With the end of the season getting closer, how much chance do the Jazz have at having one of their players or coach getting an award? For COY Jerry Sloan is a candidate, the Jazz are executing well, and how many people expected Utah to be 41-19 again? For MIP Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer should be considered, depending on how you look at the MIP award. Williams has come a long way between his rookie season and now, he's currently one of the best point guards in the league. Boozer could always play, but he's having a far better season now than last season. For ROY Paul Millsap has an outside chance and for 6th man of the year there's Matt Harpring.
To be honest, I think the Jazz are close in each category, but they will not get any once again. Brandon Roy will get rookie of the year, some other player will get MIP, someone like Ginobili will get 6th man, and coach Sloan will once again be snubbed of the COY award.
I'd love to see Deron Williams get MIP. He's got some pretty tough competition in the likes of Al Jefferson, Monta Ellis and Kevin Martin, but he definitely has a strong case to it. Last season, he went through phases where he just couldn't get anything going, and he was competing for minutes with Keith McLeod and Milt Palacio. Now, Williams has improved beyond almost all expectations and has helped turn the Jazz into one of the best teams in the league. On the rare occasion Williams is injured, the Jazz look like a lottery team. He was once battling for minutes with two players who struggle to stay on a roster, one season later, and now he's a borderline all star on a great team. Sound like a MIP?
