NBA MVP odds: Nikola Jokic’s repeat bid picking up steam

It’s not unusual to see MVP winners continue having dominant seasons in their award defense, and that’s exactly what has happened with Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. The big man wasn’t tabbed as the favorite to repeat heading into the season per DraftKings Sportsbook, but his continued strong play combined with Denver’s injury makes him a contender. If Jokic can keep the Nuggets out of the play-in tournament in the West, he’ll have an awesome case to win back-to-back MVP awards.

Nikola Jokic MVP Odds: +135

Jokic was listed at +170 in our last update, so he’s narrowed the gap even more of late. In his last eight games, Jokic is averaging 31.0 points, 12.9 rebounds and 8.9 assists per game. Those are basically Embiid’s numbers, but with the added assist output. More importantly, the Nuggets are 5-3 in those games. Voter fatigue is real, but the advanced metrics still favor Jokic over Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Nuggets big man has a great chance to repeat, assuming he can keep up this production.

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