Byron Scott named NBA Coach of the Year

Byron Scott was voted NBA coach of the year on Tuesday after leading theNew Orleans Hornets to their first playoff appearance in four years.

Scott coached the Hornets to a 56-26 record, a franchise high for victories. New Orleans won the Southwest Division crown and leads Dallas 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs entering Game 5 Tuesday night.

This is the first time Scott has won the Red Auerbach Trophy in eight seasons as a coach, four with the New Jersey Nets and the past four with the Hornets. Scott won three titles as a player with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who led Boston to the best record in the NBA (66-16), as well as Houston coach Rick Adelman, who oversaw the Rockets' improbable 22-game winning streak and helped his team stay competitive after a season-ending foot injury to star center Yao Ming, were considered candidates to win the award.

Rivers agreed with the choice of Scott.

"He should," Rivers said Monday night. "He really should. You look what they've done."

As recently as the 2004-05 season, the Hornets were an NBA joke with an 18-64 record, Scott's first season as coach. He was hired to guide a New Orleans team in transition, and the franchise has progressed steadily since.