By Chris Havlicek Contributor
Updated 1/6/24 12:13pm ET
Approaching the midpoint of the NBA season, oddsmakers see the MVP award as a four-man race with the last two winners leading the way.
Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic are +250 cofavorites at BetMGM, while other sportsbooks have similar odds. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+400) and Luka Doncic (+425) are also in the mix.
Two big men have been flip-flopping favorite status throughout the season, while Gilgeous-Alexander has entered the top tier over the past few weeks.
Embiid currently leads the NBA in PER (Player Efficiency Rating). In seven of the past eight seasons, the player that led in PER has won the award. The lone exception came last year as Embiid (31.69) finished just behind Jokic (31.78) but still claimed his first MVP.
Team success also typically plays a vital role. Embiid, Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander are all leading teams that are double-digit games above .500 and rank among the top three seeds in their respective conferences.
NBA MVP odds at Caesars Sportsbook:
Joel Embiid +210
Nikola Jokic +230
Shea Gilgeous-Alexander +325
Luka Doncic +500
Giannis Antetokoumpo +1700
Photo Courtesy: Google Creative Commons
