Barring a major injury, the regular season Most Valuable Player award is a two-man race between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic according to Bovada’s NBA betting odds. SGA is the current favorite at -350, while Nikola Jokic stands as his runner-up at +200. These two are clearly the best and most important players to their respective teams and are having terrific seasons.
Nikola Jokic: (+200 odds)
Jokic is a three-time NBA MVP and is having arguably his most impressive season of his career. The Denver Nuggets’ star is averaging 29.9 points per game, 13.1 rebounds, and 10.1 assists, totaling a historic number of 53.1 (PRA). Not since Wilt Chamberlain or Elgin Baylor has any player achieved anything above 50 in terms of points per game along with assists and rebounds within a season.
Jokic also does this while shooting the ball at a league-high rate at an impressive 56.7% from the field. You can make a strong case that there isn’t another team that relies on one player as much as Denver relies on Jokic. He also leads his team in every major offensive category.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: (-350 odds)
Gilgeous-Alexander is the young and talented superstar in Oklahoma City and is considered a slight favorite in terms of winning the most valuable player for numerous reasons. Shai has energized the Thunder’s transformation, which propelled them from rebuilding status into championship contention in a matter of a couple of seasons. Overall he’s setting all-time best numbers in each category. SGA leads the league in scoring with an average of 32.0 PPG and has 5.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists per contest.
Through his young age of 26, Shai has put OKC on his back, leading the Thunder to a league-best record of 37-8. With all of that being said, the search for a fresh candidate for the MVP makes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander perfectly suited for this year’s award. Some voters don’t like picking the same guy every year. The Denver Nuggets have a record of 28-17 and are currently the #4 seed in the West, while the Thunder sit at the top as the #1 seed.
Others?
A very, very distant third on the odds board is Giannis Antetokounmpo at +8000, followed by Jayson Tatum at 15000 and Victor Wembanyama at +20000. It should be an interesting 2nd half of the season coming up to see how this year’s MVP will be! Remember to continue keeping up with the MVP live odds and other season awards and props on Bovada.lv.