovich won the NBA Coach of the Year award, and like any other accomplishment garnered by that franchise, the reception was met with a somnambular level of excitement. What's a lot more noteworthy is that in the wake of their total implosion in April, Rockets head coach Kevin McHale actually received two votes for coach of the year (not first place votes, because you know, THAT would be crazy):
Kevin McHale and VDN both got multiple coach of the year votes. Didn't see that one coming.
— John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) May 1, 2012
It actually wasn't all that long ago - April 9, according to the third graf of this USA Today story - that McHale was seriously considered a candidate, and it's certainly reasonable to think he would've placed much higher than 14th (out of 15) had Houston managed to win just two or so more games down the stretch to halt a dizzying collapse. Alas, at least two voters weren't dissuaded by the "NBA's Red Sox."
For more on the Houston Rockets, check out The Dream Shake and SB Nation's NBA page.