NBA MVP odds: Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid locked in tight race

Nearly three months into the 2023-24 NBA season, the MVP race is in a dead heat. 

Superstar big men Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic are currently tied at the top of BetMGM Sportsbook’s odds board, sitting at +250 each to win the award. 

Embiid, the reigning league MVP, holds a slight edge with Caesars Sportsbook at a barely negligible +210 versus Jokic’s +230. 

The pair have consistently been two of the most popular MVP picks throughout the season, flip-flopping for the best odds on several occasions thus far. 

But another duo is starting to close the gap. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic both have odds better than 5/1 at most major sportsbooks after excellent months of December. 

At BetMGM, Gilgeous-Alexander is on the tails of Embiid and Jokic at +400, with Doncic right behind at +425. 

Barring a late run, the race has seemingly turned into a four-player field. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo (+1400) is the only other player with odds better than 30/1. 

But as last year’s MVP competition showed, things can change fast. 

In late January last season, Jokic was -105 to win his third straight MVP, well ahead of the rest of the field. 

Embiid, the eventual winner, was seemingly on the outskirts of the race, fourth on the board at +800, trailing Jokic, Doncic (+400) and Jayson Tatum (+700).

Jokic, who won back-to-back MVPs before last year, opened the season as the consensus favorite to win it for a third time, while Embiid had the fourth-best odds at +800. 

The Joker remained the favorite throughout much of the early going until Embiid passed him in December after a dominant 51-point performance against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the No. 1 seed in the West and top defense in the NBA.

The Embiid’s 76ers will play Jokic and the Nuggets twice this month, Jan. 16 in Philadelphia and Jan. 27 in Denver, which are sure to swing the odds depending on the results.