Key Takeaways
Joel Embiid +650
In a battle of the NBA s elite centers, Embiid lost a controversial MVP race to Jokic last year in one of the closest contests in 20 years. For a large chunk of last season, a dominant Embiid emerged as the betting favorite to win MVP.
Embiid won the NBA scoring title, averaging 30.6 ppg. He also averaged 11.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. He finished the season with a 31.24 PER rating, which was ranked #3 overall.
Fans in Philadelphia will bemoan that Embiid racks up insane stats during the regular season, but he s ineffective in the postseason because he s hampered by injuries. Last postseason, Embiid suffered a gruesome orbital fracture and missed a couple of games in the Eastern Conference semifinals. He eventually returned to the starting lineup wearing a protective mask, but the Heat still knocked out the 76ers.
Embiid enters this season with a chip on his shoulder for losing last year s MVP race, which is why he s one of the popular picks to win the award this season. Embiid is the third-favorite on the board at +650 odds.
Kevin Durant +800Durant is widely considered the best player in the league over the last decade, but the big man has only won the MVP once back in the 2013-14 season. Durant averaged 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game for the Brooklyn Nets last season. He appeared in just 55 games because of an MCL knee sprain.
If Durant can remain healthy and lead the Nets to a top playoff seed in the Eastern Conference, he ll vastly improve his chances to win a second MVP. However, both seem like a risky proposition, because the Nets are such a volatile team thanks to the unpredictability of teammate Kyrie Irving. The Nets could lock up the #1 seed, or implode midseason with Durant and Irving demanding trades.
If you think the Nets can pull it together this season, then you can back Durant at +800 odds to win the MVP.
