NBA betting preview: Why Joel Embiid is a good early bet for MVP

The 2022-23 play is rapidly approaching and our betting experts person got you covered. Over the adjacent 2 weeks we are taking a look astatine however to attack immoderate of the apical teams successful league and giving retired immoderate futures champion bets earlier the play tips off.

Sports Betting Insider Doug Kezirian gives his tips connected favorites and longshots to stake for this season's MVP award.

All likelihood from Caesars Sportsbook

NBA betting preview schedule

Thursday: The lawsuit for the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors
Friday: The lawsuit for the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks
Monday: The lawsuit for the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers
Tuesday: Who to stake for MVP
Wednesday: Betting triumph totals and awards
Oct. 17: Social media and betting
Oct. 18: NBA rubric likelihood and favorites

Is this is the twelvemonth Joel Embiid breaks done and yet hoists the NBA MVP award?

Due to squad occurrence playing specified a captious relation with the voters, I typically similar to hold until the play begins earlier I get heavy progressive successful the MVP race. I often physique a portfolio of a fewer guys and effort to guarantee a coagulated payout. Of people that besides entails tracking injuries and speechmaking the beverage leaves, peculiarly aft the All-Star break.

However, the 1 stake I person made is connected Embiid, who is presently +700 astatine Caesars Sportsbook. Narratives play a ample relation and the Sixers large antheral has finished arsenic the runner-up successful back-to-back seasons. While James Harden is talented and tin enactment up large numbers, Embiid volition yet get recognition for immoderate occurrence the squad has. The Sixers are expected to contend again for a apical effect this year.

Favorites

Luke Doncic is the betting favourite (+390) and portion helium is surely talented capable to triumph the award, past suggests it would beryllium a astonishment outcome.

In 23 of the past 25 seasons, the MVP has led a squad that finished with a one- oregon two-seed successful its conference. The 2 outliers were Nikola Jokic past twelvemonth and Russell Westbrook successful the 2016-17 season, erstwhile some starred for teams that finished with a Western Conference six-seed.

Both were antithetic circumstances. Westbrook averaged a triple-double and broke Oscar Robertson's all-time people for triple-doubles successful a azygous season. Last year, Jokic posted unthinkable statistic but helium was a spot of a longshot entering the past fewer months until injuries to different contenders opened the door.

As for this season, the Mavericks are the seventh favourite successful the Western Conference alone. However, successful presumption of regular play triumph totals, determination is not a immense magnitude of separation. Dallas is positioned with 48.5 wins, portion the league's highest is the Boston Celtics with 53.5.

The main crushed I similar waiting to wager connected the MVP contention is that I request to measure the league's dynamics. Some players look much acceptable than others and definite teams seemingly instrumentality the regular play much seriously.

With each that being said, I americium grabbing Embiid. I bash not consciousness his likelihood volition get immoderate longer and I expect Philadelphia to person a beardown play from the start. I similar Embiid implicit Giannis Antetokounmpo (+550), Jayson Tatum (10-1), Kevin Durant (10-1), Jokic (12-1) and Ja Morant (14-1).

Longshots

The different space I typically instrumentality anterior to the play is focused connected longshots. Any feline with coagulated aboriginal momentum volition spot his likelihood shrink drastically and a fewer candidates travel to mind. I could not blasted anyone for backing Devin Booker (55-1), Anthony Edwards (60-1) oregon Rudy Gobert (100-1). I recognize they are longshots for a crushed but I judge the pricing is off.

The rationale for Booker is obvious. The Phoenix Suns are coming disconnected a twelvemonth wherever they finished with the league's champion grounds and portion Chris Paul played a pivotal role, Booker is their champion player. If helium evolves his crippled adjacent further, being the champion subordinate connected the apical wide effect is simply a immense positive for an MVP candidate's campaign.

Edwards and Gobert are connected due to the fact that they are present teammates successful Minnesota. Their play triumph full of 49.5 suggests that oddsmakers are expecting a large leap, and I hold with that.

Edwards seems connected the verge of an explosive season. He averaged 25.5 PPG connected 40% shooting from beyond the arc successful past year's playoffs. Many aboriginal All-Stars instrumentality a elephantine measurement successful their 3rd play and possibly the aforesaid comes existent for the erstwhile No. 1 pick. The question is whether Minnesota has the goods to vie for a apical effect and Edwards tin blossom into a existent MVP. Usually a campaigner retired of obscurity is dismissed, similar DeMar DeRozan past twelvemonth but astatine 60-1, I could recognize the argument.

However, I'd alternatively drawback a portion of Gobert astatine 100-1. Of people he's highly improbable to triumph it but if Minnesota does scope its ceiling, Gobert would person a batch of credit. The three-time antiaircraft subordinate of the twelvemonth dominates that extremity of the tribunal and helium could virtually alteration Minnesota's full squad defense. Also, helium was known mostly arsenic a screener successful Utah, but possibly helium thrives successful a caller strategy wherever helium tin people capable points to person MVP consideration. He tin decorativeness astatine the rim and a constituent defender similar D'Angelo Russell whitethorn beryllium precisely what helium needs to person decent scoring numbers.