2013 NBA MVP Odds

Now that we’re more than 50 games into the NBA season, we have reasonable idea of who might win the 2013 MVP and unsurprisingly, it’s the same guy who won it in 2012 – LeBron James. James has not only put up incredible numbers, but with the Heat dominating their conference foes and with James passing the eye test with flying colors, it’s looking more and more like King James will retain the throne.

James may be the overwhelming favorite, but with 30 games left there are sure to be other contenders who mayrise up to challenge him, especially if the Heat fade a bit down the stretch. Here are the top six favorites for the 2013 MVP, courtesy of Bovada.lv.

LeBron James – 1/5

James is currently third in the league in scoring with 27.3 points per game, but his completeness as a player is why he is the odds-on favorite again this season. James is putting up 8.2 rebounds per game and 6.9 assists, which are of course, incredible numbers for a forward. And he’s continued to improve as the season has gone along. James is averaging 31.5 points per game in February and is shooting a blistering 69.9% for the month! And it’s not like he’s getting all lay-ups. That’s with plenty of contested jump shots as well. His amazing streak of six consecutive games with more than 30 points and better than 60% field goal shooting  (an NBA record)  easily made him the most talked about player during the first half of the season. Will he be the most talked about during the second half? If he plays at least half as good as he did during the first 50 games, then yes.

Kevin Durant – 5/2

As the league’s leading scorer with 29.2 points per game, Kevin Durant is LeBron’s biggest competition. The Thunder also have the best chance of any other team to knock the Heat off their championship perch this season, which would give him more MVP credentials. The biggest reason for betting Durant in this category though would be the value. Betting James at 1/5 will not reward you even if he does win, while you stand to make some dough if Durant pulls off the MVP upset. Durant is certainly not a bad bet here, bet let’s hope he improves his 4.4 assists and 7.4 rebounds slightly to give him a better shot.

Kobe Bryant – 33/1

Michael Jordan recently said he would take Kobe over LeBron because of the five championship rings to one, but this year’s MVP is not about the past. Kobe is in his mid-thirties now and although he is still a great player, (26.8 points per game) he’s no LeBron James. And with the Lakers in absolute shambles, I don’t see Bryant pulling off his long shot win. Stay away from him, even at 33/1.

Chris Paul – 12/1

Chris Paul’s odds increased after he took home the All-Star game MVP over the weekend and with the Clippers looking like a real contender for the NBA title this season, he’s not a bad pick. You’re getting pretty good value with Paul too at 12/1, but he’s still a pretty big long shot in the big scheme of things.

Carmelo Anthony – 15/1

As the league’s second leading scorer (28.6 points per game) and leader of the second best team in the East, Carmelo Anthony is also a decent MVP wager at 15/1. It’s not likely that the Knicks will overtake the Heat in the East, but if any team can do it, it’s New York. They’ve played well all season and Melo has been the biggest reason why. Though, he doesn’t have as strong overall numbers as a LeBron or KD with just 2.7 assists per game and 6.5 rebounds. Still, he’s a good value pick and has as good a shot as Paul to win it.

Tony Parker – 50/1

Then there’s the super long shot, Tony Parker. Don’t get me wrong, Parker has had a fine year and he is on team with the league’s best record at the moment, but his name just doesn’t carry that MVP aura. And it’s not likely that the aging Spurs will really compete for an NBA title down the stretch. Still, at 50/1 I would rank him ahead of Kobe in terms of value, but below the other aforementioned contenders. It’s best to not waste your time or money here.