Jerami Grant Overtakes Christian Wood as Favorite in Latest 2021 NBA Most Improved Player Odds
- Jerami Grant has become the favorite in odds to win Most Improved Player
- Christian Wood’s ankle injury has ruled him out for a prolonged period knocking him off favorite status
- See the updated odds and betting advice below
Christian Wood has been sidelined with a gruesome ankle injury. It’s unclear how long Wood will be out for, but it has already impacted the NBA Most Improved Player odds. Jerami Grant has leapfrogged Wood to become the betting favorite.
Despite a raft of players making marked improvements this season, the Most Improved Player market has focused in on Grant, Wood and Celtics star Jaylen Brown. Which players represent the best betting value?
2021 NBA Most Improved Player Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Jerami Grant | +100 |
| Christian Wood | +200 |
| Jaylen Brown | +350 |
| Collin Sexton | +1600 |
| Chris Boucher | +2400 |
| Dejounte Murray | +3600 |
| Julius Randle | +4900 |
| Michael Porter Jr | +4900 |
Odds taken on Feb 10 from FanDuel
Jerami Grant Keeps Going
Grant opted to sign with the Pistons for a bigger role. He’s got exactly what he wanted. Grant is averaging career-highs across the board, and there’s no sign of his numbers dropping off. Grant’s 17.7 shot attempts per contest is by far the most of his career, and with Killian Hayes injured and Derrick Rose traded, Grant’s averages could continue to increase.
Scoring 24 per game – over 10 points more than his previous career best – shooting almost 40% from three, over 48% from the floor and over 87% from the free throw line, everything about Grant’s season screams Most Improved. These are the seasons the award exists for.
Jerami Grant career 30-point games
First 458 games: 0
Last 20 games: 5 pic.twitter.com/rzKVDd5aFL— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 10, 2021
There was skepticism about his ability to lead an offense. Grant is proving people wrong. He’s not only putting up numbers, he’s doing it efficiently. He’s well-deserving of his status as Most Improved Player favorite, but at such a short price, bettors should be wary. Grant is not lacking in competition for this award.
Uncertainty Over Wood
Christian Wood’s ankle injury looked awful. He was evidently in a lot of pain. Fortunately for the Rockets, though, there have been reports that it isn’t as bad as first feared. Wood exited the game on a wheelchair, and the expectation was he would miss an ‘extended period’. Stephen Silas claimed the injury will be reviewed on a weekly basis, as reported by USA Today.
Wood injured the same ankle earlier in the season and missed just three games. While this absence will be longer, bettors have no certainty about how long he will be out.
After injuring his ankle, Christian Wood tried to shoot his free throws.
His teammates convinced him to go back to the locker room. pic.twitter.com/bvQz366l0p
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 5, 2021
Providing Wood doesn’t miss much more than a couple of weeks, he will still be in the mix for this award. He has taken a very real leap since signing in Houston. His minutes are up by almost ten, his scoring has increased by a similar margin, and he ranks 28th in the league in true shooting.
Much like Grant, it’s a case of increased workload more than anything for Wood. He was seventh in true shooting last season, and he put in countless big performances after Andre Drummond was traded.
Christian Wood is 1 of 5 players averaging 20 points, 10 rebounds and 55% FG pct this season.
The others? Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Domantas Sabonis. pic.twitter.com/RY1sC9dPB5
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 5, 2021
If he was to return to the court in the next week or two, +200 is a great price. Perhaps the Rockets being more competitive than Detroit could serve as a tiebreaker for some voters if it came down to Wood versus Grant. For now, though, it’s worth holding off until there’s more clarity on this injury.
Other Options
Still nowhere near halfway through the season, a lot of players could still play their way into the mix. Jaylen Brown’s candidacy is strong so far, though he will likely see his shot attempts decrease as Kemba Walker gets into rhythm. It’s harder to make a case as Most Improved when the player averaged over 20 in the previous season – Brown is an All-Star, but his leap in 2021 is unlikely to be as dramatic as Grant or Wood.
De'Aaron Fox recorded at least 15 points and 5 assists in a quarter for the 2nd time this season. All other players have recorded 2 such quarters combined (1 by Luka Doncic and 1 by Chris Paul). pic.twitter.com/fUN03h4NLx
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 10, 2021
Brandon Ingram won the award last season on a bad team. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder are not going to be competitive, but the former Clipper guard has been great. He’s settled in well as the lead ball handler. Gilgeous-Alexander hasn’t had as drastic a scoring leap as Grant or Wood, though, which again might hold him back despite averaging almost double as many assists and improving his shooting percentages.
Fresh off Western Conference Player of the Week honors, De’Aaron Fox is an interesting longshot bet to consider. His season averages don’t leap off the screen, but he’s been playing superb basketball in recent weeks. Although only averaging 23.4 points per game on the season, Fox has scored 30 or more in four of his last six. If he can keep his three-point shooting in the 36% range, it will be difficult for voters to ignore him.
Sam Cox is a freelance writer and sports junkie, who has spent the past several years immersed in the online gaming industry. He has worked with 888sport, Oddschecker, and Colossus Bets to name a few. Based in the UK, Sam also runs Franchise Sports with his brother.
