NBA 2022-2023 MVP Odds: Jokic is the front-runner

The 2022-2023 NBA regular season is almost over. The regular season will end on April 9. This means the NBA awards season is right around the corner. Last season, Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic won his second consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player Award. With about a quarter of the season remaining, there is still some time left for players to pry the award from the reigning MVP. 

The Favorite

Denver Nuggets center and reigning MVP Nikola Jokic is the heavy favorite to take home the MVP award this season. BetVictor is currently offering a 1.28 payout if you place a bet on Jokic to win the MVP award. The next closest person is Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid with a 5.5 payout. If Jokic wins the award, this would be the third consecutive year Jokic is named NBA MVP. 

Jokic and the Denver Nuggets have the best record, 44-19, in the Western Conference right now. The Nuggets have six more wins than the second seed Memphis Grizzlies. Jokic has played in 55 of his team’s 63 games and is averaging a triple-double. For the season, he is averaging 24.6 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 10 assists. If Jokic ends the season with these numbers, this would be the first time he averaged a triple-double for an entire season, including his previous two MVP years.

Player Who Could Play Spoiler

Joel Embiid currently has the second best odds to win the NBA’s MVP award with a 5.5 payout on BetVictor and many NBA betting sites. Embiid’s Philadelphia 76ers currently have the third best record in the Eastern Conference at 40-22. Embiid has played in 49 of the 62 games and is averaging the most points of his career. Embiid is averaging 33 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks. 

If Jokic goes down with an injury, doesn’t play well for a long stretch, or Embiid puts up historic numbers down the stretch, he can put himself in position to win the MVP award. The Sixers are five games behind the first place Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference. Embiid should get some extra MVP consideration if the Sixers win enough games to finish as the top seed in the east. 

The Rest of The Pack

Giannis Antetokounmpo is third on BetVictor’s NBA MVP odds at a 8.0 payout. Anteotokounmpo has played much of the season without former all-star Khris Middleton. During an interview with ESPN’s Malaki Andrews, Jayson Tatum said Antetokounmpo is the best player in the league. Antetokounmpo is averaging 31.3 points, 12 rebounds, and 5.4 assists this season.

Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell pick Giannis Antetokounmpo as the best player in the NBA 👀

(via @malika_andrews) pic.twitter.com/urJA9QnsgE

— ESPN (@espn) February 23, 2023

Jayson Tatum was the favorite to win the award after the first couple of months for a lot of NBA fans and analysts. Tatum is no longer being mentioned as the favorite, but still has an outside shot at the award. Luka Doncic is one of the best young players in the league, but the Dallas Mavericks star might have a tough time winning the award with Kyrie Irving on his team. 

NBA MVP Odds