Congrats, Scott Brooks. But I'd temper that celebration just yet (and that goes for you too Mike Brown).

We hate to rain on your parade so we’ll offer first congratulations on your Coach of the Year Award, Scott Brooks. But please keep in mind that it officially means that you’re on the chopping block. That is if the trends continue.

From 1998-99 to the 2007-08 NBA season,10 different coaches were conferred the Red Auerbach Award. Save for the San Antonio Spurs’ Greg Popovich, everyone else lasted at least 2 years before they were fired. Only two left on their own terms – Larry Brown who fled Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers and Hubie Brown who after sensing something was amiss with the Memphis Grizzlies after a great 03-04 season, quit citing health reasons.

Incidentally aside from Larry and Hubie, there’s a third Brown to win the award – Cleveland’s Mike Brown. But maybe he doesn’t count since we’re only counting from 1999-2008. It just makes for interesting trivia.

Mike Dunleavy – 1999 Portland Trailblazers 35-15

Glenn Rivers – 2000 Orlando Magic 41-41

Larry Brown – 2001 Philadelphia 76ers 56-26

Rick Carlisle – 2002 Detroit Pistons 50-32

Greg Popovich – 2003 San Antonio Spurs 60-22

Hubie Brown – 2004 Memphis Grizzlies 50-32

Mike D’Antoni – 2005 Phoenix Suns 62-20

Avery Johnson – 2006 Dallas Mavericks 60-22

Sam Mitchell – 2007 Toronto Raptors 47-35

Byron Scott – 2008 New Orleans Hornets 56-26

Mike Brown - 2009 Cleveland Cavaliers 66-16

Scott Brooks - 2010 Oklahoma City Thunder 50-32

Of the 10 coaches, only two hiked their win total the following year, Dunleavy and Rivers. For Dunleavy, it was a significant gain. But that is somewhat misleading because the year he won was the strike-shortened season. Every other coach, including Popovich saw their wins drop the following year.

And speaking of Popovich, he is the only one left with his team.

Of the list of 10, five are out of the NBA – Dunleavy, Hubie Brown, Johnson, Mitchell, and Scott.

Scott. Not Byron but Brooks. I liked him as a player. He stood 5’11” and was a feisty one especially when he was with the Sixers alongside Charles Barkley and Hersey Hawkins. He made some pretty good moves this year by placing Kevin Durant at the 3-spot and handing the PG role to Russell Westbrook. They may be down 0-2 to the Lakers but this season is already an unqualified success.

* photo by NBAE's Andrew Bernstein