The NBA season is winding down, and a few of the NBA award markets have reached a level where there isn’t much value. However, one awards market that may offer up some value is the NBA Coach of the Year. Currently, the head coach of the Sacramento Kings is the odds-on favorite at -300. However, I do believe there is value in the market right now to take advantage of. Below is a few NBA coach of the year picks to put a few dollars on right now.
Updated 2023 NBA Coach of the Year Betting Odds
Now we can’t deny that Mike Brown is well deserving of winning the coach of the year. Currently, the Sacramento Kings are the number two seed in the Western Conference and are well on their way to making the playoffs for the first time since 2007! Additionally, the Kings have cashed their regular season win total of 33.5. There’s no denying Coach Mike Brown meets all the criteria for being Coach of the Year, but there are a few other coaches who make a compelling case.
Joe Mazzulla +250
For much of the season, Joe Mazzulla was the odds-on favorite to win Coach of the Year, and who argue it? Mazzulla took over the head coaching job for the Boston Celtics after all the turmoil surrounding their former coach Ime Udoka and the Celtics organization. Despite struggling to close out games since the All-Star break, Coach Mazzulla had the Boston Celtics as the number-one seed in the Eastern Conference for much of the season.
If the Celtics can get hot and find a way to take over the number one seed in the Eastern Conference, there is still value here at +250 on Mazzulla to win Coach of the Year with the Boston Celtics. After all, most of the awards in sports are narrative-driven, and Coach Mazzulla has a compelling case.
Mike Budenholzer +900
Quietly, the Milwaukee Bucks currently is the number one seed in the Eastern Conference and have built a 2.5-game lead over the second-place Boston Celtics. For much of the season, the Bucks have dealt with injuries all season long to their top three players. This season, Giannis has missed 14 games, Jrue Holiday 12 games, and Khris Middleton 43 games. However, the Bucks have found a way to hold a record of 48-18 by winning 19 of their last 20 games, including a 16-game win streak in that span.
Currently, Nikola Jokic is the odds-on favorite to win the MVP at -380, but for a Milwaukee Bucks who is well on its way to winning 60 games this season, and if Nikola Jokic does win his third-consecutive MVP award, Coach Budenholzer could be in a position to steal his third NBA Coach of the Year award.
Mark Daigneault +7000
I have to throw one long shot in here, right? Well, this number is +7000 for a reason, but could there be a case for Mark Daigneault? The Oklahoma City Thunder came into this season with a regular season win total of 23.5; they now have 31 wins. The Thunder also are without their number two overall pick from the 2022 NBA Draft, Chet Holmgren, who suffered a significant foot injury and missed the entire season.
Currently, the Thunder are sitting 31-35 and half a game out of the play-in tournament. If the Thunder found a way to make the playoffs, this would be an impressive feat for a first-year head coach with all the injuries and lack thereof talent on this team. Again, this is +7000 for a reason, so tread carefully.
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