NBA MVP Race: Sixers’ Joel Embiid Considered Favorite To Win

Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers, NBA
NBA Analysis Network

The Philadelphia 76ers currently are staying afloat in the Eastern Conference standings without NBA All-Star Ben Simmons even appearing in a single game this season. They hold a 29-19 record through 48 games and are just 2.5 games back from the first-place Miami Heat and one game back from second-place.

Ever since returning from the NBA’s health and safety protocol after missing nine consecutive games, Joel Embiid has averaged 31.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in 28 games. The team has a staggering 26-11 record when he is in the lineup.

ESPN Sports Betting writer David Bearman detailed the latest adjustments in odds for the 2022 NBA MVP award race—showing Joel Embiid went from being a 50-1 longshot to being Caesars Sportsbook’s favorite.

Less than 2 weeks after being a 50-1 longshot to win NBA MVP, Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Joel Embiid is now the favorite (+260) at Caesars Sportsbook.

Embiid, listed at 50-1 on January 16, is in the midst of a 16-game stretch in which he is averaging 34 points and 10 rebounds per game. The Sixers big man vaulted former MVPs Stephen Curry (+300) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (+325) in the last few days.

It doesn’t come with too much of a surprise that Joel Embiid has surpassed Stephen Curry in the race when considering how the Golden State Warriors superstar has struggled over the last few months now. The injury to Kevin Durant, who is the NBA’s leading scorer this season, essentially ended his candidacy, too.

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Giannis Antetokounpmo has been firing on all cylinders as of late and his Bucks team is also very much in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race—ranking fourth in the standings.

Many have considered Nikola Jokic as being a potential MVP winner this season but he now has the fourth-best odds to win the award based on the latest odds.

Denver Nuggets All-NBA big man and last season’s MVP Nikola Jokic has the fourth-best odds at +400 while Memphis Grizzlies rising star Ja Morant is fifth at +1400.

As long as Joel Embiid can continue to play at an elite level and avoid suffering an injury that keeps him sidelined, he has a lot going right when it comes to MVP candidacy. The narrative of Ben Simmons sitting out should only help his cause as long as the Philadelphia 76ers keep winning.

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It does seem rather premature to mention a name like Ja Morant in the NBA MVP race when considering his Memphis Grizzlies team went 10-2 without him in the lineup and his production hasn’t been at the level of the absolute best in the NBA from a basic averages standpoint.

Again, Giannis Antetokounmpo seems like a name to keep a close eye on after the NBA All-Star break to make a real push to win the honor. The Milwaukee Bucks haven’t often had him available to play along with Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton this season but are

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