NBA MVP Race: Luka Doncic Moves Up To Third To Win MVP Heading Into Week 19
NBA MVP Race: Luka Doncic Moves Up To Third To Win MVP Heading Into Week 19
Not much has changed as we enter Week 19 of the NBA season.
Due to the All Star Break, there weren't as many games in the regular season over the last week.
But while Nikola Jokic is still the front-runner, there was some movement for third place on the odds board for the MVP.
Let's talk about it below.
NBA MVP ODDS
Click here for the latest NBA MVP odds
| PLAYER | ODDS | STOCK WATCH | IMPLIED CHANCE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nikola Jokic | -155 | Neutral | 60.78% |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 220 | Neutral | 31.25% |
| Luka Doncic | 700 | Up | 12.50% |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 1500 | Down | 6.25% |
| Jayson Tatum | 4000 | Neutral | 2.44% |
NBA MVP Rankings
1. Nikola Jokic (-155) (Bet $155 to collect $255)
Nikola Jokic has added 25.4 points per game in February. He's also averaging a triple-double in the month, with 13.1 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game.
Jokic is on a three-game stretch of ridiculous basketball. The Nuggets have won three straight games, and Jokic has earned three consecutive triple-doubles with no less than 20 points, 14 assists, and 15 rebounds in any of the three games.
He's the clear MVP at this time.
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+220) (Bet $100 to collect $230)
While the Nuggets are hot, so are the Thunder. Oklahoma City has won five consecutive games behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged more than 30 points per game in February, leading the Thunder to wins in all but two games in February this season.
While Gilgeous-Alexander is scoring at a high level, he's also passing more. He's averaging nearly eight assists per game in February despite averaging only 6.6 assists per game this season.
Shai hasn't added a triple-double this month, but he's been close. The box score and wins just still aren't better than what Jokic is doing right now.
3. Luka Doncic (+700) (Bet $100 to collect $800)
Although the Dallas Mavericks lost their first game since February 3 on Sunday, Luka Doncic is currently third on the NBA odds board for the MVP.
Doncic has averaged 32.4 points per game with 9.6 rebounds and 9.2 assists in the month. Beyond that, the Mavericks have only lost two games in the entire month, with Doncic playing this well.
He's been super close to many triple-doubles, but he's fallen a rebound or assist short many times this season, including three times in the month.
Still, with the wins piling up, he's jumped Giannis Antetkounmpo for third place on the MVP board.
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo (+1500) (Bet $100 to collect $1600)
Although the Bucks have struggled in February, Giannis Antetokounmpo hasn't been terrible.
He's averaged 30.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game in the month. Giannis has also shot 65.7% from the field and has taken nearly 11 foul shot attempts per game in February.
The Bucks have won two consecutive games only twice in February. They haven't been on a three-game winning streak in the entire month. They'll have a chance in the next game.
Ultimately, wins are important for the Bucks if Giannis wants to rise up on the MVP odds board.
5. Jayson Tatum (+4000) (Bet $100 to collect $4100)
Jayson Tatum is the best player on the best team in the NBA.
The Celtics are currently on an eight-game winning streak and haven't lost since February 1st.
In February, Tatum has averaged 27 points with 8.7 rebounds and 6.6 assists. While he's playing dominant basketball, the stats aren't going to blow you away like the other guys we talked about first.
Tatum could have a bad night, and the Celtics would be fine. They've got the most talent in the NBA, especially in the starting lineup.
While Tatum would love an MVP, an NBA Championship should be the goal this year.
NBA ODDS
Jason grew up an avid sports fan. His passion for sports writing grew in high school and he developed a blog that was strictly for New York Sports. From his work, you will quickly realize that he loves looking at games from an analytical and numbers perspective and hopes to provide you with that same perspective in his articles.