Chicago Bulls’ head coach Tom Thibodeau has been named the NBA’s 2011 Coach of the Year. Thibodeau becomes just the 7th coach in NBA history to win the award in his first season at the reigns.
The rookie coach led the Bulls to a league-best 62-20 regular-season record and the top seed entering the playoffs. Led by MVP candidate Derrick Rose, the team achieved it’s first 60-win season since the Jordan era ended in 1998.
Thibodeau and the Bulls cruised past the Indiana Pacers in the first-round of the playoffs and begin a best-of-seven series vs the Atlanta Hawks Tuesday night.
