We have almost reached the part of the year when making MLB picks today is going to take over the sports betting industry. Baseball betting still isn’t that popular, but it does get all of the attention during the Summer months.
April is when betting on the NBA really starts to ramp up as the playoffs are set to begin this month. Not only are the playoff races heating up in each conference, but the MVP race has been heating up as well.
By the time the calendar flips to April, it’s usually pretty clear which player is going to win the MVP Award, but that’s not the case this year. In fact, there are three players that currently have a great shot at winning the MVP this season and the final few games will play a key role.
Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid has spent much of the season as the clear favorite to win the NBA MVP Award, but that is no longer the case. The Philadelphia 76ers big man is having a phenomenal year and he could have the Sixers in position to go deep in the playoffs in 2022.
One of the most amazing parts about this season from Embiid is that he is shooting right around 80 percent from the free throw line. Embiid has found new ways to score the basketball and he is nearly impossible to stop when he gets the ball in the paint.
The Sixers have added James Harden to the team, and some believe that has taken away from the candidacy of Embiid. Harden hasn’t exactly lived up to the hype in Philadelphia, and Embiid has actually put up bigger numbers since Harden has joined the team.
Nikola Jokic
The player with the best odds to win the NBA MVP Award has changed significantly over the last few weeks, and we could now have a back-to-back winner. Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets has always been lurking, but his play over the last few weeks has made him the favorite.
If Jokic were to win the award then it wouldn’t be due to the play of his team in Denver. The Nuggets are going to finish as a lower seed in the Western Conference Playoffs, while Philadelphia still has a shot at the top spot in the East.
The numbers from “The Joker” have been ridiculous over the past five games as the center is averaging over 31 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists per game. One of the best cases to make for Jokic winning the MVP Award is that he doesn’t have a ton of help on the offensive side of the ball.
Winning the MVP Award in back-to-back seasons is something usually reserved for the best players in history, but Jokic could end up going down as one of the best ever.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Just when you thought that this was turning into a two-player rest, Giannis Antetokounmpo comes along and reminds everyone of his greatness. The “Greek Freak” is now capable of making shots from the perimeter, and that makes him an unstoppable offensive performance.
Antetokounmpo won back-to-back titles in 2019 and 2020 and there appears to be some voter fatigue at play here. Even though the “Greek Freak” is having another monster year, his overall numbers aren’t as strong.
Even if Antetokounmpo hasn’t been as great all season long, his recent play is going to have him getting some votes at the end of the season
DeMar Derozan
We had to throw DeMar DeRozan on this list because he is having the best year of his career. The odds don’t really give DeRozan much of a chance to win this award in 2022, but he has played too good to be left off.
It does look as if DeRozan is making one final attempt at winning this thing, and the overall play of the Bulls could eventually get him back into the running. DeRozan just poured in 50 points in an overtime win over the LA Clippers on Thursday night and he is setting plenty of records along the way.