I've been having a look at NBA Markets and have made a few bets. Here is what I think and I'd be interested to hear anyone elses opinions. A lot of the sub markets are not on oddschecker, so I've done a bit of trawling.
Obviously you can't get on with half of these bookies but I'm sure other people can. I can help in some if people have an opinion that these are good bets. I would also welcome feedback for myself from NBA fans.
-Top scorer (avg. points per game)-Last year this market went Curry 30.1, Harden 29, Durant 28.2....Westbrook 23.5.
Now of course Durant and Curry are now on the same team, so it seems that they will each take less shots this season, though of course both will score highly and should make the top 5 or 6 in the list. Conversely Westbrook will be the main and perhaps only man in OKC and should score significantly more. Harden remains one of the most potent offensive weapons in the NBA and crucially he is something of a one man team. He is playing with a new coach in a new system and Houston looks likely to be in a battle to secure a playoff place so he will get a lot of minutes. LeBron should have his minutes managed during the regular season and spend time on the bench as the Cavs save him for the playoffs. Blake Griffin is an outsider but I'm going with Harden.
Here's an article about how Harden can thrive under the system of his new coach
http://hardwoodparoxysm.com/2016/06/01/james-harden-pick-and-roll-mike-dantoni-rockets-steve-nash/I've only found this market in a couple of places and Westbrook seems to be the favourite, incorrectly in my view
Recommend £20 James Harden NBA Top scorer 3/1 BFSB-Coach of the year-http://www.oddschecker.com/basketball/nba/nba-championship/coach-of-the-yearI really like the Celtics Brad Stevens for this at 8/1. He really seems like a coaches coach and highly regarded by the media who are talking him up. His reduilding project with the Celtics is taking shape (24 wins 2014, 48 wins 2016) and adding Al Horford could be a major piece of the puzzle in Boston meaning they record the second or third best record in the East. Of his rivals, Popovich is regarded by many as the best coach, but in the first season in San Antonio without Tim Duncan there will be readjustments and I feel the Spurs won't be quite as strong as last year. Steve Kerr won the award last year despite not being there for half the games. Sure his team will probably have the best record again, but they will have to play out of their skins for him to be regarded as doing the best job. As for the Cavs, Tyron Lue took over last year, steadied the ship and led them to the title and could do again. Its hard to shake of LeBron's hold on this team though and he seems to be regarded as the primary influence rather than the coach. A lively outsider is Thibodeau of Minnesota but his team might not even make the playoffs.
I think a well regarded coach in an improving team has a good shot for this. The team doesn't have any real superstars, so if they have a good year, the coach could be the one to get rewarded.
Recommend £20 Brad Stevens - Coach of the Year 8/1 Lads/WH-Atlantic Division-And following on from above, Boston are a team on the rise and Toronto perhaps overachieved last season. It is basically a two horse race and I think Horford's addition will be key in Celtics overhauling the 8 win difference from last season.
Recommend £20 Boston Celtics - Evens - Atlantic Division - WH
-Most improved player-An odd award and a wide open field. Only found markets on triple8/unib and 32r - all at the same odds.
I like the top two in the market here and they are justified to be up there as they will be starters this season. Dennis Schroeder (5/1) will be stepping into a starting role with the Hawks, he has a lot to prove but will get 10-15 minutes more per game on the court and more responsibility to show what he can do this season. Devin Booker (11/2) will start for the Suns but his team will have to put up some wins to make an impact but he could have an excellent season. D'Angelo Russell (8/1) will be point guard in a rebuilding Kobe-less Lakers team. He is very raw and unproven so anything can happen.
There are two longshots that I like. Giannis Antetokounmpo (26/1) of the Bucks is even being talked about by some as a possible all star this year and a future superstar, the 'Greak Freak' excelled after the All Star game last season putting up great numbers. He has a unique set of physical characteristics that get people very excited (a tall ball handler. 6'11 playing Point Guard) and although his team may struggle to make the playoffs, if he can maintain those numbers for the whole season then he has a great shot at this award, especially if the Bucks can snag a playoff spot.
Zach LaVine (30/1) will get a lot of minutes in a young Timberwolves team. He averaged 16.4 points after the All Star break last year and could benefit from the arrival of a new highly regarded coach in Minnesota. Tom Thibodeau helped Jimmy Butler become a top Shooting Guard in Chicago and he could help LaVine take the next step up in an exciting team.
Recommend £10 each LaVine 30/1 and Antetokounmpo Most Improved Player award 888/32red/Unibet-All NBA First Team-Only a market for this on PP. Second year Minnesota player Karl-Anthony Towns has been talked up a lot as starting centre in the ALL NBA team from what I've read. The Timberwolves look like they will be an exciting team to watch. It seems like Towns will be the future holder of the Centre spot on this team, he is an amazing talent and has huge potential the question is whether he will make the breakthough this season or if it will take one or two more to get ahead of Cousins, Jordan and Drummond. There isn't an obvious choice as the best centre in the league I think he can do it this year and make the all NBA team and I'm having a bet.
Recommend £15 Karl-Anthony Towns 13/5, ALL NBA First team at PP
-Rookie of the Year-http://www.oddschecker.com/basketball/nba/nba-championship/rookie-of-the-yearNot the strongest crop this year and indeed the market is led by the 76ers Joel Embiid who has been injured for two years and is therefore still eligible. He has excited a lot of people pre-season though his minutes may be managed early on as his fitness is assessed and the 76ers have several talented big men. Top draft pick Ben Simmons (also 76ers) looked to be strong favourite for this, but an injury has put him out of contention for the beginning of the season. Brandon Ingram can score and will get minutes at the Lakers but many people have questioned his slight physicality and whether his perceived weak frame will be able to compete in the NBA just yet.
Two players who people seem to think are the most NBA ready are Kris Dunn and Buddy Hield. They were top two in a recent poll of GMs, Dunn being top.
http://www.nola.com/pelicans/index.ssf/2016/10/gms_pick_buddy_hield_to_finish.htmlDunn joins a Minnesota team beginning mostly as back up for Rubio, but could get more minutes if they go with two a two Point Guard lineup at times. With the crowded Timberwolves backcourt he may not get enough minutes in his rookie season to win this award but a Minnesota player has won this the last two years but backups generally don't win it.
With players missing at the start of the season Hield might get early minutes for the Pelicans. He is a pure shooter and their two best three pointers (Anderson and Gordon) left in the close season. But it was announced that he hasn't won a place as a starter.
http://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/pelicans-etwaun-moore-named-starting-shooting-guard/He was going to be my pick but this news makes me hesitant, so no bet for me right now. Still considering. Would welcome other opinions.
Author