Betsided

Bet Jaren Jackson Jr. and Mikal Bridges, Not Draymond Green for Defensive Player of the Year

By Matt De Saro

While the NBA DPOY race has been between two men for the last two years, there are better value options further down the board.
While the NBA DPOY race has been between two men for the last two years, there are better value options further down the board. / Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
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We are now more than three months into the 2021-22 NBA regular season but not much has changed in the hunt for the Defensive Player of the Year Award. It continues to be a two-man race with the previous two winners, Draymond Green and Rudy Gobert, jockeying for position. As of this writing, Green (+100) has a slight edge over Gobert (+175). The latter is trying to win his fourth DPOY award and tie the all-time record. 

While the pair are favored for a reason, they don't present much value compared to some of the other names on the odds board. Let’s take a look at the board from WynnBET Sportsbook and highlight a few worthy contenders.

Odds to Win NBA Defensive Player of the Year

  • Draymond Green +100
  • Rudy Gobert +175
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo +700
  • Jaren Jackson Jr. +800
  • Mikal Bridges +2200
  • Evan Mobley +3000
  • Joel Embiid +3000
  • Jarrett Allen +4500
  • Myles Turner +5000
  • Matisse Thybulle +6500

Jaren Jackson Jr. +800

Jackson is making a strong push towards the top 3 in the DPOY race after earning his first All-Star appearance last week. He also earned a new nickname, the “Block Panther,” thanks to his 2.3 blocks per game for the Grizzlies. He is already living up to the new moniker with six blocks on Friday night against the Jazz. Jackson also had two steals and five rebounds in the win over the Jazz. Jackson now has 50 blocks in January and leads his next closest competitor, Mylers Turner, by 19 since the new year. While he remains a risky bet, he has earned his spot in the conversation and maybe a look in the futures market. 

Mikal Bridges +2200

Despite a massive gap between Bridges and Green in terms of betting odds, there are only three spots between them on the ladder. Bridges is a first-timer in this race but has earned his spot as one of the stronger perimeter defenders in the league. Because of this, the Suns are considered by some to be the best defense in the NBA due to their defense on the wing. While his stats don't jump off the page, just watch a few minutes of a Suns game and you will see the difference Bridges makes when he is on the court. At just 25-years-old, Bridges is going to be a force on the perimeter for years to come. 

Follow all of Matt De Saro’s betting picks HERE

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