The 2013 NBA season tips off next week and we couldn’t be more excited. We love football, but I grew up in Indiana, so I was born with a basketball in my arms.
The preseason NBA player prop bets give you great value for your money, if you can wait 8-9 months for your payoff.
The favorites are no surprise. Lebron James has the best odds of winning the MVP award and the same with Kevin Durant and the scoring title. The is little to no value in picking either Lebron or Durant even though they are expected to have great seasons.
We go through all the NBA player prop bets and pick the ‘smart bet’ and the ‘long shot bet’ for each category.
Will Derrick Rose bounce back and win another MVP award? Will Steve Nash become an assist machine without Kobe Bryant on the court?
* All betting odds provided by Bovada.lv
2013-14 NBA MVP
LeBron James (MIA)- 3/2
Kevin Durant (OKC)- 4/1
Derrick Rose (CHI) – 11/2
Carmelo Anthony (NY) – 10/1
Chris Paul (LAC) – 10/1
Dwight Howard (HOU) – 14/1
James Harden (HOU)- 20/1
Kobe Bryant (LAL) – 25/1
Tony Parker (SAN) – 25/1
Russell Westbrook (OKC) – 33/1
Kryie Irving (CLE) – 33/1
Stephen Curry (GSW) – 33/1
Paul George (IND) – 33/1
Blake Griffin (LAC) – 33/1
Deron Williams (BRK) – 40/1
Tim Duncan (SA) – 50/1
Kevin Love (MIN) – 50/1
Dirk Nowitzki (DAL) – 50/1
Dwyane Wade (MIA) – 50/1
Anthony Davis (NOH) – 50/1
John Wall (WAS) – 75/1
Rajon Rondo (BOS) – 75/1
Pau Gasol (LAL) – 125/1
LaMarcus Aldridge (POR) – 125/1
Roy Hibbert (IND) – 125/1
Ty Lawson (DEN) – 150/1
Andre Iguodala (GSW) – 150/1
Brandon Jennings (DET) – 150/1
Kemba Walker (CHA) – 150/1
Monta Ellis (DAL) – 150/1
David Lee (GSW) – 150/1
Josh Smith (DET) – 150/1
Smart Bet – Derrick Rose – If you love Lebron, stay away. There is no value there. Remember, your money will be in Vegas for 8-9 months. Rose appears to be back to 100%. If he has a season like he did in 2011-12, the voters will vote him the MVP, even if Lebron has a better season.
Long Shot Bet – Carmelo Anthony – There is no realistic MVP long shot bet. It will be very hard for anyone not in the top 5 to pass all five of those players up to win the NBA MVP. This is a contract year for Melo, so expect him to shoot even more (if that’s even possible).
2013-14 NBA Rookie of the Year
Victor Oladipo (ORL) – 12/5
Cody Zeller (CHA) – 5/1
Ben McLemore (SAC) – 13/2
Kelly Olynyk (BOS) – 8/1
Michael Carter-Williams (PHI) – 9/1
Anthony Bennett (CLE) – 19/2
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (DET) – 12/1
Otto Porter (WAS) – 12/1
Tim Hardaway Jr. (NYK) – 12/1
Trey Burke (MIN) – 15/1
Shane Larkin (ATL) – 20/1
Alex Len (PHX) – 20/1
Shabazz Muhammad (UTAH) – 20/1
Sergey Karasev (CLE) – 25/1
Dennis Schroeder (ATL) – 30/1
Smart Bet – Victor Oladipo – The Magic will be horrible, but Oladipo will get a ton of minutes. You can easily be the NBA Rookie of the Year on a bad team. This award is all about opportunity and there’s a lot of it on a bad team.
