The National Basketball Association is down to their final three MVP Finalists. Although as late as last week a rumor swirled that both of the Suns’ star players, Devin Booker and Chris Paul, were finalists, neither made the top three. Heading into the NBA Playoffs’ second week, the Association said that the finalists are the Denver Nuggets Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo with the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers’ center Joel Embiid. Check out profiles of each along with a betting analysis.

Top Betting Predictions for the 2022 NBA MVP Award

Jokic, Embiid, Antetokounmpo finalists for NBA MVP honors.https://t.co/ZdwYz3Sv4y

— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) April 18, 2022

Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets

The 2020-2021 MBA MVP made a furious rally in the second half to throw his hat in the ring. Jokic has dominated this season the way he did last season. Denver’s big man does everything for Denver. He leads the Nuggets in points, 27.1, assists, 7.9, and rebounds, 13.7 per game. Jokic also leads Denver in shooting percentage 58%, steals, 1.5 per, and blocks, .9 each game. There’s nothing Jokic can’t do.

Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks

Just like Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, the 2019-2020 NBA MVP, picked up his game in the second half of the season. Giannis ended up leading the Bucks in rebounds and points per contest. Antetokounmpo averaged 29.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. He also averaged 1.4 blocks per.

Joel Embiid – Philadelphia 76ers

The last time a center led the league in points per game was 1999-2000 when Shaquille O’Neil averaged 29.7. This season, Big Joel eclipsed O’Neil’s scoring average mark. Embiid averaged 30.4 points per. He averaged 11.7 rebounds each game and 1.4 blocks pe contest.

2021-2022 NBA MVP Betting Analysis

Based on stats, Jokic is an easy winner. Nikola does everything for his team. But the Nuggets aren’t a serious contender to win the NBA Championship. At least, they aren’t based on how they played against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors in their first playoff game. The Warriors beat the Nuggets 123-107. So even though Jokic may deserve a second straight MVP, he won’t get it. Voters won’t back Jokic in back-to-back seasons when there are a couple of other choices that are almost just as good. Giannis is always a threat to win league MVP.

However, the Bucks rely on way more than Giannis. Milwaukee won the title last season after Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton stepped it up against the Suns. Antetokounmpo’s stats are great, but voters know the real key to Milwaukee’s success is when Holiday, Giannis, and Middleton play well, not when just Giannis plays well. Along with James Harden, Embiid has put the Sixers into a position to win the Eastern Conference. Harden hasn’t taken anything away from Embiid.

In fact, The Beard appears happy and is playing his best basketball since his early days with the Houston Rockets. Harden is a complement to Embiid. He’s not the main focus in Philly, and The Beard knows it, which is a good thing. The fact Big Joel leads the league in scoring, and is the first center to do so since Shaq, makes him this season’s MVP winner.

2022 NBA MVP Pick: Joel Embiid

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