NBA: Handing Out Awards For First Round Of 2017 NBA Playoffs

Mar 6, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder keeps an eye on the action in the third quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Utah Jazz defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 88-83. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports /

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Apr 30, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder yells to his team in the second half of game seven of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

Coach of the First Round: Quin Snyder, Utah Jazz

Quin Snyder was this writer’s choice for the 2016-17 Coach of the Year award. In addition to earning the vote for the regular season, he also gets the nod for the playoffs after overcoming tremendous odds to lead the Utah Jazz past the Los Angele Clippers.

Despite losing star center Rudy Gobert to an injury in Game 1 and Gordon Hayward to food poisoning in Game 4, Snyder led his team to the second round—and won both of those games.

It took seven games and three victories in Los Angeles for the Jazz to advance to the second round. It overcame Gobert essentially missing Game 1 to win a 97-95 thriller over the Clippers at Staples Center, and won Game 4 105-98 despite losing Hayward after just nine minutes.

Matched up against a head coach who’s likely going to the Hall of Fame in Doc Rivers, Snyder did more than hold his own; he legitimately out-coached Rivers.

Snyder made crucial adjustments throughout the series as he successfully rebounded from Gobert’s injury and limitations. He staggered minutes, went against the grain with his rotations, and outclassed one of the best coaches of this generation.

If you didn’t know about Snyder before, then you better be paying attention now. He’s one of the Top 5-to-10 coaches in the NBA.