NBA general managers vote Brad Stevens as league's top coach

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Brad Stevens has his hands full these days, but chances are he'll be able to fix the problems he's dealing with.

But don't take our word for it. Ask the NBA's general managers.

In NBA.com's 17th annual GM Survey, Stevens was named the league's best coach -- and by a wide margin -- and ranked high across a wide spectrum of categories:

  • BEST COACH -- Stevens 47 percent; San Antonio's Gregg Popovich, 30; Houston's Mike D'Antoni and Golden State's Steve Kerr, 7 each.
  • WHICH COACH MAKES THE BEST IN-GAME ADJUSTMENTS -- Stevens, 53 percent; Popovich, 13; Dallas' Rick Carlisle and Utah's Quin Snyder, 10 each; L.A. Clippers' Doc Rivers and Miami's Erik Spoelstra, 7 each.
  • WHICH HEAD COACH IS THE BEST MANAGER/MOTIVATOR OF PEOPLE -- Popovich, 47 percent; Kerr, 20; Stevens, 17; Spoelstra, 7.
  • WHICH HEAD COACH RUNS THE BEST OFFENSE -- Kerr, 40 percent; D'Antoni, 23; Stevens, 20; Snyder, 13; Portland's Terry Stotts, 3.
  • WHICH HEAD COACH HAS THE BEST DEFENSIVE SCHEMES -- Snyder, 33 percent; Stevens, 30; Popovich, 13; Kerr and Minnesota's Tom Thibodeau, 7 each.

He's the only coach who pops up in all five of those surveys.

Some other interesting notes . . . 

The Warriors are overwhelming favorites to win the NBA title, garnering 87 percent of the vote, but the Celtics and Rockets are tied for second at 7 percent each. (Doesn't add up to 100 percent -- it totals 101 -- but . . . )

The Celtics are an even more overwhelming favorite to win the East, with 90 percent of the vote compared to 10 for the Raptors.

The C's were voted the second-best defensive team in the league (though they haven't shown it so far), getting 34 percent of the vote to Utah's 45.

They were rated the second-most fun team to watch, at 17 percent behind Golden State's 60

They have the second-most "promising young core" of talent, at 33 percent to Philadelphia's 47.

And among individual players . . . 

Jayson Tatum was tied with Brandon Ingram (10 percent) for second place, behind Jamal Murray, as player most likely to have a breakout season.

Kyrie Irving was tied for third with Chris Paul, behind Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook, as best point guard, and also received some MVP votes (but wasn't in the top four) and some votes as best pure shooter (not in the top two). In addition, he was listed fourth -- behind Kevin Durant, Curry and LeBron James -- as the player you want want taking a shot with the game on the line.

Al Horford was rated the fourth-best leader in the NBA, with 7 percent of the vote behind LeBron, Paul and Curry.  He also received some votes as best center, but wasn't in the top three

Marcus Smart tied LeBron, at 13 percent, as the second-toughest player in the NBA, behind Oklahoma City's Steven Adams. He also received some votes as most versatile defender, but wasn't in the top three.

Smart and Terry  Rozier tied for fourth as bench player who makes the biggest impact when he enters a game, at 7 percent each

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