Led Trail Blazers to 13-2 month, including a 13-game winning streak
PORTLAND, Ore. – Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan was named the NBA’s Western Conference Coach of the Month for the month of December, it was announced Wednesday by the NBA.
McMillan led Portland to their third-best month in franchise history (13-2), including the second-longest winning streak in the team’s 38-year history (13 games). With a December 25 win over Seattle, Portland became the first team to put together an 11-game winning streak one year after losing 50 games.
“We think we have the best and brightest young coach in the NBA and this is a terrific honor for Nate, our team and our fans,” said Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard. “We came into December with a 5-11 record and ended it 18-13. That says a lot about the character and dedication of our players and our coaching staff.”
In his third year with Portland, McMillan guided the youngest team in the NBA to the longest winning streak in the league this year, and the longest streak of his eight-year coaching career. Seven of the 13 wins came against teams who made the 2006-07 playoffs, and five came without leading rebounder and second-leading scorer LaMarcus Aldridge.
Other Western Conference nominees for the honor were Dallas’ Avery Johnson, Golden State’s Don Nelson and New Orleans’ Byron Scott. Detroit’s Flip Saunders was named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month.
McMillan is the fifth Trail Blazers head coach to win the award and the first since Mike Dunleavy in November 1999. This marks the second time in McMillan’s career to win the honor, as he took it in November of 2004 with the SuperSonics.
