As the 2020-21 NBA Season has reached it’s halfway point, Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder is the favorite to win the Coach of the Year Award.
In his seventh year with the Jazz, Snyder has coached the team to a 27-8 record and first place in the entire NBA. If this were an 82-game season, the Jazz would be on pace for 63 wins.
After a successful first half of the season, BetOnline lists Snyder as a -300 favorite to take him the Coach of the Year Award. If things stay on course, it would be Snyder’s first time winning the award.
However, there are still some coaches who have a shot at surpassing Snyder.
NBA Coach of the Year Odds
Odds via BetOnline as of Tuesday, March 2
- Quin Snyder (IND) -300
- Doc Rivers (PHI) +700
- Monty Williams (PHX) +800
- Gregg Popovich (SAS) +1000
- Steve Nash (BKN) +1200
- Tom Thibodeau (NYK) +1200
- James Borrego (CHA) +1400
- Tyronn Lue (LAC) +1600
- Frank Vogel (LAL) +1800
- Steve Kerr (GSW) +2000
Snyder’s Race to Lose
Despite a 44-28 record in 2020, the Jazz’s season ended in heartbreaking fashion in the NBA Bubble. After going up 3-1 against the Denver Nuggets, the Jazz blew the series lead and lost in seven games. That loss seems to have motivated them this season as they look like a top team in the NBA.
A big part of this bounce-back has been Snyder’s coaching. Somehow, he’s gotten the team back on track. Donovan Mitchell is averaging a career-high 24.4 points per game, while Jordan Clarkson and Rudy Gobert are chasing the Sixth Man and Defensive Player of the Year Awards respectively. If Snyder can keep the Jazz playing as they have been, they could cause damage once the playoffs come around.
Rivers Chasing Second Coach of the Year Award
The last time Doc Rivers was the Coach of the Year was in the 1999-00 NBA Season with the Orlando Magic. Now, he’s looking to win it again for the first time in 21 years coaching the Philadelphia 76ers. Last season, Rivers stepped down from coaching the Los Angeles Clippers after an underwhelming second-round exit in the playoffs.
Just a few days after leaving the Clippers, Rivers joined the 76ers and hasn’t looked back. As of March 2, the 76ers are 23-12 and are the first-place team in the Eastern Conference. Joel Embiid has been in MVP conversations this season. Simmons has been one of the best defensive players in the NBA. The 76ers didn’t even make that many huge moves in the offseason, so a lot of their success this season has gone to Rivers. If the 76ers can catch the Jazz, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Rivers’ odds improve from +700.
Popovich Has Shot at NBA History
Greg Popovich has already won five NBA Championships and is a three-time Coach of the Year. At +1000, BetOnline has Popovich having a good chance at making NBA history by being the first coach to win the Coach of the Year Award four times.
Popovich has taken a 32-39 San Antonio Spurs team that missed the playoffs last season and has them at 17-13 so for this season. As it stands, the Spurs are on pace to win 41 games this season, which would more than likely have them keeping their playoff spot. A big part of this season’s success is that Popovich has DeMar DeRozan playing the best basketball of his career. He’s averaging a career-high 7.2 assists per game, which is also 13th-best in the NBA this season.
