NBA Award Prop Picks get defensive at this juncture of the 2022-23 NBA season. Bovada online sportsbook from Las Vegas rolls out numbers on some of the more obscure awards. These lie a little off the beaten path but can feature some unique ways to wager not thought of. Here are some of the nominees for NBA Defensive Player Of The Year.
NBA Defensive Player Of Year Props | ||
---|---|---|
Jaren Jackson Jr. | -175 | -150 |
Nicolas Claxton | +300 | +350 |
Bam Adebayo | +550 | +600 |
Brook Lopez | +700 | +750 |
Giannis Antetokounmpo | +3000 | +3000 |
OG Annuoby | +3500 | +3800 |
Evan Mobley | +4000 | +4200 |
Draymond Green | +5000 | +4500 |
NBA Award Prop Picks shine the light on Nicolas Claxton. One of the first things Jacques Vaughn managed to do was utilize a defensive stopper. He has employed that everywhere. Brooklyn became no exception, and a gem was unearthed when Nicolas Claxton began to step up during Brooklyn’s first-half run. Steadily, the center known as “The Slim Reaper” got more and more time on the court. It was then that the pivot got noticed.
Bluntly, Brooklyn found itself with a young gem. Claxton blends speed, a long wingspan, and a brilliant ability to occupy space. Sure, he averages nearly 14 points a game but almost nine rebounds a contest in just 29 minutes of action. Since December 15th, Claxton has averaged nearly 32 minutes a night and is a huge plus on the defensive side when he is on the court.
The Durant injury helped Claxton in ways not foreseen. This spotlight aided the center immensely as he was allowed to get time against tougher competition. Now, those results may not have always been the greatest. However, Claxton proved that he belongs in the discussion for Defensive Player Of The Year. One big number sticks out; he leads the league in blocks with 126.
Therefore, NBA Award Prop Picks believes in the Brooklyn slender swingman. Honestly, that +300 number is solid. The idea is to go down the board a bit, but I hope that Claxton’s number lengthens a little. There brings us to the favorite and a few other conversational pieces. On the other hand, a few dollars can always be placed on the Brooklyn Net defender.
Yes, the favorite is Jaren Jackson Jr. for NBA Award Prop Picks. NBA fans get pumped every time they see Memphis on the court. Granted, Ja Morant represents an all-world talent with MVP possibilities. Yet, if not for Jackson Jr, Morant would not be in his position every night. The Plainfield, New Jersey native was a matchup nightmare in high school before going to Michigan State.
At Michigan State, Tom Izzo said the center was one of the most brilliant movers without the ball he had seen in decades. Offensively, his positioning helps him score, but defensively, Jackson Jr. takes things to another level. Besides averaging 3.4 blocks per contest, the pivot pins some great talent to the perimeter and keeps offensive rebounders off that glass quite well.
Now, this race gets rough, and Jackson Jr. makes this quite intriguing. Again, some excellent NBA Vegas prop bets remain on the docket. With so many awards and other wagers for the taking, there are other ways to spend one’s money.
One problem for the center is his home/road splits. It is not a secret that Taylor Jenkins utilizes him differently at home. On the road, Jackson Jr.’s averages take a hit. That must be noted. Again, the NBA Award Prop Picks feature a few more choices and possibilities for Defensive Player Of The Year.
The NBA Award Prop Picks considers Draymond Green as not such a wise bet here. Last year, the Golden State Warriors won the NBA Championship with Green and a ride-or-die attitude. Green provided the defensive goods at times, and yet it seemed others stepped up better on his own team. That was the argument, anyway. Do not shoot the messenger.
So, every candidate for an award is far from perfect. Nicolas Claxton does not always assert himself in big spots. Jaren Jackson Jr. played only 34 games and is more of a home threat. Then, there is Green. The Warriors’ Power Forward comes in at almost 33 years old. It is hard to believe that this is his 11th year in the NBA.
Yes, we can relay a message to Draymond Green. Coming in at +4500 to +5000 bodes poorly for his hopes. He blocks fewer shots, causes fewer turnovers, and is not quite the presence he once was. There are times when Green still dominates. However, those occurrences happen less and less often.
For the NBA Award Prop Picks, consider that +5000 number, but maybe toss a few dollars on it as more of a wing and prayer. Green, otherwise, is not worth the money or the time.
Simply, the reason why it’s hard on Draymond Green and some of the others in the running for the DPOY is this. Green won it before. Giannis Antetokounmpo (+3000) won it too. Between the two, they have been on the All-Defensive team a whopping 12 times. This feels like an award that does not reward the “old hat err veterans,” if you will. It seemed four or five positions were dominant until Marcus Smart shocked everyone and won the award last season.
Rudy Gobert won three times, and Kawhi Leonard (a 3 who plays more like a four) triumphed twice. That said, we lean toward Claxton of the Nets at +300 because of his consistency between home and road.
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Chris Wassel is someone who has covered a little bit of everything: business, writing, sports, food, grilling, the Olympics, injuries, politics, and more. He has climbed mountains like Mount Washington and Mount San Jacinto in Palm Springs, California, and for those who don’t know, he is also big into food challenges. With friends like Joey Chestnut and Casey Webb, Chris has tackled eating feats like finishing a 16-pound turkey or a 32-inch meat lover's pizza. Since 2013, he has focused on fitness, fishing, and sports while managing to fit in running, hiking, rock climbing, and even the occasional mini-triathlon. He can lift more than his body weight with ease and is the person you turn to when you want to know if a NASCAR rain delay means a Monday race. Over his career, Chris has worked at places like Amazon, USA Today, and various rumors and fantasy sports sites. He has been nominated for awards such as the Fantasy Sports Writers Association's Hockey Writer of the Year and has a collection of high-stakes fantasy trophies and rings on display at home. With all this, Chris sums it up best with his motto: "Shut up and play."