Settling the debate once and for all, the NBA issued a statement today clarifying that the league will not alter its policy for crediting wins and losses to interim coaches. Steve Kerr, the head coach of the Golden State Warriors, will receive credit for the team’s record under the watch of Luke Walton, who has been running the team in Kerr’s absence.

In a nod to the unusual circumstance of Walton’s leading the team to a 19-0 record as Kerr recovers from back surgery, the league announced that interim coaches, like Walton, would be eligible for Coach of the Month honors, which had been a sticking point for many critics of the policy.

And sure enough, when the award was announced Tuesday, Walton was the winner. While he has worked with Kerr in practices, Walton has handled all in-game duties as the defending champion Warriors set the record for best start in NBA history. The team’s 19 wins are five more than any other team’s this season. They lead the NBA in scoring and average margin of victory.

Many people called for Walton to receive credit for the wins. Broadcaster Jeff Van Gundy spent long portions of a nationally televised game demanding a change, and Kerr has strongly advocated for his assistant in interviews. But a change in the policy had the potential to create some messy situations. For Walton to receive credit for wins was one thing, but to saddle other interim coaches with losses might have been seen as unfair, especially if they were filling in for far shorter stretches.

Even if the league had changed the policy, a source confirmed there was little consideration of going back through history to alter coaching records based on the use of interim coaches. By not changing, the NBA avoids the potential for a major record upheaval, because Don Nelson, the NBA’s coaching victories leader, received credit for at least 10 wins in games coached by an interim replacement. Nelson’s lead over Lenny Wilkens for career wins is three, and an in-depth examination of both of their records could have resulted in a change at the top.

With the clarification, Kerr’s career coaching record is 86-15 (102-20, if you count the playoffs) and Walton’s remains 0-0. Golden State will to try to extend its record to 20-0 (and Walton’s to 0-0) Wednesday night in a road game against the Charlotte Hornets. If the Warriors keep it up, Walton, Mr. 0-0, might be Coach of the Month all over again.

© 2015 The New York Times Company