Despite a late charge in the regular season, Devin Booker was never looked upon as a true contender for league MVP.
But when it comes to the postseason, he is the man to beat. The Phoenix Suns’ shooting guard has the best odds to claim NBA Finals MVP, according to BetMGM on May 5.
While we are still a couple rounds away from knowing which teams will play in the NBA Finals, the oddsmakers are projecting based on team strength and player talent.
Here are the six basketball players with the best odds to win NBA Finals MVP.
1. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns (+450 odds)
Booker averaged 26.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game during the regular season. Those are good individual numbers, but they weren’t enough to challenge Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid for the league’s most prestigious individual award. He missed a few games in the opening-round series against the New Orleans Pelicans with a hamstring injury, but has since returned without issue. Booker is the Suns’ best player, and Phoenix now has +200 odds to win the NBA championship. If Phoenix captures the title, Booker will be in line to capture the Finals MVP if he plays up to his usual standard.
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2. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors (+500)
The Warriors are currently deadlocked with the Memphis Grizzlies at one game apiece in their Western Conference Semifinals matchup. Next up would be the Suns to simply make it to the NBA Finals. But if Golden State can get there, it would be favored over any Eastern Conference team, and Curry would be the favorite to win Finals MVP. He actually has the best odds at DraftKings to win the award, although teammates like Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole could be in the running if Golden State claims another title.
3. Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns (+550)
The Point God has been divine in the playoffs, absolutely obliterating the Pelicans and Mavericks when needed. Paul is 37 years old but still playing at his peak, and if the Suns win the title, he could be neck-and-neck with Booker for NBA Finals MVP. Both have good name recognition, but their games are different. Booker will undoubtedly have the higher scoring average while Paul will put up impressive assists numbers. If the Suns win the championship and both play well, it will be an interesting vote.
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4. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics (+600)
The Celtics swept the Nets in the first round and are currently deadlocked with the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. These odds are pretty bullish on a Celtics run, because potentially knocking off Milwaukee, Miami and then either the Suns or Warriors would be a tough task. However, Boston has been on a tear in 2022, and Tatum is the clear go-to guy. If the Celtics win the title, Tatum would likely be Finals MVP, but a championship will be tough to secure.
T-5. Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat (+700)
The Heat are up 2-0 on the 76ers, in large part because of the absence of Joel Embiid due to injury. Miami can all but wrap things up by splitting the pair of games in Philadelphia, which would push the Heat toward the Eastern Conference Finals. Butler may not be in the same superstar realm as some other players on this list, but he is the best player on a Miami team that does have a puncher’s chance at the championship. However, this could definitely be a situation where one of his teammates has a good series and steals the Finals MVP as a longshot.
T-5. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks (+700)
The Greek Freak is the reigning NBA Finals MVP, so there is no question he has the capability to claim the award. Milwaukee won last year’s title and is a viable contender once again, although the oddsmakers see the Bucks as underdogs in their current series against the Boston Celtics. While Milwaukee has some other good players, Antetokounmpo would be the clear favorite for NBA Finals MVP if the Bucks are able to repeat as champions.
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