Who is most fit to win the NBA regular season awards…?

With the NBA regular season coming to a close, there are clear frontrunners for the NBA’s most prestigious awards and some that are still in close contention.

Coach of the Year

Some of the names to consider in the race for this honor include Suns coach, Monty Williams, Jazz coach, Quin Snyder, and Knicks coach, Tom Thibodeau.

Quin Snyder’s case for COTY is the tremendous progress the Utah Jazz have shown. They have made a leap from playoff pretenders, to championship contenders, who currently hold the 1st seed in the West.

Monty Williams' case for COTY fits into the same billing as Snyder, the difference being he made the Suns jump from playoff hopefuls to Championship contenders.

My pick for coach of the year is none other than Tom Thibodeau. He has turned around the Knicks franchise in a single offseason, going from the lottery team to clinching a playoff berth.

Most Improved Player

The standout few in the running for most improved player this season include Julius Randle, Jerami Grant, and Michael Porter Jr.

Jerami Grant has made a huge leap from a mere 12 points per game to 22 points per game on his new team, the Pistons. He has a lot working against him as the Pistons are one of the NBA’s worst teams and he has missed significant time due to injury.

Michael Porter Jr. has made leaps in every major category, blocks, steals, assists, rebounds, and averaging 10 more points per game. The case against him is he is still not reliable on the defensive end and he plays behind an MVP hopeful, Jokic.

My pick for Most Improved Player is Julius Randle. He has been the leader on the new look New York Knicks and is on track to be the first Knick to average 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists for a season.

Rookie of the Year

The race for the ROY comes down to three rookies who are above the rest of the pack, Tyrese Haliburton, LaMelo Ball, and Anthony Edwards.

Tyrese Haliburton wasn’t a top 3 pick like Edwards and Ball but has played exceptionally well. Producing 13 PPG and 5 APG, Haliburton is the best rookie distributor.

Anthony Edwards has been extremely impressive, living up to the billing of the number one pick. He is leading the rookie class in scoring, is second in rebounds, and third in assists.

My pick for the ROY is none other than the youngest Ball brother, LaMelo. Despite missing a good chunk of the season, LaMelo still ranks top 5 in assists, rebounds, and points for rookies, including turning around the lottery Hornets into playoff contenders.

Most Valuable Player

There are many in the running to finish top 5 in the MVP race, but I feel the most deserving are Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, and Nikola Jokic.

Giannis Antetokounmpo lost steam as an MVP favorite due to injuries this season and disappointing playoff performances in the past. With that in mind, he should still be considered top 3 with the Bucks pushing for the 2nd seed and a stat line of 28 PPG, 11 RPG, and 6 BPG.

Joel Embiid would be the MVP favorite if he has not dealt with the nagging injuries that have kept occurring throughout his career. He still has a great case though as the 76ers are the one seed and he has a stat line of 29 PPG, 11 RPG, and 3 APG.

My pick for MVP is Nikola Jokic, otherwise known as the Joker. A true point center, Jokic is averaging 26 PPG, 11 RPG, and 9 APG. Not to mention he has led the Nuggets to a top 3 seed in the loaded West without his co-star point guard, Jamal Murray.