Tatum And Edwards Lead Conference Finals MVP Odds

Leading Stars are Short Favorites

The NBA Conference Finals are set with the upstart Indiana Pacers taking on the No. 1 seed Boston Celtics in the East and the Minnesota Timberwolves — in the NBA Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2004 — will face off against the Dallas Mavericks.

They certainly are not the final four teams that a lot of people expected before the season, or even at the start of the playoffs, but all are deserving in their own right. So, of course, the next question is what the NBA conference MVP odds are.

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Unsurprisingly, Jayson Tatum and Anthony Edwards — as the clear two top dogs on their respective teams that are favored in their series — are the favorites for each NBA conference.

However, if this postseason has taught us anything, it’s that it’s incredibly hard not only to predict which teams will win which series but also which players will step up in those series.

That’s why betting on series MVPs is so hard even if the values for some of the candidates on the board for MVPs of the NBA teams in the Eastern Conference and NBA Western Conference are very enticing.

So, let’s run down some of the options for MVP, from the certified favorites to some names that might be riskier but are still worth a bet because of the potential value they provide.

NBA Eastern Conference

Celtics logo Jayson Tatum (-300)

It’s no surprise to see Tatum be the heavy favorite on the NBA conference MVP odds. His Celtics are huge favorites over the Pacers — it is always a good bet to take the best player on the better team as the MVP. While he hasn’t been as efficient as he would like so far in the playoffs, his sheer scoring ability and proclivity to take over bodes well for his NBA Eastern Conference Finals MVP odds.

Tatum stepped up during the final three games of the Cavaliers series. But he does have to get over the playoff hump after he had brutal performances in last year’s postseason. This is a big series for him and he is playing in top form. This is critical for the Celtics’ NBA championship odds.

Celtics logo Jaylen Brown (+450)

If Tatum’s low MVP value scares you, consider taking Brown as a pseudo-handcuff. Although Brown isn’t as refined a scorer as Tatum, his two-way impact and efficiency could enable him to surpass Tatum. If the superstar encounters a rough shooting slump or fails to dominate as usual, Brown’s odds will shorten.

It would be a real shock if the Celtics didn’t win. Betting Brown could be a smart backup plan.

Pacers logo Tyrese Haliburton (+1200)

After taking it to the Knicks in Game 7, Haliburton and the Pacers are riding a confidence high right now as they head into the series with the Celtics.

On paper, Boston should be able to score at will against Indiana but as we have seen with the Pacers, they can play tough when they want so the Celtics may not walk over them as expected.

And, if Indiana pulls off the incredible upset, Haliburton would be in prime position to claim MVP honors as the Pacers’ best player.

At +1200, he’s a decent bet because Indiana stands at just +620 to win the series outright. Betting on Haliburton at +1200 offers good value, essentially wagering on the Pacers to win the series.

Celtics logo Derrick White (+1400)

As we saw during the Heat series, when White gets hot, he puts up points in a hurry and can singlehandedly swing games. However, as the third banana behind Tatum and Brown — and fourth when Kristaps Porzingis is healthy — White probably needs to be at longer than +1400 to justify a wager.

NBA Western Conference

Timberwolves logo Anthony Edwards (-150)

It makes sense for Edwards to be the other player with minus odds on the NBA conference MVP odds. He has transformed himself from an inefficient scorer with questionable defense to a full-blown superstar. “Ant” put up some ridiculous performances in the Timberwolves’ series win over the Denver Nuggets.

One of Minnesota’s strengths is its depth so Edwards isn’t doing it all by himself but he is the engine that makes the Timberwolves go. If they win, it’s likely because Edwards led them.

Mavericks logo Luka Doncic (+165)

While the NBA betting lines have the Mavericks as sizable underdogs to the Timberwolves, one major reason why Dallas has a chance is Doncic’s greatness.

He was fine letting teammate Kyrie Irving take over during parts of the last series. But we all know what Luka can do in big moments when the game is on the line. He has that “clutch gene” and can put a team on his back if need be. So, at +165, he could be a good bet.

Mavericks logo Kyrie Irving (+1200)

It does make sense for Irving’s odds to be much higher than Doncic’s but for there to be this big a gap between them doesn’t seem to be justified.

Irving has already hit an NBA Finals-clinching shot in his career and has a penchant for the dramatic.

His production has been up and down in the postseason as he has taken a willing back-seat to Luka but at +1200, it’s almost worth a flier just for the principal.

Timberwolves logo Karl-Anthony Towns (+1600)

The same thinking goes for Towns, who is Minnesota’s second-best scorer but third most important after Edwards and Gobert.

The potential to swing a game and hit big shots down the stretch is there but the scoring hasn’t been consistent enough in the postseason.

This might be a high-value dart throw but it isn’t the smartest one.

For NBA betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.


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