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NBA Award Watch: Quin Snyder sets the Jazz beat

By John Buhler

Dec 1, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder talks with guard Raul Neto (25) during the second half against the Miami Heat at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Miami won 111-110. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 1, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder talks with guard Raul Neto (25) during the second half against the Miami Heat at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Miami won 111-110. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports /
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Through the first week of December 2016, here are the six front-runners from the major NBA awards in this week’s NBA Award Watch.

We are only a couple of weeks away from Christmas 2016, the time of year where the NBA season really starts to take off. The 2016-17 NBA season is roughly a quarter in the books and we’ve had some interesting story lines.

The Golden State Warriors have transitioned smoothly after the Kevin Durant acquisition. On the other side of the coin, things could not be more bleak for the hapless Dallas Mavericks.

Through the first week of December, here are the leaders for the major end-of-year awards in this week’s NBA Award Watch.

Dec 5, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) celebrates a three-point basket as Atlanta Hawks forward Thabo Sefolosha (25) is shown on the play in the third quarter at Philips Arena. The Thunder won 102-99. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) celebrates a three-point basket as Atlanta Hawks forward Thabo Sefolosha (25) is shown on the play in the third quarter at Philips Arena. The Thunder won 102-99. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /

Most Valuable Player: Russell Westbrook

After a bit of a rough patch in the middle of November, Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook is the clear front-runner for 2016-17 NBA MVP. By sheer will, Westbrook could lead the Thunder to 50 wins in the regular season.

Westbrook will likely have a strong case regardless of the Thunder’s final win total, but if they come close to 50, it will be hard to deny a player who’s averaging a triple-double through 22 games.

Westbrook is averaging 31.0 points, 11.3 assists and 10.9 rebounds per game. This gives him a PER of 29.7 and 3.6 Win Shares on the season. Westbrook is becoming a better three-point shooter, making 33.3 percent of his shots from distance. That and a commitment to offensive distribution will help him win his first NBA MVP award.

Westbrook is not just doing it on the offensive end either. He leads the league in Box Plus/Minus at 14.3. His Offensive Box Plus/Minus is a league-best 9.7, but his Defensive Box Plus/Minus is a solid 4.6 as well. This also helps give him the best VORP at 3.2. If Westbrook keeps up this pace, the MVP award is his.

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