Advertisement

Golden State’s Luke Walton is coach of the month, even though his official record is 0-0

Golden State interim Coach Luke Walton coaches the Warriors against Phoenix on Nov. 27. The Warriors are 19-0 under Walton.

Golden State interim Coach Luke Walton coaches the Warriors against Phoenix on Nov. 27. The Warriors are 19-0 under Walton.

(Rick Scuteri / Associated Press)
Share

Officially, Luke Walton still doesn’t have any wins as an NBA head coach.

But he also doesn’t have any losses in 19 games as Golden State’s interim coach.

And that’s more than enough for the former Laker to be honored as the Western Conference’s coach of the month for November.

The NBA issued a statement Tuesday reiterating that Steve Kerr remains the Warriors’ head coach even though he’s been sidelined with complications from off-season back surgery since the season began.

So according to league rules, every win Golden State has accumulated during its historic 19-0 start goes on Kerr’s official coaching record, not Walton’s. And Kerr could not be more unhappy about it.

Advertisement

“I think it’s ridiculous,” Kerr told ESPN.com last week. “I’m sitting in the locker room and watching the games on TV, and I’m not even traveling to most of the road games. Luke’s doing all the work with the rest of the staff. Luke is [19-0] right now. I’m not. So it’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard, to be honest with you. I don’t even understand it.”

The league said in its statement Tuesday, though, that any head coach, interim coach or acting head coach is eligible for the coaching awards.

And at 19-0 — uh, make that 0-0 — Walton is more than deserving.

Advertisement