The Brow’s NBA DPOY Odds Hold Form. Will Anybody Attack His Defensive Player of the Year Odds?
Welcome back to another Monday NBA fans! Here’s to hoping you enjoyed the All-Star festivities from this past weekend. My greatest takeaway was how competitive this year’s midseason classic was from a defensive standpoint under a new format.
Speaking of defense, there is a trio of players who have been head and shoulders above the rest of the league in the Defensive Player of the Year race. The list includes Giannis Antetokounmpo, two-time winner Rudy Gobert and Anthony Davis. Did any new names emerge on this shortlist? Here’s an updated look at where each player is currently ranked based on how they performed over the abbreviated week leading into the All-Star break (Feb. 10 through Feb. 16).
NBA Best Defensive Player of the Year Odds
[table id=514 /]
The Third-Best NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds: Giannis Antetokounmpo (NBA DPOY Odds: +650 – No Change)
For fans of the reigning MVP, there wasn’t much action from the Greek Freak over the past week. The Milwaukee Bucks played in just two games, but Antetokounmpo didn’t suit up for either of the contests. Taking that into consideration, he couldn’t do much to increase his odds in this race. And while there is still some time left to make up ground, it is somewhat doubtful that Giannis will be able to leapfrog the players in front of him.
The Second-Best NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds: Rudy Gobert (NBA DPOY Odds: +310 – No Change)
Gobert – who has won the award in each of the last two seasons – appeared in two games for the Utah Jazz. In a 123-119 over the Dallas Mavericks, he finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds. He followed that up with another solid outing against the Miami Heat. In that contest, he scored 16 points and hauled in a whopping 20 rebounds, helping the Jazz to an impressive double-digit win (116-101) against one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. Defensively, Gobert didn’t put up great numbers at that end of the court as he totaled three blocks and zero steals in his two outings.
The Best NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds: (Anthony Davis NBA DPOY Odds: -290 – No Change)
For what seems like an eternity at this point, Davis continues to hold down the top spot on the list. As was the case with Gobert, Davis suited up twice for the Los Angeles Lakers over the past week. Against the Phoenix Suns, Davis contributed 25 points to go along with 10 boards and five assists. And in an overtime contest against the Denver Nuggets, AD poured in 33 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
He also connected on three of his six attempts from beyond the arc, as the Lakers came away with a 120-116 win. From a defensive standpoint, Davis was somewhat better than Gobert. While recording three blocks, he also tallied three steals, thus continuing to bolster his chances of being named the league’s top defensive player.
