James Harden Now 2nd in Updated 2021 NBA MVP Odds at +700

Can James Harden swoop in and steal his 2nd MVP award? (Picture by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire)

• James Harden has thrown himself into the MVP race with Joel Embiid and LeBron James injured
• Nikola Jokic stays the odds-on favourite, however Harden has risen above the remainder of the contenders 
• Is Harden good worth to win a second MVP? See evaluation on the most recent odds under

James Harden has turn into a critical issue within the NBA MVP race with Kevin Durant absent. The Brooklyn Nets preserve profitable video games on the again of Harden’s immense manufacturing. The previous Rocket has asserted himself as a professional MVP candidate with Joel Embiid and LeBron James sliding out of competition resulting from accidents.

FanDuel’s NBA MVP odds tab Harden as second favourite. His +700 value is tied with Embiid, however nonetheless effectively behind odds-on chief Nikola Jokic.

2021 NBA MVP Odds

Odds taken on Mar twenty ninth

The Beard on a Cost

As not too long ago as February sixteenth, James Harden was +5600 to win MVP. His value has dropped persistently and aggressively since then, although he was nonetheless so long as +2650 on March third.

Accidents to LeBron James and Joel Embiid left the door ajar, and Harden has taken his recreation to a different stage. During the last couple of weeks, the Nets All-Star has moved in from +1400 to +700.

This odds change is clearly all the way down to sustained excellence from Harden. His numbers are superior. It’s additionally a results of a wide-open MVP race, a race which not so way back regarded like a three-man battle between James, Embiid and Nikola Jokic.

Accidents to 2 of these three left a emptiness within the MVP dialog, and it’s a possibility Harden has taken.

No KD. No Kyrie.

25 PTS
7 REB
17 AST

Highway dub in Portland.

Give James Harden the MVP pic.twitter.com/WdvMFiUg7t

— Nets Movies (@SNYNets) March 24, 2021

There are components aplenty in Harden’s approach as he pushes for a second MVP trophy. His push right here is well-deserved, nevertheless.

Harden’s Massive Numbers

Russell Westbrook is the one participant averaging extra assists per recreation than Harden because the break. Brooklyn has received 17 of their final 19 Harden has performed in. As ever, he’s doing all of this on an enormous workload, and leads the league in minutes per recreation since All-Star.

James Harden, on whether or not or not he belongs within the MVP dialog: “I’m the MVP.”

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) March 27, 2021

After a drop in free throw numbers early in his Brooklyn stint, the nine-time All-Star is high of the pile in free throws tried per recreation once more.

The mix of huge numbers and group success has made Harden an MVP candidate. He has spoken publicly (not for the primary time) about his place within the MVP race. That is an award Harden feels he ought to have received greater than as soon as, however nearly as good as he has been this season, he nonetheless faces an uphill battle to essentially problem Jokic.

Numbers Prone to Drop?

James Harden has a utilization price of 31.3% in minutes with out Kevin Durant. This drops to only 22.9% when Durant is on the courtroom. Durant’s return from damage is clearly a key think about Harden’s MVP case, and whereas he’ll nonetheless play minutes with out the previous Finals MVP, there’s little question his numbers are going to be much less spectacular.

In Harden’s early days as a Internet, there have been triple-doubles alongside Durant, and he was influencing the sport, however he was not the identical scoring risk he has been of late. Harden has been extra like his Houston self not too long ago. He’s scoring over 27 factors per recreation because the All-Star break. He was at 19 factors per 36 minutes when Durant is on the ground.

Maybe the enhance for Harden, although, is that Durant’s return from damage is unclear. If Brooklyn is ultra-cautious with the previous Warrior, Harden might get a lot of the remainder of the season producing at this price.

The signings of Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge have captured headlines, however neither are set to remove photographs from Harden. If something, including Aldridge as one other entrance courtroom spacer and Griffin as a doable lob risk might assist Harden’s numbers as a scorer and playmaker.

Little Worth on Harden

Harden’s MVP case is a sophisticated one. He’s going to have a really powerful time profitable voters over given the controversial method he pressured his approach out of Houston. There’s additionally a good level to be made in regards to the time missed and giving up as a Rocket. If accidents restrict the power of Embiid and James as MVP candidates, the identical argument may be made for Harden within the 9 video games earlier than he received his desired commerce.

The +700 value sounds lengthy for a participant producing like Harden is, notably if the Nets take the highest seed. Profitable MVP is as a lot about constructing a story as a lot as manufacturing, although, and that isn’t remotely in Harden’s favor. There will probably be widespread reluctance to vote for him after his Houston departure. Whether or not that’s honest or not is a distinct dialogue, however it’s a real issue for bettors to contemplate.

The prospect of Durant returning, and possibly of Joel Embiid coming again within the subsequent week or so, makes it very troublesome to see how Harden wins the award. Even out at +700, there’s higher worth on the board proper now. This is likely to be the shortest his value will get.

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