Why the Brow is Crushing the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds
By: James Tillman
Welcome back to our ongoing discussion regarding the players in the running for the Defensive Player of the year award. Early on, two-time winner Rudy Gobert was out in front before Anthony Davis took over the top spot.
Can anything happen to slow Davis’ momentum down the stretch? Here’s a look at the latest Fan Duel odds for the players who are vying for the award based upon how they performed over the past week (Feb. 24 through Mar. 1).
Defensive Player Of The Year Odds
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Third-Best NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds: Giannis Antetokounmpo (+340) Last week’s DPOY Odds (+460)
For the second straight week, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s odds have taken a noticeable jump. The reigning MVP played in four games over the past seven days. After scoring 22 and 19 points, respectively, against the Washington Wizards and Toronto Raptors, Giannis finished the week on a very strong note. Against the Oklahoma City Thunder, he tallied 32 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists. And in a 93-85 win against the Charlotte Hornets, Antetokounmpo went off for 41 points, 20 rebounds and six assists.
On the other end of the court, Giannis contributed a combined total of four blocks and just one steal. Although his odds may continue to improve, it is highly doubtful that he will surpass the other players on the list.
The Second-Best NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds: Rudy Gobert (+300 – No DPOY Odds Change)
Rudy Gobert is a living, breathing double-digit machine. However, he and the Utah Jazz had a difficult week, to say the least. After going for 13 points and eight rebounds against the Phoenix Suns of Feb. 24, Gobert scored just nine points in each of his next two outings. The Jazz dropped two of their three games over the past week and four of five overall.
Fortunately, Gobert did have an impact at the defensive end of the floor. He recorded a total of seven blocks and five steals over that three-game stretch. While it is difficult to foresee a scenario in which Gobert rises from the No. 2 spot, he could make it very interesting if he can duplicate his production at that end of the floor going forward.
The NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds on Favorite: Anthony Davis (-175) Last week’s DPOY Odds (-230)
The Los Angeles Lakers had four games on their weekly slate, but Anthony Davis suited up for three of them. In a 118-109 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, he finished with 21 points (on 6-for-21 shooting) to go along with 14 rebounds and three assists. Davis followed that up with yet another subpar shooting night from the floor as he finished with 23 points (6-for-13 FG) and six rebounds.
In his last game of the week, Davis finished with a somewhat pedestrian performance that included 15 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. From a defensive standpoint though, Davis really made his presence felt. In those three contests, he had 10 blocks (including six against the Pelicans) and three steals. As of right now, this certainly looks like this is his race to lose.
