Bet Draymond Green to Stay in Top Spot Over Rudy Gobert for NBA Defensive Player of the Year

The Golden State Warriors have the No.1 ranked defense in the NBA in terms of points allowed per game at 100.6. They are also first in opponents turnovers and second in opponent points in the paint and opponent assists per game. 

While this has been a team effort thus far in 2021, one man stands above the rest in terms of defensive prowess on the Warriors. That man is Draymond Green; who just overtook three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz.

Now that we’re roughly a quarter of the way through the NBA season, let’s review where the current NBA DPOY odds are at and make some predictions based on the latest odds at at WynnBET Sportsbook: 

Odds to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year

• Draymond Green: +150
• Rudy Gobert: +225
• Giannis Antetokounmpo: +650
• Anthony Davis: +1400
• Joel Embiid: +1800
• Mikal Bridges: +2000
• Myles Turner: +2500

The Defensive Player of the Year is Draymond Green's to Lose

At this point in the season, it is a two-man race, despite Green not opening near the top of the favorites at the start of the year. In fact, Green opened way down the line at around +2500 to win in the preseason.

One factor that has helped him along is the new makeup of the Warriors. The team got a lot younger and with the new personnel they brought in, it’s clear that defense was on the mind. Green is the biggest reason why the Warriors currently lead the league in defensive efficiency and are holding opponents to 97.5 points per 100 possessions. The Warriors not only have the best defense in the NBA but also tied with the Phoenix Suns for the best record as of today at 20-4.

It’s important to realize that Green is not the kind of defender that fills up the stat sheet the way someone like Gobert does on a nightly basis. Glossing over his stats and rankings against the league, it’s easy to question why Green is sitting atop this list. He doesn’t average a ton of rebounds per game, or blocks, or even steals. Rather, it's his intangibles and presence that make you have to watch him to understand.

Think of how some cornerbacks or safeties in the NFL make a meaningful impact just by being on the field. Players like Richard Sherman or Darrelle Revis in their prime come to mind. When you look at the stat sheet on them, you could easily get confused into thinking they were below average for the lack of basic numbers: tackles, interceptions, breakups etc. In reality, they are so good that quarterbacks don’t throw in their direction and therefore can’t create takeaways or tip passes. This is where you have to look beyond the box score. Defense is often more intangible than offense and requires a lot more understanding than points scored and assists. 

In an event, if the Warriors continue to win and maintain the best defense in the league, Green should be a good bet moving forward. Especially if you nabbed him early on in the year.