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When Philadelphia Sixers center Joel Embiid injured his knee against the Washington Wizards on March 12, it looked as though the big man’s season could be over, let alone his hopes of scooping the MVP award. But now, the Cameroonian is back on the court and back in the hunt.
Having been priced as big as +4000 to be the MVP before the season started, Embiid was in sensational form through his first 30 games – averaging 30 points and 11 rebounds – and by the All-Star break he was the MVP frontrunner at +200.
Embiid’s 10-game absence through the end of March allowed fellow center Nikola Jokic to take over as the favorite, which he remains now at -200.
After a shaky start, Jokic’s Denver Nuggets have rallied in recent weeks and occupy the fourth seed with a record of 34-19 – something that certainly helps The Joker’s cause.
But Embiid, who can now be backed at +500 with Bet365 – perhaps the best NBA betting sites as per this Bet365 review – believes he has been the best player in the league when on the floor this year, and it is hard to argue that.
Giannis Antetekounmpo has won back-to-back MVP awards in the last two seasons, and according to the online sportsbooks, the Milwaukee Bucks forward still has an outside chance of a three-peat. The Greek Freak is priced at +1000, and his stats are more or less in line with 2018-19 and 2019-20.
James Harden is also around the +1000 mark, and while his level of play has been extraordinary in 2021, the Brooklyn Nets guard has probably missed too many games to be among the favorites.
Damian Lillard has been towards the top of the MVP Rankings all season long, but the betting companies don’t take his chances as seriously as others. You can get Lillard at +1600, which is around the same price as both Luka Doncic and the injured LeBron James.
While Embiid remains a big MVP hopeful, he is part of a team that is at the top end of the outright NBA Championship betting market as well. The 76ers sit atop the Eastern Conference alongside the Nets, and while Brooklyn is favorites for the title at +220, Philly isn’t being ruled out at +1100.
Considering the price was +4000 in October, Doc Rivers and Philadelphia have clearly earned the respect of the oddsmakers and bettors.
As far as the East is concerned, it’s the Nets (-110), Bucks (+300), 76ers (+400), and then a big dropoff to the Miami Heat and the rest of the chasing pack.
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