NBA Betting Futures – The MVP Race Just Got Interesting
1. Lebron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Makes his team better? Check. Best stats in the league? Check. Playing on an elite team that is bound for the playoffs? Check. Keeping a team afloat with little to no help? Check.
The King has averaged 29.8 points per game and 7.3 assists while hauling down 8.0 boards in the process. Those are monstrous numbers, and as long as the Cavs stay in cruise control, the King will be crowned with his first MVP award.
The trump card here is Wally Sczerbiak’s expiring contract. If the Cavs can parlay that into another veritable superstar, the leagues is in danger of seeing a Cleveland team that nobody in the Eastern Conference can stop.
2. Kobe Bryant (LA Lakers)
I’ve been a huge defender of Kobe Bryant as the league’s best overall player for two years now. The defending MVP is still perhaps the best player, but LeBron is outperforming him across the board. Kobe is putting up 24-5-3 this season, making him a soft play in our NBA futures as the repeat MVP until Kobe starts to outperform the reigning King.
3. Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic)
Superman may be the reigning Slam Dunk Champion, but two more trophies could be added to the phenom’s trophy case by season’s end. The Magic are playing exceptionally well this season, going 3-2 ATS and 4-1 SU in their last 5 games. The amazing part is that Howard is averaging 21-14-4 in that span, meaning he’s the only forward in the MVP discussion averaging a double-double. Even with Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu chipping in, Howard’s name belongs in the MVP discussion until further notice.
4. Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets)
The only other double-double producer is CP3, who is putting up 20-11-5 giving him one of the best stat lines amongst our MVP candidates. The do-it-all point-guard is going to go down in history as one of the best players to run the point, but he’s going to have to do more for his betting backers. The Hornets are only 4-8-1 ATS this season and are 1-5-1 ATS when playing at home. The sports betting odds of Paul winning the league MVP are as slim as the Hornets chances of covering at home.
5. Dwayne Wade (Miami Heat)
Wade’s historic resurgence in this year’s NBA betting season has been nothing short of incredible. Wade had been somewhat injury prone, but with Marion and Beasley coming to Miami, the pressure has been lifted off Wade’s shoulders. His response? By barreling through defenses and putting up MVP caliber numbers. Wade is averaging 28-7-5 putting him right in the thick of things when it comes to the MVP race. It’s no secret that Miami is a horribly undersized team with little experience and a benign cancer in Marion. If Wade is able to pull these guys up from the drudges of the NBA betting pits, then the MVP trophy could be his.
6. Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors)
Bosh is the engine in Toronto that gets things going. He’ll always lose to Amare and Howard in the conversation about big men, and with 23-10-2 on the season his numbers are always going to be outstanding. Whether or not he can finally level the Raptors out in to a viable playoff contender is what will make the difference for the free-agent to be.
7. Amare Stoudemire (Phoenix Suns)
This guy is a monster, but the fact is that the system still revolves around Steve Nash and a resurrected Shaquille O’Neal. Amare has to blow up for monster game after monster game, and I just don’t know if the 26 year-old high school graduate has it in him. He’s a threat when it comes to matching up one-on-one, but as an MVP candidate, he’s falling just short.
