By Chris Harris Contributor
Updated 9/23/23 12:50pm ET
What a difference a single postseason can make. One year after critics were still questioning his worth as a premiere player, let alone a two-time league MVP, Denver Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic is the +450 NBA MVP betting favorite for the upcoming season.
Jokic is fresh off an impressive run to capture his first championship and Finals MVP award. The critics have gradually waned and ironically, it’s reigning MVP Joel Embiid who has fielded some criticism. The Philadelphia 76ers center averaged nearly 10 points fewer in nine playoff games than he did during the regular season, while shooting only 43.1% from the field (54.8% in the regular season).
NBA Regular Season MVP Odds 2023-2024 (*odds courtesy of BetMGM)
Nikola Jokic (+450)
Giannis Antetokounmpo (+550)
Luka Doncic (+600)
Jayson Tatum (+700)
Joel Embiid (+800)
A panel of leading sportswriters and broadcasters votes each year on the award. Each member has five votes and is asked to rank their players in descending order. A first-place vote is worth 10 points, a second-place vote is worth seven, a third-place vote is worth five, fourth-place is worth three and then a fifth-place vote is worth one. The player with the most overall points wins the award.
The 2023-24 regular season is expected to begin on Oct. 24 and conclude on April 14, 2024.
Photo Credit: Google Creative Commons
