Fansided

NBA Award Watch: Curry, Griffin and Oladipo headline the honors

By Akash Anavarathan

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 21: Ben Simmons
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 21: Ben Simmons /
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HOUSTON, TX – OCTOBER 23: Head coach David Fizdale of the Memphis Grizzlies disagrees with the officlas call at Toyota Center on October 23, 2017 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX – OCTOBER 23: Head coach David Fizdale of the Memphis Grizzlies disagrees with the officlas call at Toyota Center on October 23, 2017 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

Coach of the Year — David Fizdale

Let’s get it out of the way, Steve Kerr, Gregg Popovich, Mike D’Antoni and Tyronn Lue won’t be winning this award. The amount of talent on their teams and their resumes take them out of the running.

As I glance up and down the standings, there are a few surprise teams and then I look at the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference as of Monday night — the Memphis Grizzlies. Wait what!?

The team that lost Tony Allen, Vince Carter and Zach Randolph in the offseason is somehow 5-2? So they must have played some bad teams and their record is a poor reflection, right?

Nope. The Grizzlies have beaten Anthony Davis and the Pelicans, the defending champion Warriors and the Rockets twice. Those are three playoff teams and the Grizzlies have four combined wins. As a result, David Fizdale is my early favorite for the Coach of the Year award.

His ability to manage the team with Mike Conley and Marc Gasol and win games is amazing. Memphis is a small-market team that doesn’t attract very many free agents, yet the continue to pride themselves on building a tough-nosed defensive team that is now transforming into an offensive team as well.

It’s going to be difficult for Memphis — in a loaded West — to stay in the top four, but if they do, Fizdale is a lock to win this award.

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