The second favourite to take the award for NBA Defensive Player of the Year this season according to the market’s betting DPOY is Anthony Davies. Lets take a detailed look at the Anthony Davis odds and his chances of winning the coveted award.
ANTHONY DAVIS ODDS #3 POWER FORWARD – LA LAKERS
Defensive Player of the Year betting odds = 6.00
Anthony Davis is the market’s second favourite but comes in 3rd overall (just behind Joel Embiid) when we use our points system to analyse his numbers.
It is important to note that, due to injury, Davis played only 36 games in the NBA last season.
In comparison with the top 7 favourites (according to their DPOY betting odds). Davis hit a respectable 8.4 total field goals (FG) per game last season.
Having said that, with an average of 17 attempts made his overall field goal accuracy was only 49% That puts him 6th from 7.
Davis took 2.8 attempts at 3-point shots per game and hit 26% of them (0.7).
That puts him bottom of the players who attempted 3-pointers, but there are 3 players below him in this list who made zero attempts.
Although it is not the primary role of a power forward to score 3-pointers.
In the modern NBA it is a trait that many are beginning to appreciate more and more and bears practice for those who show aptitude.
At 28-years-old it may be a skill that is beyond the 6’10″ (2.08m) Chicagoan.
It is when we look at the 2-pointers scored that we see Anthony Davis’ strength.
He made the 2nd most attempts (14.3), only coming behind the scoring machine Antetokounmpo.
Hitting 7.6 of those attempts means that his 2-point percentage (2P%) of 54%. Davis was not among the best here, but that’s still a valuable 15+ points per game scored by Davis.
He is a solid, middle-of-the-pack free-throw scorer in this company.
HOW GOOD ARE ANTHONY DAVIS’ STATS?
Again, when we look at his ability to claim rebounds Anthony Davis sits bang in the middle of this particular list with 7.9 total rebounds (TRB) per game last season.
Anthony Davis took the 2nd highest number of steals (STL) per game with 1.3. Davis is easily the most economical player here in terms of player fouls committed (PF) with only 1.7
With rock-solid scoring (21.8 per game) Anthony Davis pushes his importance in the team from a dependable player who makes up the numbers, to a key asset for the LA Lakers.
Although we at The Jump Hub feel his Defensive Player of the Year betting odds are still a little short at 6.00, we can understand why.
Statistically, we feel both Antetokounmpo and Embiid are more impressive, but Davis should not be underestimated and the final outcome is not one that is based on stats alone.
CATEGORIES WHERE DAVIS PERFORMED WELL:
2-Pointers (2P) – 7.6
2-Pointers Attempted (2PA) – 14.3
Steals (STL) – 1.3
Player Fouls (PF) – 1.7
CATEGORIES WHERE HE STRUGGLED:
Games Played (G) – 36
Field Goal Percentage (FG%) – 49%
2-Pointers Percentage (2P%) – 54%
*The voting for DPOY is based on the individual’s personal criteria and preferences so this kind of assessment can only go so far towards predicting any outcome.
Clearly, the stats do not tell the whole story of a player. They are more a guide to certain aspects of his game and where he excels or lacks focus. Another player focused award each season is the MVP, and we've picked our best bets for the NBA Most Valuable Player.
