The definition of clutch is going to be called into question as the end of the NBA season approaches.
Bulls guard Demar DeRozan is currently the favorite to win the latest NBA award – Clutch Player of the Year – at -150 on FanDuel Sportsbook.
Hot on his heels is star guard Stephen Curry (+120), followed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (16/1), with everyone else considered a huge long shot.
But this award, which had its first year in 2023, was a pushover for much of this year and last year.
Curry was long expected to be the winner here, being favored on and off for most of the season before DeRozan made a ridiculous 100/1 jump to favorite status in just three weeks.
None of the voters have really determined who the deserving winner is, but there is one player who is as important as all the others and who should be in the running to win the award: LeBron James, who is currently at 250/1.
James leads the NBA in fourth-quarter scoring for the Lakers, averaging eight points per game during the quarter, well ahead of Curry, fifth, and DeRozan, sixth.
Voters are still undoubtedly deciding how they will quantify that reward, but how could a Bulls (36-40) guard be that clutch?
Last year’s winner, De’Aaron Fox, was sixth in the fourth quarter, but at least the Kings were playing meaningful games at that time and made the playoffs.
The Bulls, however, are set for the play-in tournament and are not guaranteed to make the playoffs.
NBA Clutch Player of the Year Stats
| Player | 4th quarter points | Points in the clutch | Save (in clutch) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demar DeRozan | 7.2 | 4.7 | (23-15) |
| Stephen Curry | 7.2 | 4.6 | (21-18) |
| Damien Lillard | 6.0 | 3.8 | (23-13) |
| LeBron James | 8.0 | 3.5 | (17-9) |
To be fair, DeRozan makes sense as a favorite, and his points in the clutch stats are surely behind this move.
But James’ eight points per game in the fourth quarter are by far the most in the NBA, and he’s a legitimate candidate for that award.
Bet on the NBA?
He probably won’t win, but 250/1 is a crazy number for a player with a legitimate case.
Fair value is 50/1, so grab this one while it’s hot.
Maybe it’s time to rename the NBA Player of the Year award “Klutch” if James wins it, after his agency.
New York Post
