This week: Ten candidates for IBM Coach of the Year.

All stats through April 3.

Rick Adelman • Sacramento Kings Coaching a team that's been on the rise for several years, Adelman took the talented Kings to the NBA's best record, setting the pace for even the defending champion Lakers in the tough Western Conference. KINGS COACH W-L PCT CONF RANK 2001-02 Adelman 55-19 .743 First 2000-01 Adelman 55-27 .671 Third Rick Carlisle • Detroit Pistons In his first season as an NBA head coach, Carlisle took over a Detroit team that was largely intact from its 10th-place finish a year ago and led the surprising Pistons to the top of the Central Division. PISTONS COACH W-L PCT CONF RANK 2001-02 Carlisle 45-30 .600 Second 2000-01 George Irvine 32-50 .390 Tenth Maurice Cheeks • Portland Trail Blazers Another first-year coach, Cheeks faced the pressure of improving a talented -- albeit difficult -- group of stars. The grumbling Blazers were swept out of the playoffs last year, but Cheeks has them playing with a positive new attitude. BLAZERS COACH W-L PCT CONF RANK 2001-02 Cheeks 44-30 .595 Sixth 2000-01 Mike Dunleavy 50-32 .610 Seventh

Alvin Gentry • Los Angeles Clippers

Considering that Gentry leads the league's youngest group of players, few expected the Clips to improve much upon last year's performance, let alone be contending for a West playoff spot as late as April. CLIPPERS COACH W-L PCT CONF RANK 2001-02 Gentry 37-38 .493 Ninth 2000-01 Gentry 31-51 .378 Thirteenth

Phil Jackson • Los Angeles Lakers

Jackson -- who received zero votes for Coach of the Year last season -- may be taken for granted at this point considering that he's seeking his ninth NBA championship, but you can't dispute results: Another 50-win season for L.A. LAKERS COACH W-L PCT CONF RANK 2001-02 Jackson 53-22 .707 Third 2000-01 Jackson 56-26 .683 Second

Nate McMillan • Seattle Sonics

The motley crew in Seattle overcame a plague of injuries to make the playoffs -- which they failed to do last season -- but really credit McMillan with helping Gary Payton go from belligerant star to reliable leader. SONICS COACH W-L PCT CONF RANK 2001-02 McMillan 43-33 .566 Seventh 2000-01 McMillan/Paul Westphal 44-38 .537 Tenth

Don Nelson • Dallas Mavericks

With their roster, the Mavs were expected to perform this season, but not quite this well. Nelson has had them right with the Kings and Lakers all year for the NBA's best record, and they'll likely have a No. 2 seed for the playoffs. MAVS COACH W-L PCT CONF RANK 2001-02 Nelson 51-22 .699 Second 2000-01 Nelson 53-29 .646 Fourth

Jim O'Brien • Boston Celtics

Taking over the C's midway through last season, O'Brien built an effective team around All-Stars Pierce and Walker, leading Boston from 10 games below .500 to the No. 3 spot in the East. CELTICS COACH W-L PCT CONF RANK 2001-02 O'Brien 43-32 .573 Third 2000-01 O'Brien/Rick Pitino 36-46 .439 Ninth

Gregg Popovich • San Antonio Spurs

Pop and the Spurs boasted the NBA's best record a year ago -- granted, tough to improve upon -- but with a rookie point guard and several new role players, they're back in contention, and could still catch Dallas for the division title. SPURS COACH W-L PCT CONF RANK 2001-02 Popovich 50-24 .676 Fourth 2000-01 Popovich 58-24 .707 First

Byron Scott • New Jersey Nets

In possibly the story of the year, New Jersey gave Scott an MVP candidate to play point guard and the team erupted, rising in one year from the conference basement to their current position atop the East. NETS COACH W-L PCT CONF RANK 2001-02 Scott 48-27 .640 First 2000-01 Scott 26-56 .317 Twelfth