Mike Budenholzer has a streak of his own.
The Hawks’ coach was chosen the NBA’s Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for January with a 17-0 record, the league announced Monday. Budenholzer also won the award in December after leading the Hawks to a 14-2 mark.
The Hawks (40-8), with the best record in the NBA, are on a current 19-game win streak.
“It’s a credit to our players,” Budenholzer said Monday before the Hawks played at the Pelicans. “They’ve been credit. I think our coaching staff does an amazing job, all of our assistants, the organization and everybody. It’s a credit to them. It doesn’t mean a whole lot, I don’t think.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr was selected the Coach of the Month for January in the Western Conference. Budenholzer and Kerr will coach their respective conferences in the NBA All-Star Game later this month in New York. They will also go head-to-head on Friday when the Hawks host Golden State.
The Hawks’ 17-0 record in January was the best undefeated record in a calendar month in NBA history. The Hawks have the best overall record in the league this late in the season for the first time since moving to Atlanta in 1968.
The Hawks led the NBA in 3-point field goal percentage and assists (459) in January. They led the Eastern Conference in point differential (plus 11.9), points per game (105.6), 2-point field goals made (184), , field goals made (650), field goal percentage (.481), assists per game (27.0), assist/turnover ratio (2.00) and steal/turnover ratio (0.68).
Budenholzer is the fourth Hawks coach to win Coach of the Month honors, joining Mike Fratello (Jan. 1986), Bob Weiss (Dec. 1990, March 1993), Lenny Wilkens (Nov. 1997) and Larry Drew (Dec. 2012).
“He deserves it,” Mike Scott said. “That’s all I can say. He deserves it.”
The Warriors (37-8) are off to the best start in the franchise’s 69-year history.
Kerr led the Warriors to the best January record in the West at 12-3. They led the NBA in scoring (116.2), field goal percentage (.485) and point differential (plus 14.0).
Other nominees were the Hornets’ Steve Clifford, Cavaliers’ David Blatt, Pistons’ Stan Van Gundy, Rockets’ Kevin McHale, Clippers’ Doc Rivers, Grizzlies’ Dave Joerger, Suns’ Jeff Hornacek, and Spurs’ Gregg Popovich.
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