Jovan has been writing about sports betting and fantasy sports since 2020 for various outlets. Jovan is Philadelphia born and raised, which means he's a fan of the major pro teams in the city of Brotherly Love.
Predictions and odds for NBA awards this season
With the 2023-24 NBA regular season set to tip off Oct. 24, it’s an excellent opportunity to look at award futures on DraftKings Sportsbook. Most basketball bettors enjoy betting on awards such as MVP, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player, Defensive Player of the Year, etc., because of the value that can be had throughout the regular season.
Last season, we saw Joel Embiid win MVP for the first time in his career, Paolo Banchero run away with Rookie of the Year, and Lauri Markannen win Most Improved Player of the Year. We will see a new set of contenders compete for these various league awards this season.
Below, we’ll look at some of my award futures in the Association and why bettors should consider wagering on them before Opening Night.
It’s never easy to make a prediction on MVP, as a lot of things can happen during the regular season. Joel Embiid could repeat as league MVP under new 76ers head coach Nick Nurse or Nikola Jokic could win his unprecedented third league MVP as Denver looks to defend its crown.
Jokic is the favorite to win MVP (+450), but I believe there’s value in betting on Devin Booker at 18/1 odds (+1800). He didn’t receive a single vote last season after finishing fourth in voting in the 2021-22 season. Last season, Booker averaged 27.6 points (career-high), 5.5 assists, and 4.5 rebounds. He also shot 49.4% from the field and 35.1% from three-point range.
Heading into this season, Booker will be a part of a Phoenix team that features Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Jusuf Nurkic. With their collection of talent and a new head coach (Frank Vogel), the Suns will try to get the Suns back to the Western Conference finals.
For Booker to win MVP, Phoenix must finish with a top-3 record out West, and he has to lead the team in scoring. There’s always a possibility that Booker and Durant (+1400) split votes because the Suns’ success will largely rest on their shoulders.
However, with Chris Paul at Golden State, Vogel could look for Booker to be a facilitator while still getting his points. If Phoenix gets off to a fast start, Booker’s odds could quickly shorten as they try to get back to the top of the West.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama is currently the favorite to win Rookie of the Year (+100), but do not write off Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren.
Holmgren missed his rookie season with a Lisfranc injury but is healthy and ready to help the Thunder reach the postseason. The former Gonzaga star is looking to join Ben Simmons and Blake Griffin as rookies who missed their first seasons in the NBA but won Rookie of the Year the following year.
The 21-year-old big man had an impressive Summer League in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, averaging 16.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks in 29.8 minutes per game. If the Thunder can build off what they did last season with Holmgren, he will have a compelling case to win ROY.
Sengun is quietly being underrated in the MIP race after what he did last season with the Rockets. The 21-year-old center posted career highs with 14.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. Sengun also started in 72 out of 75 games last season – a noticeable improvement from his rookie season.
We should expect Sengun’s play to improve as he will be playing with veteran point guard Fred VanVleet, who hasn’t played with a center of Sengun’s caliber. He played alongside Pascal Siakam in Toronto, who is one of the better power forwards in the NBA. I like Sengun’s chances of winning MIP, especially if he averages a double-double and continues to show that he can get others involved.
It’s weird to think about Chris Paul winning Sixth Man of the Year after all the things he’s accomplished over his career. However, he’s likely not a starter in Golden State but could be the perfect candidate to lead their second unit. Last season, Paul averaged 13.9 points, 8.9 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game.
The 2022-23 season was a noticeably down year for Paul, but maybe coming off the bench could get him back to the point guard we’ve seen over the last few years.
However, if you still don’t think the multiple-time All-Star guard has a chance to win it, here’s something to keep in mind. Over the last 10 years, nine guards have won the Sixth Man of the Year award. The only time a guard didn’t win was Montrezl Harrell in the 2019-20 season.
After finishing third in the DPOY voting last season, Mobley has a good chance this season. He and reigning winner Jaren Jackson Jr. are the favorites.
Last season, Mobley was stellar on the defensive end, averaging 1.5 blocks per game (ninth in the NBA) and was first in defensive wins shares (4.8). He also had a defensive rating of 108, fifth in the NBA.
The former USC standout did a fantastic job anchoring the Cavaliers’ defense last season with Jarrett Allen. Cleveland finished first in Defensive Rating (110.6) and opponents’ points per game (106.9).
Allen receives a majority of the attention in Cleveland’s frontcourt for his shot-blocking prowess and rebounding, but we shouldn’t forget about the 22-year-old Mobley, who is still coming into his own.
Check out some top stats futures options from DraftKings
With the 2023-24 NBA regular season set to tip off on Oct. 24, it’s the perfect time to look at some player stats futures on DraftKings Sportsbook. Most basketball bettors only bet on player awards such as MVP, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player, and Defensive Player of the Year.
However, there’s value when betting on how many points a player will score or how many rebounds per game they will grab. If you want to bet on LeBron James’ points per game or Nikola Jokic’s assists per game average, bettors can do that and add it to their futures market portfolio.
Below, I’ll look at some of my favorite player stats futures and why bettors should consider placing a unit on them before Opening Night.
Edwards looks ready to take that next step this season after his performance in the FIBA World Cup. The former No. 1 overall pick scored 18.6 points per game, which included a 35-point performance against Lithuania.
Over his first three seasons in the Association, Edwards’ scoring average has gone up, along with his shot attempts. As a rookie, the 6-foot-4 shooting guard scored 19.3 points per game on 41.7 percent shooting from the field (16.8 field goal attempts) and 32.9 percent from beyond the arc (7.2 attempts per game).
Fast forward a couple of years later, the 22-year-old guard is coming off an impressive 2022-23 season, where he averaged 24.6 points per game on 45.9 percent shooting from the field (19.5 field goal attempts per game) and 36.9 percent from deep (7.3 attempts per game).
Minnesota will be looking for him to be the focal point despite having Karl Anthony-Towns in the frontcourt. If Edwards continues to shoot at a 45 percent clip from the field this season, he should see another increase in his scoring.
Claxton played well last season as a full-time starter for the Brooklyn Nets. The 6-foot-11 center racked up a career-high 9.2 rebounds in 29.9 minutes per game. The former Georgia standout also posted a career-best 17.4 total rebound percentage.
Claxton’s previous career high was in the 2020-21 season, with a 15.4 total rebound percentage. However, he only recorded 5.2 rebounds per game (32 games played). I like the 24-year-old center to have another career year on the boards, as the Nets’ depth at center leaves much to be desired. The second and third-string centers are Day’Ron Sharpe and rookie forward Noah Clowney. Shape only played 48 games with the big-league club last season, averaging 4.2 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per game.
Sharpe should have a bigger role this season behind Claxton. However, Claxton is by far the best rebounder on the Nets. And if the young center stays out of foul trouble, he could average a double-double.
This number seems low for LaVine, who averaged 2.9 three-point field goals made per game over the last three seasons. He’s a volume scorer and shooter, which works for the Bulls, who also have DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic.
Last season, the 28-year-old guard shot a healthy 37.5 percent from three-point range on 2.6 three-point field goals made per game. LaVine also took 7.1 attempts per game from distance for the second-straight season.
Overall, the two-time All-Star has gone OVER 2.7 threes made per game in three out of his last four seasons. With Chicago not making many moves in the offseason, it will be up to LaVine to help the Bulls improve their three-point shooting from last season (36.1 percent, 16th in the NBA).
Other bets to consider: Darius Garland OVER 7.9 assists per game (-115), Josh Giddey OVER 6.5 assists per (-115), and LeBron James UNDER 2.3 threes made per game (-110).
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