We’re getting into the stretch run of the 2020-21 NBA season, and the race for the MVP award has taken some interesting twists and turns. Giannis Antetokounmpo is definitely in the running for what would be a third straight MVP, but James Harden’s improvement after heading from Houston to Brooklyn has him high on the list. They’re both looking up at Nikola Jokic, though, whose intrepid work for Denver may actually pay off with postseason success after the trade for Aaron Gordon.
Let’s look at the latest NBA betting odds for this year’s MVP award along with our thoughts on some of the top candidates.
NBA News: Updated MVP Odds and Rankings
| Player | Odds |
| Nikola Jokic (Denver) | -134 |
| James Harden (Brooklyn) | +550 |
| Joel Embiid (Philadelphia) | +650 |
| LeBron James (L.A. Lakers) | +800 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee) | +900 |
| Damian Lillard (Portland) | +1200 |
| Luka Doncic (Dallas) | +1400 |
| Kawhi Leonard (L.A. Clippers) | +6000 |
| Stephen Curry (Golden State), Donovan Mitchell (Utah) | +8000 |
| Devin Booker (Phoenix), Chris Paul (Phoenix), Jimmy Butler (Miami), Paul George (L.A. Clippers), Rudy Gobert (Utah), Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn) | +15000 |
| Kevin Durant (Brooklyn), Jayson Tatum (Boston), Ja Morant (Memphis), Bradley Beal (Washington), Trae Young (Atlanta), Jamal Murray (Denver), Julius Randle (New York), Domantas Sabonis (Indiana) | +25000 |
Nikola Jokic has more skill than any other big man in the NBA, and his stats are tremendous: 26.8 points, 11.1 boards and 8.5 assists per game on the season, just shy of a triple-double. The addition of Aaron Gordon to the team adds another athletic, long body inside, taking some of the heat off Jokic and giving him more room to score.
James Harden has averaged 26.4 points, 8.9 boards and 11.4 assists since going from Houston to Brooklyn, shooting 47 percent. In his last 20 games, he has averaged a triple-double for the Nets, as Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant have both missed time and he has had to hold down the fort — and the Nets have gone 18-2 in those contests. If he keeps these numbers up, it will be hard to argue against The Beard.
Giannis Antetokounmpo would join a very select group if he wins a third straight MVP, as Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Larry Bird are the only other players who have done that. Giannis had a slow start to the season, though, and the Bucks’ inconsistency as of late could keep him out of the conversation, particularly if the Nets and Nuggets take off down the stretch. Giannis’ numbers are MVP-worthy (28.4 points, 11.4 boards and 6.3 assists per game, shooting 56 percent), but they’re not quite as good as the others above him on this list.
Joel Embiid had to miss nine games due to injury, and in a 72-game season, that will have an impact. The team lost to the Clippers and Denver while he was out, showing how significant his presence is on both ends of the floor. His numbers (29.9 points, 11.5 boards, 3.3 assists per game, shooting 53 percent) are a major reason for the 76ers’ success so far this season, but you can’t miss as much time as he has while others are putting up numbers that are even better every night.
Luka Doncic led the Mavericks to a statement win over the Utah Jazz on Monday night, helping the team reach a 26-21 record. His numbers (28.5 points, 8.1 boards, 9.0 assists per game, shooting 48 percent) are where they need to be, and if you look at the 1-4 record the Mavs have posted when he has not taken the floor, you see how important he is to his team. Those step-back three-balls are just daggers that opponents have a hard time stopping, let alone overcoming.
NBA Betting Odds
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