NBA

NBA MVP Betting: Who to Back In The 2021-22 Futures Market

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With the offseason producing a great deal of interesting trades and many big franchises looking to improve their rosters ahead of the next campaign, betting on the NBA is very much hotting up.

A futures bet can help retain your interest for the long haul and is even more tempting if you happen to want to back your own favorite team or player. Last season the Milwaukee Bucks overcame the Phoenix Suns in an NBA finals series that saw two sides who hadn’t won a title in over 50 years go head to head.

The MVP futures market for the coming season is something of a battlefield at present and you might want to make good use of this when it comes to backing your choice, and on that note, here are three of the favorites in the running.

Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets) – (+700)

The 32-year-old played a key role in the Brooklyn Nets’ run to the conference semifinals last time around, where they lost out to eventual winners the Bucks in seven games. Durant won the NBA MVP award back in 2014 during his time at the Oklahoma City Thunder. Durant is in the peak of his career at present and enjoyed a summer helping Team USA to an Olympic gold in Tokyo, the third of his illustrious career.

Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks) – (+400)

The Slovenian, who also took part in the Tokyo Olympics, has been hugely impressive since his move from Real Madrid to the Dallas Mavericks back in 2018. Doncic has made the All-Star team in both of the last two seasons and managed an astonishing 40.1 point per game average in the postseason last time around.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) (+800)

March 6, 2020, Los Angeles, CA, USA: LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 06: Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo 34 warms up before the Milwaukee Bucks vs Los Angeles Lakers game on March 06, 2020, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. /Icon Sportswire Los Angeles USA – ZUMAi88 20200306zafi88079 Copyright: xJevonexMoorex

Antetokounmpo was an injury doubt during crucial periods of the NBA playoffs but returned with a bang to play a key role in the Milwaukee Bucks’ victory over the Suns. The Greek star has won the MVP award twice, back in 2018-19 and 2019-20 and is clearly a player with a very bright future though one wonders if the Bucks can retain the levels they hit last season.

LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers) – (+1000)

Clearly LeBron shouldn’t be taken out of the equation, not least as his Lakers line-up has been much improved after a series of great offseason captures (including the arrival of Russell Westbrook, Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony).

James has won the MVP award on four occasions (twice apiece with the Clevelan Cavaliers and the Miami Heat) but hasn’t managed that honor since his move to Los Angeles back in 2018. Perhaps this year he can pick up his fifth award, which would bring him level with Michael Jordan and Bill Russell with five wins a piece, behind six-time winner Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

These represent the most interesting, and perhaps most likely, bets to chase. However there is also the option of backing Steph Curry (+800) or last year’s winner Nikola Jokic (+1400) to consider as alternatives.