Bet on Nikola Jokic to Win MVP Before It’s Too Late
Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic hit another level last season, which led him to capture his first-ever MVP award. How has The Joker followed up a career year? By keeping up his insane levels of production and even improving in some areas while leading the short-handed Nuggets to the current sixth seed in the Western Conference.
Jokic will now get an important couple of days to rest up before the stretch run. And Nuggets fans should be getting in their bets for him to repeat as MVP before the opportunity slips past them.
Nikola Jokic MVP Odds
Jokic currently owns the second-best odds on WynnBET to win 2021-22 MVP at +280, trailing only Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid (+150).
There’s still money to be made here heading into the second half of the season, and it’d be smart to jump on Jokic while he’s still at plus-money.
Denver’s superstar has done it all for a team down two key starters in Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. Jokic shoulders the most responsibility in the NBA, and he’s responded with an emphatic performance.
Jokic is currently averaging 13.8 rebounds per game, the second most in the league and miles ahead of the 10.8 he put up as last year’s MVP. He’s also adding 26.0 points and 7.9 assists per contest, just trailing his PPG (26.4) and APG (8.3) marks last year. And he’s doing all that while making a huge impact on defense, boasting the eighth-best defensive rating in the NBA (104.0).
Embiid is having an award-winning season of his own, leading the league with 29.6 PPG while averaging 11.2 RPG and 4.5 APG. The Sixers big man has also led Philly to the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, an impressive feat given that they’ve played the entire year without Ben Simmons.
Nikola Jokic MVP Race
There’s two big factors, though, that aid Jokic’s chances down the stretch.
First off, Philly faces a tougher remaining strength of schedule, so Embiid will be tested while trying to keep his numbers up. The 76ers have the 12th-hardest remaining SOS, per Tankathon. That includes five combined games against imposing frontcourts in the Cleveland Cavaliers (x3) and Miami Heat (x2).
Philadelphia will also draw the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks to close the year, two teams that rank in the top five for best defensive rating.
The Nuggets, meanwhile, have the eighth-easiest remaining SOS. Jokic will get to beat up on bottom-feeding squads like the Sacramento Kings (x3), Oklahoma City Thunder (x2) and Houston Rockets in the second half of the year.
Then there’s the supporting cast aspect. Embiid’s season has been heightened by carrying the 76ers to a top-three seed despite not having a true second star.
That narrative will be completely upended by the arrival of James Harden. He’s averaging 22.5 points per game this year and should immediately cut into some of Embiid’s nightly scoring output. Harden also has the ball in his hands a lot, boasting an average of 10.2 APG and recording a usage rating of 28.4 this season.
On the flip side, Jokic remains the main attraction on a playoff team currently without two starters. There’s no word on if Murray or Porter Jr. will return this season, so Jokic is almost guaranteed to be the main reason this team makes the postseason.
It’s easy to see Jokic remaining the Nuggets’ first/second/third option, while Embiid’s status as the top dog on his own team is no longer clear.
Nikola Jokic MVP Case
Jokic is in prime position to put gaudy numbers against inferior competition to boost his MVP case down the stretch. He also benefits from the all-important narrative factor if he’s able to drag what would otherwise be a lottery team to a spot in the postseason.
Jokic will embody “Most Valuable Player” more than anyone if Denver just remains where it is. And his case gets even stronger if the Nuggets take advantage of their schedule and challenge for a top-four spot in the west.
Make sure to hop on the Jokic train before he pulls away from the pack and becomes the clear favorite. Jump on his current MVP odds at WynnBET before NBA action tips off again later this week.