Oklahoma City Thunder: Scotty Brooks coach of the year?

Scotty Brooks. NBA coach of the year?

Don’t shrug it off. It could happen. Foreman Scotty is in the discussion at the midway point of the NBA season. Sports Illustrated’s panel of NBA writers recently listed their top three candidates for each major award. You can read the entire post here.

Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant (35) talks with head coach Scott Brooks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Chris Mannix and Ben Golliver each selected the Knickerbockers’ Mike Woodson. Rob Mahoney opted for the Warriors’ Mark Jackson. Ian Thomsen chose the Bulls’ Tom Thibodeau. And Lee Jenkins took Brooks, who has the Thunder 33-10, with the NBA’s best record, despite the trade of James Harden a few days before the season opener.

Here’s the field as I see it:

1. Mark Jackson: Golden State has made the playoffs once since 1994, but the Warriors are 26-15 this season, good for fifth in the West.

2. Mike Woodson: He has the normally dysfunctional Knicks at 25-14, the second-best record in the East. New York has not played well of late, 4-6 in its last 10 games, so Woodson might have trouble keeping the Knicks at this level.

3. Tom Thibodeau: No Derrick Rose? No problem. Thibodeau has the Bulls 25-16, the fourth-best record in the East. Chicago will be a beast in the playoffs.