NBA Finals MVP Odds: Jayson Tatum Worth Betting With Celtics Favored?

With NBA playoff odds underway, there is no better time to dive into NBA Finals MVP odds. As weeks go by and teams advance, these prices will shorten accordingly. If you wager on the “right” player, your bet will become more valuable if his team reaches the conference finals or the biggest stage. Let’s break down some of the favorites.

Click anywhere below to wager on 2024 NBA Finals MVP odds. These prices are the best available in your state.

2024 NBA Finals MVP odds

Bet Tatum Over Celtics Odds?

Five-time NBA All-Star Jayson Tatum is the favorite at among NBA Finals MVP odds. If the Boston Celtics win the title (they are favorites among NBA Finals odds), the “best player on the best team” logic makes him the most logical option for this honor. For context, the best available odds for the Celtics in this market are .

Granted, Tatum is no shoo-in, even if Boston claims the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. Fellow Celtics star Jaylen Brown, whose NBA Finals MVP odds are stationed at , may dominate in early June and win the award despite Tatum’s gaudy production in previous series.

Next up is Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, the reigning NBA Finals MVP. Regarding individual net ratings, Jokic and Tatum are separated by less than a single point. Unsurprisingly, the odds-on favorite to win the regular-season MVP award is in the lead. Nevertheless, the Celtics’ position in the futures market is why Tatum trumps Jokic in the NBA Finals MVP betting market.

For bettors who are looking to fade the Celtics, think again. Basketball Reference uses a Simple Rating System (SRS), incorporating point differential and strength of schedule to evaluate each team. The Celtics notched a 10.75 SRS — equivalent to the fifth-best mark in league history. The New York Knicks are behind Boston in the Eastern Conference standings at 4.36. No other team tallied a rating higher than three.

Antetokounmpo Injury Update

Sources told ESPN on Tuesday that the Milwaukee Bucks are expected to be without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo for the start of their first-round series against the Indiana Pacers. However, the team is hopeful Antetokounmpo’s left calf strain will allow him to return as the series progresses.

The Bucks’ chances of winning their second NBA championship since 2021 certainly hinge upon Antetokounpo’s health. Since Milwaukee is the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket, his price tag shouldn’t come as a surprise.

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