2021-22 NBA Award Odds & Betting Preview – Picks for DPOY, Most Improved and Sixth Man of the Year

• The 2021-22 NBA season begins on Tuesday (October 19th)
• OG Anunoby is a screaming value to win Most Improved Player
• See odds, analysis and best bets for the 2021-22 NBA Awards

The NBA is back. A brand new season gets underway on Tuesday (October 19th), but even though tip-off is imminent, there’s still time to get your futures wagers in.

There’s a variety of different ways to get a season-long sweat, but our focus here we’ll be in the Awards market. The Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, and Sixth Man of the Year categories have caught our attention, so check out the odds below, plus a few bets to target.

2021-22 NBA Most Improved Player Odds

All odds as of October 18th at DraftKings.

Anunoby In Line for More Opportunity

The first award we’ll tackle is Most Improved Player. Michael Porter Jr. of the Nuggets, and Kevin Porter Jr. of the Rockets are the front runners, but don’t sleep on the Raptors OG Anunoby.

Won't lie to you, watching OG Anunoby get better and better at creating his own offense is pretty entertaining. One week out! pic.twitter.com/3uPPqC6E7O

— Austin Kent (@AustinKent) October 12, 2021

The 24-year-old had arguably one of the most impressive preseasons of anyone in the league, and there should be lots of offensive opportunity staring him straight in the face. Kyle Lowry is gone, while Pascal Siakam is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. Anunoby’s usage jumped from 14.3 to 19.3 percent last season, and with those two big names out of the picture for now, we should see his usage increase even more.

OG Anunoby has been hailed as a breakout star for the @raptors in the coming #NBA season. 💪
He cemented his through his preseason performance as he averaged 19.2 PTS, 4 REB and 1.8 AST.#oganunoby #torontoraptors pic.twitter.com/LPCHgxtkj3

— Sportskeeda Basketball (@Basketball_SK) October 18, 2021

Fred VanVleet is on the record as saying OG will be the Raps go to guy, and that was certainly the case in the preseason. Anunoby averaged 19.2 points per game on 52% shooting, while burying 54.2% of his three-point looks. He’s added a couple new moves to his offensive repertoire, including a step-back three that’s reminiscent of a former Raptors great.

https://twitter.com/mmunshi03/status/1446997361197260802

Anunoby is already an elite defender capable of guarding all five positions, and with an increase in usage in store, he has the potential to ascend into one of the NBA’s premier all-around players.

Pick: OG Anunoby (+2000)

Davis Usurps Gobert for DPOY

Next up, is Defensive Player of the Year, an honor that has been dominated recently by the Jazz’s Rudy Gobert. The three-time winner is looking to become just the third player to ever claim the award four times, joining Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace.

2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds

Gobert’s +340 price tag is tough to stomach, but it is justifiable. He lead the league in defensive win shares by a wide margin last season, while finishing top-two in rebounds and blocks.

There’s little value to be found at his current price tag, but the same cannot be said of Anthony Davis. The Lakers are expected to play him much more at center this season, which should alleviate some of the wear and tear on his body. Instead of chasing players around the perimeter, he’ll be able to set up in the paint and anchor the LA defense.

Anthony Davis having a 7-foot-6 wingspan helps but the hand-eye coordination and body control to block this shot while falling away from Jimmy Butler is pretty outrageous pic.twitter.com/GZ0XetIXtO

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) October 10, 2020

Davis’ defensive play dropped off last season, mostly due to injuries, but a move into the middle should increase the amount of blocks, rebounds and steals he racks up on a nightly basis. Don’t forget this is a player who used to average nearly 3 blocks a game and over 1.5 steals when healthy.

Lakers head coach Frank Vogel prides himself on defense, and Davis is the best defender he’s got. The 28-year-old finished inside the top-five in defensive win shares in 2020, 2019, and 2018 and is line for a big season at the defensive end.

Pick: Anthony Davis (+650)

Herro Hauls In Sixth Man Honors

Last but not least, is the Sixth Man of the Year Award. Utah’s Jordan Clarkson took home honors last season, and is the favorite for the 2021-22 campaign as well. He’ll have some stiff competition from teammates Joe Ingles and Rudy Gay, as well as Heat sharpshooter Tyler Herro.

2021-22 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Odds

Herro packed on 15 pounds of muscle over the summer and absolutely dominated the preseason. He led all scorers with 112 points, shooting 51% from the field, 45% from three, and 90% from the free throw line.

Tyler Herro was hitting nothing but nylon tonight.

29 PTS
6 REB
5/6 3PM
66.6% FG

(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/SHhgPlKheC

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 16, 2021

Still just 21, Herro’s 22.4 preseason ppg average was the highest of any Miami player since LeBron James in 2011. Last year he averaged 15 points and 5 boards a game, but what the Heat are really banking on is him returning to the form he flashed in the Bubble.

Tyler Herro has spoken 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/vlpCF9ckfA

— ESPN (@espn) October 13, 2021

Herro averaged 16.5 points, 6 boards and 4 assists while helping lead Miami to the NBA Finals in 2020, and looks poised to ascend into the next tier of NBA stars.

Pick: Tyler Herro (+1000)