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Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers is the reigning NBA MVP, but Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets was the favorite to win the award at the start of the season. Jokic had the best odds to take home his third MVP, with some people feeling he was robbed last season.
It showed in the playoffs that "The Joker" might have been the best player in the league for a third straight year. He led the Nuggets to their first-ever NBA championship, winning the NBA Finals MVP award.
On the other hand, Embiid and the Sixers imploded in the Eastern Conference semifinals. They had a 3-2 lead over the Boston Celtics, but blew their chance in Games 6 and 7. Will Embiid repeat as this year's MVP despite James Harden's recent trade to the LA Clippers?
5 favorites to win NBA MVP award after Week 1
As mentioned above, Nikola Jokic had the best odds to win NBA MVP to start the season and Joel Embiid had the fourth-best behind Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks.
On that note, here are the current five favorites to win the NBA MVP award after the first week of the 2023-24 season. The odds used in the list came from BetMGM.
#5 - Joel Embiid (+1000)
Joel Embiid continues to play like the reigning NBA MVP for the Philadelphia 76ers to start the 2023-24 season. Embiid led the Sixers to a 2-1 record in Week 1, averaging 31.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 3.0 blocks.
James Harden's departure could be a great sign for Embiid, who will likely carry more load as the season progresses. The only downside would be his body might not be able to hold it together considering his injury history. The most games he played in a season was 68 in the 2021-22 season.
#4 - Giannis Antetokounmpo (+800)
Giannis Antetokounmpo seems more focused on winning an NBA championship rather than his third NBA MVP award. With Damian Lillard by his side, Antetokounmpo would not have to carry the offensive load for the Milwaukee Bucks in every possession.
In his first three games of the season, "The Greek Freak" is averaging 27.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.7 blocks. The Bucks are currently 2-1, but their loss to the Atlanta Hawks was very concerning.
#3 - Jayson Tatum (+700)
Jayson Tatum might be ready to take the leap into the top tier of NBA players this season. Tatum probably has the best roster surrounding him during his tenure with the Boston Celtics. They are currently 3-0 and looked like the best team in the Eastern Conference after Week 1.
Tatum is averaging 29.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game. He would have a really great shot at winning his first NBA MVP award if the Celtics could finish with a historic record.
#2 - Luka Doncic (+450)
Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks looks like a man on a mission after the first week of the season. Doncic has led the Mavericks to a 3-0 record, with Kyrie Irving already missing one game due to a left foot sprain. He's been controlling the game with ease, while also taking over when needed.
"Luka Magic" is the NBA MVP for some fans this season and he's averaging a ridiculous 39.0 points per game with 11.7 rebounds, 9.7 assists and 1.0 steals. It might be too much to ask for Doncic to sustain this level of play, but it won't be surprising if he averages a triple-double this season.
#1 - Nikola Jokic (+375)
Nikola Jokic has the Denver Nuggets looking unstoppable after their first four games of the season. The Nuggets have the best record in the league with 4-0 heading into Week 2.
The two-time NBA MVP is putting up 26.5 points, 12.3 rebounds and 8.5 assists this season, but his impact on the Nuggets cannot be understated. He also makes things so much easier that it doesn't show up on the stat sheet. At the end of the day, voters might be willing to compromise after what they did to him last season.
