:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72043213/1442675854.0.jpg "NBA MVP race 2023: Do Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokoumpo offer any betting value?")
We're in the last lap of the 2022-23 NBA regular season where contenders are trying to jockey for playoff position while tankers try to improve their odds at the No. 1 overall pick. The MVP race appears to be a runaway per the oddsmakers but is there any value on some of the secondary contenders who have some opportunities to make closing statements? Here's a look at the latest odds to win MVP on DraftKings Sportsbook and whether there's a bet to be made on anyone not named Nikola Jokic.
NBA MVP odds
DraftKings has listed nine players here but this is really a three-person race with Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum possibly checking in as a fourth option. Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid, who has already dominated Jokic once this season, gets another shot at the reigning two-time MVP in late March. Embiid is listed at +550 and has missed significant time but the numbers look great once again for him. He also helped the 76ers snap Milwaukee's 16-game winning streak and will get the Bucks near the end of the regular season again. Philadelphia also plays Boston late, so Embiid has some marquee games to show out and potentially shift the narrative in this race.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has a much steeper hill to climb but he does have a matchup with Jokic in late March as well. Antetokounmpo had a strong game when the Bucks beat the Nuggets earlier this season, but Jokic didn't play in that game. The Greek Freak will also have a game against the Suns, who have emerged as contenders with Kevin Durant in the lineup. That's another big game for Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.
Of course, the flip side to this is that Jokic has a chance to cement his status as the favorite. He'll get Embiid and Antetokounmpo late in the year and has the payback narrative on his side. The Nuggets are unlikely to be caught in the Western Conference standings, which might be enough for the two-time MVP to make it three in a row.