The Chicago Bulls' Tom Thibodeau was named the 2011 NBA Coach of the Year on Sunday after leading his team to a league-best 62-20 record in his first season as an NBA head coach. Thibodeau earned 76 first-place votes out of 119, plenty to beat Philadelphia 76ers coach Doug Collins who finished second. Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs, George Karl of the Denver Nuggets and Nate McMillan of the Portland Trail Blazers rounded out the top five. Twelve of the NBA's 30 head coaches received at least one vote.
In addition to all of the top five vote-getters, Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat and legend Phil Jackson of the Los Angeles Lakers received first-place votes.
The Coach of the Year award hasn't meant much for job security in the past. Of the last five winners, only one -- Scott Brooks, the 2010 winner -- remains with the team with which he won the award. Avery Johnson (2006), Sam Mitchell (2007), Byron Scott (2008) and Mike Brown (2009) were all fired shortly after winning the award.
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