NBA Awards Odds 2023: Favorites, sleepers for Sixth Man of the Year, Most Improved Player, Defensive Player of the Year

Three months into the 2022-23 NBA regular season, the awards races for MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Most Improved Player and Rookie of the Year are starting to take shape, and the betting markets are reacting accordingly.

Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, and Most Improved Player tend to fall through the cracks, at least when compared to MVP and ROY, but there’s value in betting on these specific futures markets. Currently, Jaren Jackson Jr. is the overwhelming favorite to win the DPOY, Lauri Markkanen is the favorite to win the MIP, and Russell Westbrook has played well off the bench for the Lakers this season and is the favorite to win Sixth Man. . of the year.

However, these three players might not remain favorites for long, and with plenty of season remaining, it’s worth looking at other legitimate contenders for all three awards. Below, we’ll take a look at the latest BetMGM odds before detailing the favorites and best values.

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2023 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Odds

All odds courtesy of BetMGM

Player Odds Russell Westbrook, Lakers +115 Malcolm Brogdon, Celtics +175 Tyrese Maxey, 76ers +600 Norman Powell, Clippers +900 Bennedict Mathurin, Pacers +2500 Jordan Poole, Warriors +5000 Bogdan Bogdanovic, Hawks +6600 Malik Monk, Kings + 6600 Immanuel Quickley, Knicks +12500 Nah’Shon Hyland, Nuggets +12500 Bobby Portis, Bucks +12500 Malik Beasley, Jazz +12500 Christian Wood, Mavericks +15000 Colin Sexton, Jazz +15000 Brandon Clarke, Grizzlies +25000 Bruce Brown, Nuggets + 25,000 Cameron Payne, Suns +25,000 Trey Murphy III, Pelicans +25,000 Jaylen Nowell, Timberwolves +25,000 Max Strus, Heat +25,000 John Wall, Clippers +30,000 Anfernee Simons, Trail Blazers +50,000 Cameron Johnson, Suns +50,000 Kevin Love, Cavaliers + 50,000 Jose Alvarado, Pelicans +50,000 Caris LeVert, Cavaliers +50,000 NBA Sixth Man of the Year 2023 Odds: Favorite

Russell Westbrook, Lakers (+115). Westbrook is a slight favorite over Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon to win the Sixth Man of the Year (+175) earlier this month. No one knew how the 34-year-old guard would play or react coming off the bench this season for the Lakers, but he is surprisingly thriving in the role. The former league MVP is averaging 15.8 points, 7.5 assists and 6.3 rebounds in 28.7 minutes per game.

Those are notable lows for Westbrook, but he gives the Lakers another off-the-bench point guard they need to be competitive. Last season, Heat guard Tyler Herro won the Sixth Man of the Year award, averaging 20.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. Herro also shot 43.7% from the field and 37.2% from three-pointers. We shouldn’t expect Westbrook to replicate those shooting percentages, but if he can keep stuffing the stat sheet, the money will keep pouring in on him.

NBA Sixth Man of the Year 2023 Odds: Best Value Bet

Tyrese Maxey, 76ers (+600). At the start of the regular season, no one thought Maxey would be in the conversation for Sixth Man of the Year, as he was the Sixers’ starting two guard. However, Maxey missed 18 games through injury, leading to De’Anthony Melton taking over. As for Maxey, he’s embraced the idea of ​​coming off the bench, which is good news for the Sixers, who are one of the best teams in the East.

In nine games off the bench this season, the former first-round pick is producing 14.7 points per game while shooting 44.3% from the field and 35.6% from deep. It’s a noticeable drop from his numbers as a starter (22.5 ppg, 45.3% FG, 39.6% 3pt), but Maxey could have a run at the price, especially if Philly can stay in the top three. seeds in the East. However, keep that in mind, only three players since the 2000-01 season have won the Sixth Man of the Year award aged 22 or under (Herro, James Harden and Ben Gordon).

