National Basketball Association
20 mins ago
With the NBA trade deadline and All-Star Weekend both in the rearview mirror, the second and most important half of the league year is here. It’s do-or-die for teams hoping to make their splash in the playoffs.
It’s also time for the Association’s most elite athletes to put up their best performances as they try to carry their squads to the Promised Land while also keeping themselves in the Most Valuable Player conversation.
Fans and bettors are particularly interested in the NBA MVP market — especially because the odds have shifted considerably from preseason to post-All-Star. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, for example, opened at +1800 to win the award before the season tipped off. Now, Mr. Year 20 sits at +6600 to win MVP and is a real long shot. Mavericks superstar Luka Dončić was the preseason favorite at +500, but he’s now fourth on the list at +1200.
So who is the current favorite to win the hardware? Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic — the leader of the best-in-the-West Nuggets — keeps rising to the top. His preseason MVP odds were +900, but he’s currently sitting atop the odds board at a juicy -278. And in a current MVP straw poll, the Joker received 77 out of 100 first-place MVP votes.
ADVERTISEMENT
FOX Sports NBA Analyst Ric Bucher is sold on Jokic as an MVP candidate this year but wasn’t in years past.
“I don’t like the idea that we’re avoiding voting for him because it would historically mean three [MVPs] in a row. The problem is that we didn’t get it right the first two times.”
Will the voters get it right in 2023? Well, the odds always tell a story, so let’s dive into the updated NBA MVP odds as we head into the second half of the season (odds via FOX Bet).
NBA MVP ODDS AT FOX BET*
Nikola Jokic (Nuggets): -278 (bet $10 to win $13.60 total)Joel Embiid (76ers): +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks): +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)Luka Dončić (Mavericks): +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)Jayson Tatum (Celtics): +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)Ja Morant (Grizzlies): +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)LeBron James (Lakers): +6600 (bet $10 to win $670 total)Kevin Durant (Suns): +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)Damian Lillard (Blazers): +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers): +22500 (bet $10 to win $2,260 total)
*odds as of 2/21/2023
Nikola Jokic -278 at FOX Bet
It’s easy to see why bettors and analysts are high on the Joker. He’s averaging 24.7 points, 11.5 rebounds and 10.1 assists per game this year. The Nuggets are currently the No. 1 seed in the West and have a five-game lead on the next closest team.
While Nick Wright, FOX Sports co-host of First Things First, says that Nikola Jokic “is not the guy you gotta have to get a bucket” nor “the guy you gotta have to get a stop,” he agrees that this is his award to lose.
“This year, Jokic has the best case he’s had,” Wright explains. The current odds certainly suggest this.
Does Nikola Jokić deserve to be the NBA MVP favorite?
Nick Wright, Chris Broussard, and Kevin Wildes discuss the Recent NBA MVP Straw Poll.
Giannis Antetokounmpo +600 at FOX Bet
The Greek Freak is having himself a year. His 31.8 points per game are third-best in the NBA; his 12.2 boards are second. And speaking of second, largely because of Giannis’ extraordinary play, Milwaukee is currently the No. 2 seed in the East behind the Celtics.
However, after All-Star Weekend, the 6-foot-11 power forward was diagnosed with a ligament sprain in his right wrist that will force him to miss some games.
His odds to win the award currently sit at third at FOX Bet to take home top honors, but the missed time could impact his chances to snag the NBA’s top honor.
Ja Morant +2500 at FOX Bet
If you’re looking for a long shot to throw some money at, look no further than Memphis’ Morant. Yes, his odds to win MVP at +2500 are now longer than they were before the season tipped off, but Ja is the engine that makes the Grizzlies go.
In his last nine games, Morant is averaging 32.7% from beyond the arc, 47.6% from the field and 10 assists. If Ja keeps the momentum and his Grizzlies make a run, we could see his MVP odds shorten before the season ends in April.
Are you ready to wager on the next player to win NBA MVP? Head over to FOX Bet to get in the action now!
Top stories from FOX Sports:
Download the FOX Super 6 app for your chance to win thousands of dollars on the biggest sporting events each and every week! Just make your picks and you could win the grand prize. Download and play today!
Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Nets sign coach Jacque Vaughn multiyear contract extension
2023 NBA Buyout Market Tracker: Westbrook to sign with Clippers, Beverley to Bulls
Kevin Durant and the Suns are all-in on an NBA Title chase
Giannis Antetokounmpo reportedly avoided major injury to wrist
Former NBA and NFL team owner Red McCombs dies at 95
