Who Will Lead the NBA in Scoring in 2017-18?
Get ready to for some NBA content, folks! Basketball is almost here and the prop bets are cookin.
First on the list: who will lead the league in scoring? Always a fan favorite.
| Player | 10/16 Odds (PaddyPower) | 9/26 Odds (PaddyPower) |
|---|---|---|
| James Harden | +350 | +350 |
| Russell Westbrook | +450 | +450 |
| Kevin Durant | +700 | +700 |
| LeBron James | +750 | +750 |
| Kyrie Irving | +1200 | +1200 |
| Anthony Davis | +1200 | +1200 |
| Kawhi Leonard | +1400 | +1400 |
| Devin Booker | +1600 | +1600 |
| Damian Lillard | +1600 | +1600 |
| DeMar DeRozan | +1600 | +1600 |
| Stephen Curry | +1600 | +1600 |
| DeMarcus Cousins | +2500 | +2500 |
| Gordon Hayward | +2500 | +2500 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | +2500 | +2500 |
| CJ McCollum | +3000 | +3000 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | +3000 | +3000 |
| Paul George | +4000 | +4000 |
| Blake Griffin | +4000 | N/A |
| Bradley Beal | +5000 | +5000 |
| Kemba Walker | +5000 | +5000 |
| John Wall | +5000 | +5000 |
| Andrew Wiggins | +5000 | +5000 |
| Kristaps Porzingis | +5000 | +5000 |
| Dennis Schroder | +5000 | +5000 |
| Kyle Lowry | +7000 | +7000 |
| Klay Thompson | +7000 | +7000 |
| Jimmy Butler | +7000 | +7000 |
| Carmelo Anthony | +9000 | +9000 |
| Isaiah Thomas | +9000 | +9000 |
| Paul Millsap | +15000 | +15000 |
With all the star power in the league joining together to create alliances in an attempt to dethrone the Warriors, there are very few (if any) superstar caliber players without any help on their team. With that being said, it is going to be tough to try and predict how these stars distribute the ball amongst each other.
Here are last year’s leaders to refresh your memory (via ESPN).
James Harden and Russell Westbrook, last year’s top two, are understandably at the top of the list. However, I wouldn’t touch either with a 39 and a half foot pole. With Chris Paul headed to Houston, the ball isn’t going to be running through Harden as much as it did last year. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still Harden’s team, but I can’t see him approaching 30 PPG again.
This same philosophy can be applied to Russ, but even more so in my opinion. Last season, his 24 shots per game were easily the most in the league and his .425% shooting percentage was the lowest of the top 20 scorers in the league. With Paul George and Carmelo Anthony headed to town, he’s going to have to share the ball more. Like a lot more. Bye bye 30-10-10.
Of the four players with odds shorter than 10/1, I like LeBron’s chances the most. Kyrie Irving, who actually shot the ball more than LeBron last year, is off to Boston. Isaiah Thomas is expected to miss a large chunk of time and even if Dwyane Wade comes to Cleveland, LBJ should see his scoring go up.
I believe that the value this year lies in the 12/1 to 16/1 range. Damian Lillard and DeMar Derozan both averaged 27 points a game and shouldn’t have a different role this season. I don’t expect this year’s leader to approach 30 points and if they can repeat or slightly improve upon their performances last year, they should be right there at the top of the leaderboard.
Another name that I kind of like is Devin Booker. I wish his odds were shorter than 16/1, but it seems like Paddy Power also believes he is due for a big season. This young shooter made national headlines by dropping 70 on the Celtics last season and he has the chance to put up bonkers numbers on a team that will once again be competing for a top 5 pick this year.
Anyone have value in your mind? Let us know who you’re betting on by hitting us up on Twitter @SportsInsights.
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