NBA MVP Odds: Nikola Jokic Is on Track for Another Trophy

For most of the NBA season, Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic have jostled for the top spot in the MVP race. But following Embiid's knee surgery, he's been eliminated from contention as he will fall short of the required 65 games to win any end-of-season award.

Of course, this injury has caused Jokic to jump to the clear leader for the MVP award. However, this is still not a done deal. In fact, Jokic's odds have slightly dropped since our last odds check-in. Who is pushing The Joker for the MVP award? Let's address that and more by diving into the NBA MVP odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Here are the 13 available odds for the MVP award, followed by a breakdown of the top 4 contenders.

NBA MVP Odds

Nikola Jokic (-140)

Nikola Jokic is tracking for his third MVP award since the 2020-21 season. The last person to win three MVPs over a four-season span? LeBron James totaled four awards from the 2008-09 season to the 2012-13 campaign. That's more elite company for Jokic as LeBron is widely regarded as one of the best to ever lace 'em up.

So why has Jokic become the clear favorite as we head into the All-Star break? First off, his numbers are similar to his MVP seasons in 2020-21 and 2021-22. Jokic is averaging 26.1 points per game (PPG), 12.0 rebounds per game (RPG), and 8.9 assists per game (APG). This assist total is higher than both MVP seasons, 12.0 RPG is on pace for the second-best mark of his career, and 26.1 PPG would be The Joker's third-best scoring total (lower than both MVP seasons).

Among qualifying players, Jokic's usage rate is actually far below his competition for MVP. His rate sits at 29.2% (16th-highest) while the players with the second-, third-, and fourth-shortest odds for MVP all sit within the top four of usage rate.

I wouldn't say this knocks Jokic's value to the Denver Nuggets, though. If anything, it once again proves the superstar center's ridiculous efficiency. Despite carrying a usage rate that is lower than his top competition, Jokic still has the numbers to stack up with anyone in the Association.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+210)

Since Embiid has been officially axed from MVP contention, the Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looks to have the best chance of surpassing Jokic.

Since our last MVP update, Shai's odds have dropped from +230 to +210. While it's not anything worth writing home about, this still signifies that Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP chances are very real, and it could only be a stone's throw away.

The numbers are certainly there as SGA has the fourth-highest usage rate in the league among qualifying players at 31.7% while totaling 31.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 6.5 APG, and 2.2 steals per game -- the best mark in the league.

We should also consider the Thunder's success as they carry the third-best record in the league at 37-17. Few people predicted that Oklahoma City would be holding the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference at the All-Star break. In fact, I'm not sure that anyone saw this coming.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (+700)

As usual, Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to be the Milwaukee Bucks' rock. Even with some in-season drama -- hiring Doc Rivers as the new head coach mid-season -- the Bucks have still found a way to have the third-best record in the East at 35-21. Giannis' production has been a major key all season long.

Antetokounmpo's defense has not been quite as good with a 115.6 defensive rating, but he still averages 1.4 steals per game and 1.1 blocks per game. Plus, the Greek Freak totals 30.8 PPG, 11.2 RPG, and 6.4 APG -- on pace for a career-high. Clearly, Giannis still carries MVP-type numbers. His PPG average is higher than his MVP-winning seasons in 2018-19 and 2019-20.

Luka Doncic (+1300)

Luka Doncic simply carries fantastic stats. His chances at the MVP award are a bit of a longshot with the Dallas Mavericks holding a 32-23 record, which is tracking for the Play-In Tournament with the No. 7 seed. More times than not, MVP winners need to be a part of a successful team, and Dallas has not won enough.

Along with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka is chasing his first MVP award. Frankly, it's a shame that the Mavericks are not winning at a high rate as it will likely spoil Doncic's chances at the hardware. Without a sliver of doubt, Luka's numbers deserve consideration at 34.2 PPG, 8.8 RPG, and 9.5 APG. His PPG and APG are on pace for career-highs, and his scoring average is the second-best in the NBA while his APG is the third-best mark.

Additionally, Doncic's 35.4% usage rate is the best among MVP contenders. Only Joel Embiid touts a higher usage rate at 38.6%, but he will be ineligible for MVP as previously mentioned.

Ultimately, the MVP race is currently tracking for a head-to-head battle between Nikola Jokic and SGA. Will the Thunder's superstar guard close the gap?

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.