The NBA regular season is just about over, and a number of races are heating up in the final days. Perhaps no part of the NBA season stirs up more controversy than the MVP award. Here is the pick for who will ultimately prevail as the 2017-18 NBA’s MVP winner.
Before we get to the eventual winner, let’s a take a look at some of the other contenders.
The longshots:
Kemba Walker, Kyle Lowry, Paul George, Chris Paul, Demar Derozan, John Wall, Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green are all players on teams that will make the playoffs that can be bet upon at 100:1 or greater. If you hate money, feel free to fire away on any one of these guys, but they have about the same chance of winning this year’s MVP award as Michael Jordan does.
Temptations:
The potential payouts of this next group are big enough to make someone think about it for a second before reality hits. Joel Embiid, Steph Curry, Damian Lillard, and Russell Westbrook all command odds anywhere from 25:1 to 100:1 depending on where you bet.
Embiid will probably be the runner-up for the defensive player of the year and Lillard has had plenty of big moments. At the end of the day, these guys just do not have the numbers to seriously threaten for the award this year.
Close, but no cigar:
After DeMarcus Cousins went down with an injury, the Pelicans’ playoff hopes were widely considered to be on life support. Brow then carried New Orleans and made an improbable run to the playoffs. In many seasons, his efforts might have been MVP-worthy, but not this year.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been a one-man wrecking crew for Milwaukee this season. Before his career is over, the Greek Freak may very well take home an MVP award, but 2018 is not yet the time.
Contenders:
By most advanced metrics, Lebron James is having the best season he has had in the last five years. His VORP, PER, assist rate, or defensive efficiency, are all his best since his age 27 season in Miami. For many fans, the new stats are confusing and do not mean much to them. Lebron is averaging 27 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists a game, and he has a pretty poor supporting cast around him this year. If you traded Lebron for any other player in the league, are the Cavs as good as they are?
James Harden is currently leading the league in PER, usage rate, win shares, offensive win shares, and box plus/minus. Again, if the new stats are not for you, Harden is scoring 30 points a game while averaging 5.5 rebounds and nearly 9 assists.
Harden has the ball in his hands the most of any player and is still the most efficient in the league, and his game has turned into the perfect one for today’s NBA. He is the best player on the best team. Is that enough for him to win the awar?
The pick:
Even if Lebron was having a slightly better season than Harden, people have Lebron fatigue. Just like the voters gave the award to players other than Jordan in the 90’s, people look for anyone else who could plausibly win. Harden is deserving of an MVP award, and will probably win by a wide margin. Shop around for the best odds that you can find because they vary widely both in US sportsbooks and online ones as well.
The conclusion of the NBA season is upon us, and the MVP will be announced shortly. Bet on James Harden to win, and make sure you shop around to find the best odds.
