The NBA is preparing for a massive robbery Spurs fans won't like

The updated FanDuel and DraftKings Coach of the Year odds have been updated, and I'm unhappy about it, to say the least. FanDuel has Mitch Johnson listed with the third-shortest odds at +1400, while DraftKings has him at third as well, listed at +1200.

This places him below JB Bickerstaff and Joe Mazzulla. Now, don't get me wrong, both of them have been amazing this season for their respective groups, but Coach Johnson is accomplishing something with the Spurs that deserves a bit more recognition.

The Spurs have had a season nobody expected

Let's be honest with ourselves; we knew that San Antonio was going to be good this season, but not this good. We aren't watching some young group that's finally able to get above .500. Instead, the Spurs turned themselves from a humble rebuilding team to one of the most lethal threats across the league.

It's the best year-to-year turnaround out of any franchise across the Association. They look like every bit of a contender, knocking off some of the league's most elite teams head-to-head while silencing critics. Coaches who lead their groups to this level of unexpected success deserve a lot of hype for award recognition, and it's been that way historically.

Think about Mark Daigneault in 2024, moving the Thunder from being a play-in territory squad to the top seed out West. Or Mike Brown in 2023, leading Sacramento from years of disappointment to a rare playoff berth. Mitch Johnson has joined the ranks of basketball masterminds who've led their teams to a complete 180 from one season to the next.

The head to head matchups have to mean something

When comparing Coach Johnson to the likes of JB Bickerstaff and Joe Mazzulla, there is a large detail to consider. Johnson's squad has a 4-0 combined record against the Boston Celtics and the Detroit Pistons, with three of those coming as double-digit victories (two against Detroit and one against Boston).

Additionally, the Spurs are outperforming the Celtics and Pistons throughout the year. Sure, they have the second-best record in the Western Conference, but it is still superior to both of those Eastern Conference squads.

Mitch Johnson came in as an underdog in the conversation surrounding this award and still turned in the most impressive body of work compared to the rest of the field. Whether he wins it or not, the rest of the league has been put on notice that there is a new elite head coach in town.