NBA MVP race 2023: Is Joel Embiid's surge past Nikola Jokic real?

The 2022-23 NBA regular season is winding down but the MVP race received a major jolt last week with the oddsmakers anointing a new favorite given recent production. Here's a look at the latest odds to win MVP courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

NBA MVP odds

Joel Embiid: -220
Nikola Jokic: +250
Giannis Antetokounmpo: +450
Jayson Tatum: +10000
Luka Doncic: +50000
Devin Booker: +50000

The obvious shift is at the top, where the 76ers big man has overtaken the Denver Nuggets star late in a role reversal from last season. Embiid has been outrageous over the last 15 games, averaging 33.9 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game while Philadelphia has moved into the No. 2 spot in the East. Even though Jokic has posted 24.2 points, 13.5 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game over the same span, he's lost a ton of ground according to the oddsmakers. The Nuggets are still first in the West by a decent margin, so the standings couldn't have made this big of an impact.

The question for bettors is whether this movement is real. There are about 10 games left, and the 76ers do have a legitimate chance of the No. 1 seed in the East. If that happens, Embiid has a great case to win MVP. Jokic's numbers match up well but he does offer some value right now at +250. If the 76ers don't get the No. 1 seed, it's going to be hard for voters to use one 15-game segment of the season to list Embiid over Jokic, who had the better overall campaign.

  
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