We're nearing the end of the regular season and a few NBA awards are heating up like Coach of the Year as Cleveland's Kenny Atkinson and Detroit's JB Bickerstaff. Let's take a look at the best bet between the two with less than a dozen games remaining.

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Coach of the Year: JB Bickerstaff (+210)

Kenny Atkinson's main argument for the Coach of the Year award was boasting the NBA's best record when the Thunder or Celtics were expected to, but now that Oklahoma City owns the league's best record, what is Atkinson's argument? Best in the East? 60-plus wins? I am not sure that will be enough compared to Bickerstaff's argument.

The Pistons were expected to make the play-in by some experts, but the majority of the public expected Detroit to be out of the playoffs and tanking at this point. To Bickerstaff and his players' credit, Detroit is the No. 5 seed at 42-33 (2.0 games back from No. 4) and continues to win with its best player, Cade Cunningham sidelined over the last four games (3-1 record and beat the Cavs).

Since January 1st, the Pistons rank second in defensive efficiency behind the Thunder (Cavs are 14th), eighth in offensive rating (Cavs are second), the third-best defensive rebounding percentage (Cavs are 10th), top six in blocks and steals per game, third in opponent points in the paint, and are tied for the fifth-most wins (28-15 record). Granted, the Cavaliers are 31-11 since the new year, Detroit continues to impress and hang with the best of the best with grit and great defense.

Cleveland had a win total of 47.5 entering the season, ranking tied for the 10th-highest, while Detroit's was 22.5, tied for the second-lowest with Washington (16-59) and Portland (33-43), only ahead of Brooklyn (21.5, 25-51) The Pistons are going to double their expected win total this season, while the rest of those teams are planning trips to Cancun.

At +180 to +210, I think the value on Bickerstaff for COY was still disappearing, so I say get involved now.

Pick: JB Bickerstaff to win Coach of the Year (2u)

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