San Antonio Spurs’ Gregg Popovich Wins 3rd NBA Coach of the Year Award

For yet another great regular season, Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs was named the 2014 NBA Coach of the Year on Tuesday winning the award for the third time in his career.

The long-time Spurs head coach won the COY award in 2003 and 2012 and now joins Pat Riley (1990, 1993 and 1997) and Don Nelson (1983, 1985 and 1992) as the only three-time winners.

"This award with Coach Auerbach here belongs to a lot of people," Popovich said in an ESPN article. “I'm honored and very thankful.”

"When you win an award, it gets down to the players. Players do the work, and players do the winning. They've been unbelievable for me, allowed me to coach them for a long time, and without their play, their diligence and their professionalism, I know this wouldn't happen."

Popovich towed the Spurs to a 62-20 win-loss record in his 18th season with the Spurs and more impressively has led the Spurs to its 15th straight season with at least 50 games won for the franchise.

"I think his steadfast attention to detail and facing the realities of last season's end and immediately getting it behind us was really important," said R.C. Buford, general manager of the Spurs. "And his approach with his staff was different because it was a different staff, but the energy and the leadership we've seen has been consistent throughout his time as a coach."

“Pop” got 59 first-place votes for 380 points from the balloting of a panel of members of the media. Jeff Hornacek (Phoenix Suns) placed 2nd; Tom Thibodeau (Chicago Bulls) in 3rd; Steve Clifford (Charlotte Bobcats) in 4th; and Dwane Casey (Toronto Raptors) in 5th.