The News
Friday 29 of March 2024

The Latest: Frank Layden receives Chuck Daly Award


AP Photo,Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse direct his players during basketball practice at the NBA Finals in Toronto, Saturday, June 1, 2019. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
AP Photo,Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse direct his players during basketball practice at the NBA Finals in Toronto, Saturday, June 1, 2019. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

TORONTO (AP) — The Latest from Game 2 of the NBA Finals (all times local):

6:40 p.m.

Frank Layden is this year’s winner of the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the National Basketball Coaches Association.

Layden coached the Utah Jazz for parts of eight seasons, winning coach of the year in 1984 — the same year that he also won executive of the year and the league’s citizenship award.

The 87-year-old Layden says he is deeply touched to be this year’s recipient, particularly because of his friendship with Daly.

And with his trademark humor, Layden says, “I don’t really believe I deserve this award. But having come from Brooklyn and having reached a high level of mediocrity in the coaching profession, on behalf of all the ‘C’ students in the world I’m going to take it anyway.”

Past recipients of the award include Doug Moe, Al Attles, Hubie Brown, K.C. Jones, Jerry Sloan, Dick Motta, Bernie Bickerstaff, Bill Fitch, Pat Riley, Lenny Wilkens. Tex Winter, Jack Ramsay and Tommy Heinsohn.

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6:20 p.m.

The Toronto Raptors might be getting some bench help for Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

Raptors coach Nick Nurse says OG Anunoby will be available for Sunday night’s game against the Golden State Warriors. Anunoby has yet to appear in these playoffs while recovering from an appendectomy that was performed about six weeks ago.

Nurse says he isn’t sure if Anunoby will play.

Anunoby averaged 7.0 points and 2.9 rebounds in 67 games during the regular season, with all but six of those appearances coming with him as a reserve.

The Raptors were 16-2 this season when Anunoby scored at least nine points. And his presence should help the Raptors defensively.

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