Looking for Jerry-tale ending
By Kiki Vandeweghe
ESPN.com
Updated: March 6, 2007, 11:14 AM ET
Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan likes to hit the garage sales in the offseason
near his home in McLeansboro, Ill.
Coaching is a very stressful job. Sometimes you want to spend your time off
doing the exact opposite of your duties during the long NBA season -- like
rummaging around a stranger's old stuff for a socket wrench or a long-lost
45 record.
It would be nice if Sloan found a Coach of the Year award in one of those
boxes.
He deserves it. This is his 19th year leading the Jazz. He's led his team to
10 50-win seasons, and this is looking like No. 11. He put win No. 1,025 in
the books after Monday's 120-95 win over the Bobcats that lifted his team to
41-19.
This is more than a lifetime achievement award. While he has maintained his
team at or near the top almost every year, the guy has done a very good job
this year. The Jazz are every single year the best executing team in the
league, particularly in the half court. He's had some practice with guys
named Stockton and Malone.
The man turns 65 later this month. Partially for sentimental reasons, he
would be my choice. But if I were to guess, he might not win it.
Here are four others who could …
Mavericks coach Avery Johnson -- What differentiates Johnson from many
coaches is his ability to get guys to buy in -- one example is Jerry
Stackhouse, who seems content and happy playing 20 minutes a game. Johnson's
team is now 50-9, on a 15-game win streak. Buying into that? Good idea.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich -- Everybody bemoaned the fall of the Spurs,
but look, they're right there. Guys are playing as well as ever, always
disciplined. His team's playing well, peaking at the right time and currently
sits one game ahead of the Jazz for the No. 3 seed in the West.
Pistons coach Flip Saunders -- Give him credit for being more of an offensive
coach than some of the top COY candidates -- and now that he has an offensive
player with Chris Webber's skills -- Detroit's by far the best team in the
East.
Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy -- One of the smartest minds in the game today.
While Tracy McGrady was out, Van Gundy kept his team in a position to hang
in there, and then become a very dangerous team for the playoffs.
Having a healthy T-Mac changes the equation, and he was joined Monday by
one of the top three centers in the league in Yao Ming. Van Gundy know his
players' strengths, and is demanding in the right way.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-070306
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