The NBA season is less than a month old and there are dozens upon dozens of games still left to play.
That means that a lot can change between now and the offseason.
However, right now there is a clear frontrunner to win this season’s MVP trophy, and it’s a very familiar name.
According to Basketball Reference, Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets has a 77.8% chance of winning MVP in 2023-24.
The second player on the list is Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers, the league’s current MVP, with just 9%.
Tyrese Haliburton, Tyrese Maxey, and Jayson Tatum take spots three through five.
2023-2024 NBA MVP Odds:
77.8% – Nikola Jokić (DEN)
9.0% – Joel Embiid (PHI)
4.5% – Tyrese Haliburton (IND)
2.1% – Tyrese Maxey (PHI)
1.7% – Jayson Tatum (BOS)All MVP Odds: https://t.co/aUIBdEo4Z8
— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) November 19, 2023
All of these players have a chance but it’s obviously Jokic who has the best possibility of taking home the trophy.
That would mark his third time doing so, as he won the award back-to-back in 2021 and 2022.
The last time he won MVP, Jokic averaged 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists for the season.
This year, he is producing 29.7 points, 14.1 rebounds, and 9.2 assists.
Not only is he statistically playing a better game, but his team is getting a lot more attention too.
They are the reigning champions, considered the best team in the league, and have become incredibly popular over the last few years.
Their games are fully attended and watched by millions of people.
Jokic is now a household name for many but the pressure and attention he receives isn’t impacting his game negatively.
People said that his 2022-23 performance was historic and one-of-a-kind.
So far, he’s doing even better in 2023-24, which is a major reason why he’s the frontrunner to earn this honor.
Other players might make this competition tighter in the weeks ahead but, right now, Jokic is far ahead of everyone else.
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