Last night, Nikola Jokic became the first player in NBA Finals history to have at least 30 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists in a single game. After leading Denver to a Game 3 win with that historic performance, it’s not a surprise to see Jokic’s Finals MVP odds swing from -260 to -800.
Interestingly, this is the first time that Jokic’s Finals MVP odds (-800) are the exact same as the Nuggets’ odds (-800) to win the series.
Does this mean Jokic is a lock to be awarded MVP if the Nuggets win? If the Nuggets lose, could Jokic still get it? We asked Head of Trading Kevin Lawler for his take on the Finals MVP market.
Lawler: “While Jamal Murray joined Jokic with a triple double of his own in Game 3, it’s almost a wrap for the big man if Denver wins the title. Historically, if you look at the Finals MVP winner, it’s always been the No. 1 guy on the team and this performance from Jokic is unlike anything we’ve seen in recent years in terms of dominance. That said, we don’t believe Jokic would get MVP ❌ if Miami wins. The Heat would need a massive performance in Denver, and it’s unlikely they get that without Jimmy Butler or Bam Adebayo going off.”