Long Shot Bet – Alex Len or Shabazz Muhammed – The Suns just traded Marcin Gortat to the Wizards. They received Emeka Okafor, but they really need Len to heal up (they may need to start Miles Plumlee…yikes!). The Suns GM said Len will not be rushed back. If you believe the Suns will tank this season for a chance to get Andrew Wiggins, stay away from Len. Muhammed was an elite high school prospect, but failed at UCLA. I believe he will flourish in the NBA. He doesn’t have to worry about going to class or getting hurt in college and not getting drafted. He’ll have a good season in Utah.
2013-14 NBA Points Per Game Leader
Kevin Durant (OKC) – 7/5
Carmelo Anthony (NYK) – 3/1
LeBron James (MIA) – 7/2
Kobe Bryant (LAL) – 8/1
Derrick Rose (CHI) – 14/1
Stephen Curry (GS) – 14/1
James Harden (HOU) – 16/1
Kevin Love (MIN) – 25/1
Kyrie Irving (CLE) – 25/1
Dwyane Wade (MIA) – 50/1
Blake Griffin (LAC) – 50/1
Russell Westbrook (LAC) – 50/1
Dirk Notwitzki (DAL) – 50/1
LaMarcus Aldridge (POR) – 50/1
Paul George (IND) – 50/1
Tony Parker (SA) – 50/1
Deron Williams (BRK) – 50/1
John Wall (WAS)- 50/1
Chris Bosh (MIA) – 50/1
Dwight Howard (HOU) – 50/1
Smart Bet – Kevin Durant – There’s barely any value, but you have to assume that he’ll be shooting a lot with Westbrook recovering from his ACL injury.
Long Shot Bet – James Harden – There is A LOT of value in betting on Harden. Dwight Howard is now in town and is expected to take some shots away from him. To quote ESPN’s Lee Corso, “Not so fast, my friend!” Harden will still get his shots and benefit from Howard getting double-teamed in the paint. He’s a nice long shot bet, since the value’s there…might as well take it, right?
2013-14 NBA Rebounds Per Game Leader
Dwight Howard (HOU) – 1/1
Kevin Love (MIN) – 3/2
Nikola Vucevic (ORL) – 19/2
Anderson Varejao (CLE) – 16/1
Zach Randolph (MEM) – 20/1
DeMarcus Cousins (SAC) – 20/1
Joakim Noah (CHI) – 25/1
Al Horford (ATL) – 30/1
Al Jefferson (CHA) – 35/1
Andrew Bynum (CLE) – 35/1
Blake Griffin (LAC) – 35/1
Larry Sanders (MIL) – 40/1
David Lee (GS) – 40/1
Andre Drummond (DET) – 50/1
Kenneth Faried (DEN) – 50/1
Tim Duncan (SA) – 55/1
Smart Bet – Kevin Love – The guy is a rebounding machine. If he can stay healthy, he’s a lock to be a top-3 rebounder this season.
Long Shot Bet – DeMarcus Cousins – Boogie’s tenure in Sacramento has not be good so far. He’s had issues with his coaches, the referees and the media. Well, he got paid this summer, so it will either be his best season or the worst of his career. This pick is boom or bust, so that’s why he’s a long shot.
2013-14 NBA Assists Per Game Leader
Chris Paul (LAC) – 3/2
Rajon Rondo (BOS) – 3/1
Deron Williams (BRK) – 3/1
Ricky Rubio (MIN) – 15/2
Derrick Rose (CHI) – 17/2
John Wall (WAS) – 9/1
Steve Nash (LA) – 16/1
Jeff Teague (ATL) – 25/1
Tony Parker (SA) – 25/1
Jose Calderon (DAL) – 30/1
Brandon Jennings (DET) – 55/1
Smart Bet – Rajon Rondo – Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are no longer in Boston, so Rondo will need to make more happen with his passing. Pierce would often handle the ball and make his own shot. Rondo doesn’t have anyone else on the team that can do that.
Long Shot Bet – Steve Nash – I know Kobe has been saying he’s almost ready to come back, but I don’t believe it. Nash will have total control of the ball, so expect him to average double-digit assists without Kobe on the court.