National Basketball Association

NBA odds: Giannis, Ja Morant and DeMar DeRozan in the mix for MVP

Updated Feb. 15, 2022 5:51 p.m. ET

With the NBA trade deadline in the rearview and All-Star weekend here, the second half of the season is right around the corner. As for individual accolades, a couple of stars are heating up, so bettors are locking in on the MVP race.

In Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo's 29 points per game for the Bucks are tied for third in the Association. Further south in Memphis, Ja Morant's explosive season has the Memphis Grizzlies sitting at third in the West and is catching the attention of legends like Magic Johnson.

And then there's the Chicago Bulls' superstar DeMar DeRozan who has been on a tear. He has six straight games with 35 or more points on 50% shooting and is poised to make history by breaking another legend's longstanding record. More importantly, DeRozan has his squad at second in the East and playing great basketball heading into the break.

There has been some movement in MVP odds, so let's dive into the movers and shakers on the list. Here are the updated odds for the top players in the league ahead of the All-Star break (with all odds via FOX Bet).

ODDS TO WIN 2022 NBA MVP*

Here are a few things that stand out:

- All-Star Joel Embiid took the top spot of the NBA MVP odds in late January for the first time this season and has been the favorite since. His 29.5 points per game rank first in the NBA and have helped lead Philadelphia to the fourth seed in the East — two-and-a-half games back from the No. 1 spot in the conference. Will the new addition of James Harden to the 76ers help shorten Embiid's odds even further or will Harden's presence hurt the big man?

- DeMar DeRozan, another 2022 All-Star selection, is having a stellar 14th season in the NBA and has the sixth-best odds to take home MVP honors for the first time in his colorful career. In his first season with the Bulls, DeRozan is averaging 27.9 points per game and his player efficiency rating of 25 ranks sixth.

- Ja Morant's MVP odds have shortened from +1600 to +1200 over the last three weeks. In his third year in the league, the second-overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft has averaged 26.4 points per game and was named to his very first All-Star roster this season. Morant's athleticism has the Grizzlies sitting behind only the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors for the third spot in an ultra-competitive Western Conference.

- While Giannis Antetokounmpo is nursing a sore ankle right before All-Star weekend, his efforts this season have led his Bucks to a 35-23 record. He currently sits third in MVP futures at +350. The Greek Freak is averaging 29 points per game and has a player efficiency rating of 32.13. Can last year's Finals MVP add a third regular-season MVP award to his trophy case?

The MVP race is heating up! Lock in on your favorite and place your wagers now at FOX Bet!

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