Other sleepers to consider for Sixth Man of the Year: Norman Powell, Clippers (+900); Benoit Mathurin, Pacers (+2500)

NBA Most Improved Player of the Year 2023 Odds Player Odds Lauri Markkanen, Jazz -150 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder +135 Jalen Brunson, Knicks +2500 Nicolas Claxton, Nets +2500 Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers +4000 Alperen Sengun, Rockets + 4000 Jordan Poole, Warriors +12500 Anfernee Simons, Trail Blazers +15000 Tyrese Maxey, 76ers +15000 Desmond Bane, Grizzlies +15000 Kyle Kuzma, Wizards +15000 NBA Most Improved Player of the Year 2023 Odds: Favorite

Lauri Markkanen, Jazz (-150). The Most Improved Player of the Year award has come under intense scrutiny over recent seasons, particularly with Ja Morant winning it last season and Luka Doncic finishing in the top three of the 2019-20 season against Devonte’ Graham. However, we shouldn’t have any problems this season as it’s currently a two-man race between Markkanen and OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+135).

Markkanen played crazy in his first season with the Jazz. Many fans and analysts believed Utah would enter the Victor Wembanyama contest and possibly trade Markkanen for more assets to help with their rebuild. But Markkanen quieted that noise, as he averaged career highs across the board with 24.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. Markkanen is also on the cusp of a 50/40/90 season, shooting 52% from the field, 43.2% from three and 87.5% from the free throw line. That’s an impressive stat line for a player who has averaged 16.8 points per game over his career and could be an All-Star this season.

2023 NBA Most Improved Player of the Year Odds: Best Value Bet

Jalen Brunson, Knicks (+2500). The former Villanova standout has played well as the Knicks’ starting point guard this season, averaging 22.8 points, 6.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game. He also has an offensive rating (ORtg) of 121 (the second highest of his career) and an OWS of 4.2 (offensive win share).

As impressive as those stats are, Brunson will need a lot to win this award. He will need Markkanen and Gilgeous-Alexander to continue on cold streaks and/or run out of time through injury. It wouldn’t be a shock to see SGA shut down early as the OKC starts to tank, but the Jazz have won enough to keep them in the game conversation at least for most of the year. If Brunson keeps the Knicks in the playoff picture, he’ll get votes.

Other sleepers to consider for Most Improved Player of the Year: Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers (+4,000); Alperen Sengun, Rockets (+4000)

NBA Defensive Player of the Year 2023 Odds Player Odds Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies -185 Nic Claxton, Nets +350 Bam Adebayo, Heat +600 Brook Lopez, Bucks +1000 Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks +3300 Draymond Green, Warriors +5000 Evan Mobley, Cavaliers +5000 OG Anunoby, Raptors +5000 Joel Embiid, 76ers +6600 Jarrett Allen, Cavaliers +6600 NBA Defensive Player of the Year 2023 Odds: Favorite

Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies (-185). Bettors believe this is Jackson Jr.’s price to lose, as he has continued to improve and dominate defensively, averaging 3.3 blocks per game and ranks third overall ( 114) behind Brook Lopez and Nic Claxton (126). JJJ is that big, two-way man the Grizzlies were hoping for when they drafted him in 2018.

The young power forward is currently third in the entire NBA in defensive zone plus/minus (2.6). However, he leads the league in defensive rating (DRtg) with 103.6 and is first in blocking percentage (10.8). It’s been a stellar season for Jackson Jr., but he’ll have competition for the prize money, as Claxton (+350) has been a nice upset in the middle for the Nets this season. There is no value in betting on Jackson Jr. at -185 until there is a slip in his defensive metrics over the next few weeks.

2023 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds: Best Value Bet

Brook Lopez, Bucks (+1000). Lopez had early momentum for Defensive Player of the Year after a blistering start that saw him post defensive ratings of 102 and 107 in October and November. Nevertheless, the veteran center was passed by Jackson Jr., Adebayo and Claxton.

However, at his current odds of 10/1, Lopez isn’t a bad bet for the award, as he’s ranked near the top in a few notable categories. For starters, he’s tied for the league lead in blocks (126) with Claxton and ranked third in blocks per game (2.5). The 34-year-old big man is also ranked fifth in block percentage (6.9) and has a defensive rating (DRtg) of 109. Unlike Jackson Jr., Lopez is often upstaged by a defensive teammate (Giannis Antetokounmpo), but bettors should keep an eye out for him to hopefully move up the board by the all-star break.

Other sleepers to consider for Defensive Player of the Year: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks (+3,300); Evan Mobley, riders (+5000)