5 NBA coaches who will make big impact in 2023-24 season ft. Mark Daigneault, Nick Nurse & more

NBA coaches are the unsung heroes in the league. Behind the stardom of players and in the shadow of the floodlight, they orchestrate everything.

Executing Plan B if Plan A is not working, finding flaws in the opponents’s offense and defense, and honing the talent to make a player a superstar in the league, they do everything. Not just their mind but their words also matter.

Early in the 2023-24 season, several coaches are impacting their teams better and above the rest of the coaches in the league. Here is the list of coaches who might greatly impact this season.

5 NBA coaches who will make big impact in 2023-24

#1. Mark Daigneault (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Oklahoma City Thunder is tied with the Timberwolves for the best record in the Western Conference (11-4). It would be easy to confer all the success to the duo of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, but the real chess master behind all this is coach Mark Daigneault.

He has found a way to use Holmgren with SGA and, at the same time, increase the latter’s usage rating from last year. OKC is ranked fifth in the defensive rating in the entire league and sixth in the offense.

He has helped in the rise of Gilgeous-Alexander and the early rise of Holmgren in the league. Even last year, despite not having Holmgren, the OKC was one of the best offensive teams in the league.

Depending on their season, there is a high chance that Daigneault might get the Coach of the Year award.

#2. Nick Nurse (Philadelphia 76ers)

After James Harden’s trade, the Philadelphia 76ers seemed to be in deeper trouble. However, they still had high hopes for Nick Nurse, a champion coach. The nurse hasn’t been a disappointment, even for a bit.

He has taken a lot of offensive responsibility from Joel Embiid, which has helped him relax and be better at defense to avoid injuries. Under him, Tyrese Maxey has emerged to become one of the top guards in the league, which was inevitable.

Nurse is among the best coaches when it comes to being creative in strategy. Moreover, his impact was already evident when the Sixers went for an 8-0 run early in the season.

#3. Ime Udoka (Houston Rockets)

Ime Udoka is the reason that the Boston Celtics gained what was duly their place in the NBA Finals. After being suspended by the Celtics, he is leading the Houston Rockets this season. Last season, the Rockets were in the 14th place in the Western Conference and ended their season with a 22-60 record.

In 14 games so far this season, they have an 8-6 record and are 7th in the conference, above teams like the Lakers, Warriors and Clippers.

Udoka signed players like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks. He picked top rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore to restructure what the Rockets had.

Udoka knows how to discipline and teach a young team the art of winning games. He helped the Rockets come together as a team and made crucial defensive adjustments. They are third in the NBA in defensive rating.

#4. Michael Malone - (Denver Nuggets)

There is no such strong reason to believe that the Denver Nuggets might be unable to repeat their title run in the 2023-24 season. Nikola Jokic is yet again leading the MVP race and the Nuggets are placed in 5th position in the Western Conference with a 10-6 record.

Michael Malone has helped the Nuggets to create one of the best offenses in the NBA that revolve around Jokic.

#5. Chris Finch - (Minnesota Timberwolves)

Minnesota Timberwolves stands at the top of the Western Conference with an 11-4 record. If anyone deserves the most praise for the Timberwolves’ new look, it should be coach Chris Finch. After being ousted in the first round of the postseason last year, it seems Finch has figured out a way for his team.

Perhaps the biggest achievement for Finch so far this season has been his team’s defense. Last season, despite having Rudy Gobert on the roster, his team was ranked 10th in the defensive rating. In the 2023-24 season, the Timberwolves are second in the defensive rating behind the Orlando Magic.

Finch has not only unleashed his offense behind Anthony Edwards but also gathered his defensive force around Gobert, his best defensive player. The strategy has worked big time for the coach because it helps on-ball defenders to operate better.

This is just the beginning of the season. If his defensive strategy works in the long run, the Timberwolves might be in for a deeper postseason.