Toronto's Nurse named NBA Coach of the Year

The defending NBA champions had the league's second-best record during the regular season -- 53-19 -- and their .736 winning percentage set a franchise record. On offense, the Raptors averaged 112.8 points and a franchise-record 13.8 three-point field goals per game. Toronto has a winning record in 24 straight months of regular-season play, the longest streak in the NBA.

Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse was named NBA Coach of the Year for the 2019-20 season on Saturday. The defending NBA champions had the league's second-best record during the regular season -- 53-19 -- and their .736 winning percentage set a franchise record. They have a 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven opening-round series against the Brooklyn Nets.

"When you see Nick on the sidelines, that's who he is as a person. Relaxed, but so hard-working. Creative and dynamic. Always setting the tone for our team -- attacking our next championship, rather than defending our last," said Masai Ujiri, the Raptors president, in a news release. "That is who Nick is, that is why we believe in him. His journey to this tremendous honour has been a long one -- we are so happy to see him recognized this way." Nurse, 53, is in his second season as the Raptors head coach after five seasons as an assistant. He was the ninth rookie head coach to win an NBA championship and has an overall 111-43 record with the team.

On defence, the Raptors led the NBA in points allowed (106.5 points per game) and opponent three-point field goal percentage (.337) and ranked second in opponent field goal percentage (.428). Toronto led the NBA is holding its opponents to fewer than 100 points 22 times. On offence, the Raptors averaged 112.8 points and a franchise-record 13.8 three-point field goals per game.

Toronto has a winning record in 24 straight months of regular-season play, the longest streak in the NBA. The nurse is the third Raptors coach to win the award, following Dwane Casey (2017-18) and Sam Mitchell (2006-07).

--Field Level Media