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Stephen Curry continues to lead the MVP field this season, and there appears to be no stopping him in his quest for a third MVP award.
The star point guard scored 33 points and added six assists as the Golden State Warriors went to Arizona on Christmas Day and beat the Phoenix Suns 116-107 despite missing some key rotation players. Curry’s presence consistently stretched Phoenix’s defense, and the Suns’ efforts to double him made things worse in the end.
The other big performance on Christmas Day came from Giannis Antetokounmpo, who returned from the league’s health and safety protocols to deliver 36 points and 12 rebounds in a 117-113 comeback win for the Milwaukee Bucks over the Boston Celtics. Antetokounmpo dominated the final quarter and had a monster block reminiscent of his Finals rejection against Deandre Ayton. If Antetokounmpo keeps carrying the Bucks to big wins, it’ll be hard to take him out of the MVP conversation.
Even though he’s sidelined with COVID protocols, Kevin Durant remains second in the MVP odds table. Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic round out the top five, but one name to watch who has been rising steadily is LeBron James. If the Lakers do turn things around, it’ll likely come from James having a big stretch. It’s been a while since he’s won MVP and voters might like the narrative of him rescuing the league’s glamor franchise over the Bay Area sharpshooter who has significantly more help.
NBA MVP odds 2021-22
1. Stephen Curry, +130
2. Kevin Durant, +250
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, +900
4. Nikola Jokic, +1200
5. Joel Embiid, +3500
6. Luka Doncic, +4500
7. Paul George, +5000
8. LeBron James, +6000
9. Trae Young, +6000
10. Chris Paul, +6500
11. DeMar DeRozan, +6500
12. Zach LaVine, +6500
13. James Harden, +7000
14. Jimmy Butler, +7500
15. Donovan Mitchell, +7500
Note — Odds are updated as of Dec. 27
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