Posted on 8/15/2007 6:35:46 PM

NBA Betting Lines - NBA Opinion 2007 – Rookie Of The Year Futures

By Tim Furious

So far the Rookie of the Year discussion has been a two horse race between Portland’s Greg Oden and Seattle’s Kevin Durant. Durant, in fact, is the landslide favorite in the BetUS.com futures section at +125, while Oden trails with +300 odds. With the NBA betting season only a couple short months away, should you be betting on these two stallions, or somebody from the field?

Kevin Durant is the clear favorite after being deemed the college player of the year across the board. Hell, he even won an ESPY Award. Durant is a special player and will have a tremendous impact in Seattle where he will be the go-to guy after the departure of Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen.

The argument for Oden is that we still have not seen him unleash his full potential. He showed flashes off monstrosity with that block against Tennessee’s Rumar Smith and another against Florida’s Corey Brewer. With a chance to fully heal his injuries, Oden could very well drop the hammer on the NBA en route to capturing the NBA Rookie of the Year title.

Durant is a flashier player then Oden by nature, which is not to say that Oden is not capable of exploding all over the highlight reel. But KD simply has better odds because he is a more dynamic playmaker. Keep an eye on Oden’s numbers throughout the year, but the nod goes to Durant who edged Oden throughout their college career (if you call one year a career).

If you are filling frisky, however, here is a look at some…wait for it…sleepers! Sometimes there is a real gem in the draft that a lot of people overlook. For whatever reason that player can outshine even some of the biggest names sometimes. Damon Stoudamire was drafted seventh to the Toronto Raptors in 1995 to a chorus of boo’s from the Toronto crowd. He then went on to win ROY over such big names as Jerry Stackhouse, Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace.

TheAtlanta Hawks have two bright stars in Acie Law, who is a +1500 candidate, and big Al Horford who is also +1500. Atlanta has the star power to dig itself out of the cellar this year, and Horford will be the catalyst if that happens. Like Oden, he has the body to step in right away to the NBA game. If you think Atlanta has a chance of climbing closer to the playoffs this year, you should bet on Horford to contend for the ROY.

Former number one prospect, Joakim Noah, was drafted by the Bulls, who are one of the favorites to rep the Eastern Conference this coming spring. Noah, a tenacious defender with an unbelievable motor, simply plays on a team with too much talent to let him shine. The +3000 is attractive, but there is a reason those odds are so high.

The same does not go for Mike Conley, Oden’s former point guard, who was drafted by Memphis. Like Chris Paul and Stoudamire, Conley is a gifted point guard and is likely to form a potent combination with former 2001-02 ROY, Pau “POW!” Gasol. At +800, Conley is an attractive underdog for this award.

Thaddeus Young, who was drafted by Philadelphia, is an intriguing +1800. Anything can happen on a team with Andre Igoudala and Andre Miller, and Thaddeus could get caught up in the offensive wave these two create. Many rave about Young’s skill set and call him a sleeper for this year’s ROY award. Are you willing to invest in him with those sweet odds?

The rest of the field is pretty weak, and the problem with today’s NBA is that there are simply too much talent spread throughout the league. The rookie of the year usually emerges from a bottom feeding team where he has a chance to shine and strut his stuff. That is why Oden and Durant are the leading candidates. But, with those criteria, the smart investor should be willing to take a flyer out on Al Horford as well.

You’ll find the latest 2007-2008 NBA odds and lines in the best online sportsbook, BetUS.com. Betting on NBA player and game props makes every aspect of the game exciting. Join BetUS.com today to bet on the NBA and make online sports betting work for you!