NBA Betting: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Sees Improved MVP Odds

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has climbed the ranks in NBA odds to win the Most Valuable Player Award.

How much of a possibility could it be for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to win the Most Valuable Player award this season? This question is much, much more of a reality now than it was in November. 

Statistically, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is improving on a season in which he averaged 30+ points per game in a First Team All-NBA campaign. He's scoring just as much on better efficiency. 

While Gilgoeus-Alexander's 2022-23 season was incredible statistically, the Oklahoma City Thunder was the No. 10 team in the Western Conference -- nowhere near close enough for him to make any real noise for the MVP award. Still, he finished No. 5 in MVP voting last season.

This year, Gilgeous-Alexander is doing similarly when it comes to the box score, but the Thunder is much improved when it comes to winning and being a real threat in the Western Conference.

The 6-foot-6 superstar is averaging 31.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.3 steals per game this season while shooting 55.5 percent shooting from the field. His efficiency is insane, but where his MVP resume really comes into play is with the Thunder's record. 

Standing at 26-11 this season, the Thunder is tied for the top seed in the Western Conference. Typically, the MVP is playing for one of the top teams in the league while leading the team in the box score. Gilgeous-Alexander checks both of those boxes. 

With this, Gilgeous-Alexander holds the second-best odds to win the MVP award. Of course, Nikola Jokic leads the league with +195 odds, according to ESPN BET. Gilgoeus-Alexander trails him with +280 odds.

Between the two, the star Thunder guard gets the benefit of the doubt. Jokic has won the award twice and voter fatigue often goes into decisions like these, and Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder are rapidly bursting onto the contending scene. 

It'll be interesting to see how much respect the Kentucky product gets as the MVP voting rolls around if the Thunder can continue to be one of the premier teams in the Western Conference.

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