NBA odds, picks: Scottie Barnes and Rudy Gobert have strong value in different awards races – CBS Sports
Week 3 of the 2023-24 NBA season began on Monday and this year’s market for futures bets remains very interesting. There’s still tremendous value for some players while others could solidify themselves as runaway favorites in the weeks ahead. Are you looking to find who’s worth keeping an eye on? We’ve got you covered.
Defensive Player of the Year: Rudy Gobert (+1000)
Gobert is proving that he’s still a capable defensive anchor. The former Utah Jazz center has helped the Minnesota Timberwolves post a league-best defensive rating of 100.7 through six games. Minnesota held the Boston Celtics‘ prolific offense to 109 points in an overtime win on Monday. That’s a strong measuring stick for how good this Timberwolves group is defensively and they’ll surely draw a lot more attention if they keep performing this well. Jaren Jackson Jr. (+800) is the odds-on favorite alongside Evan Mobley despite the Memphis Grizzlies being winless, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Gobert gains ground on them in the coming weeks.
Most Improved Player: Scottie Barnes (+500)
Tyrese Maxey (+250) has long been the odds-on favorite, but everyone expected him to make another significant leap given Harden’s pursuit of a trade. He’s the second-best player on a very good team and could make an All-Star leap. Barnes is the more enticing option to me, as he appears to have overtaken Pascal Siakam as the Toronto Raptors‘ best player early on. He’s essentially matching Maxey’s scoring and playmaking production while being a far better rebounder and a plus defender. Being an offensive engine who notches three or more stocks (steals + blocks) per game makes him well worth a wager at this point.
