Media outlets are starting to give out their own end-of-the-season NBA hardware, and the Denver Nuggets have a candidate for coach of the year in George Karl. He returned to the bench after battling with cancer, dealt with all the drama surrounding the seven-month long Carmelo Anthony trade drama and then maintained the post-Melo Nuggets team as a winner. With one game left in the season, the Karl and his Nuggets already have their fourth straight 50-win season.
↵While he isn't the clear front runner, Karl certainly should receive some votes. In ESPN's coach of the year voting, Karl takes second place with six votes. The Chicago Bulls' Tom Thibodeau won the voting with 22 votes. He would appear to be the front-runner for the actual award. He took a 41-41 Bulls team from 2009-10 and has turned them into a 60-win team and a serious contender to take the NBA Championship come June.
↵I would have expected more than one vote for the 76ers Doug Collins. After a 27-55 campaign under Eddie Jordan in 2009-10, Collins returned courtside to coach the 76ers, leading them to a 41-40 record and the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Playing the Miami Heat doesn't seem like that great of a reward, but making the playoffs is making the playoffs.
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