Utah Jazz: Mitchell, Snyder pick-up some hardware. More to come?

Utah Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell and head coach Quin Snyder both received NBA honors for March/April. Is this a predictor for year-end awards?

The Utah Jazz may have lost their season finale, getting outclassed by the Portland Trail Blazers in a 102-93 decision that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated. However, they did notch a couple of wins less than 24 hours later.

Per announcements from the league, Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell and head coach Quin Snyder each won monthly honors for the Western Conference. Mitchell was named Rookie of the Month for March and April. Snyder, meanwhile, took home Coach of the Month honors.

Over his final 21 games, Mitchell averaged a rookie-high 22.8 points per game. He also put up 4.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.5 steals per contest. Along the way, he helped the team reach the top five of the conference standings.

This marks the fourth consecutive time Mitchell has been the West’s ROM. The Jazz guard has won every single time since LA Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma won for October/November.

Mitchell’s rival for Rookie of the Year honors, the Philadelphia 76ers’ Ben Simmons, was the East’s ROM. The two have been chirping at one another (botch subtly and not so subtly) recently about which player deserves the trophy.

My vote would go to Mitchell, if for no other reason than to stem the tide of people who refuse to acknowledge it’s a legitimate race.

As for Snyder, Utah’s man on the sidelines directed the team to a 17-4 record over March and April. That mark tied the Houston Rockets for best in the west over that span.

This is the first time since joining the Jazz in 2014 that Snyder has been COM. The last time a Jazz coach received the honor was when Hall of Famer Jerry Sloan did so for February of 2009.

Sixers coach Brett Brown was named COM in the East.

Now for the big question: is the team’s performance in the final monthly awards a predictor for year-end honors? My guess would be no. Both Mitchell and Snyder have been great all season, but just in taking the pulse of the hoops media, it seems the odds are against them.

Simmons, who was long considered the ROY frontrunner, has surged of late. He helped the Sixers close the year on a 16-game win streak in spite of Joel Embiid’s injury.

Elsewhere, Snyder faces a crowded field that includes Brown, Dwane Casey, Brad Stevens, Nate McMillan and others. Make no mistake about it — there were several tremendous coaching jobs done in the league this season.

If I had to bet on one of the Jazz contingent, though, I’d put my money on Snyder. For his part, Mitchell would do the same.

Next: The pros and cons facing OKC in Round 1

Winners will be announced at the NBA Awards in June.