Odds on the 2006-07 NBA Defensive Player of the Year

With all of the happenings going on in the sporting world at the present moment, there's probably not much attention being paid to many of the outstanding defensive performances being put on by some of the NBA's best defensive players.

Nevertheless, one player will once again be crowned the NBA Defensive Player of the Year at the conclusion of the 2006-07 season and this year's race may be one of the best in recent memory. Let's take a look at the candidates and separate the pretenders from the contenders.

Ben Wallace +120

Wallace, the current Defensive Player of the Year of after winning last season's award, will once again be one of the top contenders to win this thing again. If Wallace remains the steady defensive anchor that's he's been for the majority of his career, after switching teams, he will once again get major consideration to win this thing outright. At only +120, Wallace, rightfully, doesn't offer outstanding odds, but he is undoubtedly one of the safest bets on this list.

Andrei Kirilenko +500

The do-it-all Kirilenko may the most versatile defensive player in the entire league. If he can stay healthy for the entire season, and the Jazz can continue to get national publicity by winning, Kirilenko is certainly a legitimate candidate. At +500, the odds may be too tempting to pass up - especially if you believe the Jazz are long overdue for some success.

Ron Artest +400

Maybe it's me, but Artest just doesn't seem to have the same usual defensive agressiveness this season that he has shown for the majority of his career. Something tells me, that unless the Kings start playing lights-out basketball, Artest is going to have a tough time winning this year. Don't get me wrong, Artest is still a fine defensive player, and, at +400, a player I'd consider a pretty good bet here.

Marcus Camby +500

Camby is another fine defensive player whose chances at winning this award hinge immensely on whether or not he can stay healthy long enough to merit some serious consideration. Personally, I'd save my money with Camby here, but hey, that's just me.

Bruce Bowen +500