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NBA MVP odds: Nobody's catching the Greek Freak

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When the NBA paused the season in March, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was a monstrous -1000 favorite to win MVP. Roughly four months later, the Greek Freak's more than doubled the gap.

With the league's restart, all 22 teams in the field have eight more games before the playoffs. That doesn't figure to be enough time for another player to pass Antetokounmpo, who looks to have this one sealed up.

Odds to win MVP

Player Odds
Giannis Antetokounmpo -2400
LeBron James +1100
James Harden +8000
Luka Doncic +8000
Kawhi Leonard +9500
Anthony Davis +10000
Damian Lillard +10000
Nikola Jokic +10000
Russell Westbrook +10000

Antetokounmpo opened +285 before the season and topped out at +300. He was +200 and lumped in with Luka Doncic (+250), James Harden (+300), and the ever-dangerous LeBron James (+600) at the start of December.

By the end of January, Antetokounmpo completely pulled away from the pack: He was the odds-on favorite at -300, with Doncic, Harden, and James at +500 or longer. The Bucks forward averaged 29.2 points, 12.7 rebounds, and an otherworldly offensive rating of 117.5 over that two-month span, in which Milwaukee went a gaudy 24-4.

Antetokounmpo may be in the clear, but Doncic was the biggest surprise.

The second-year Mavericks star was originally an afterthought, opening north of +4000. Eighteen games later, he was +350, thanks to an absolute tear in November.

Doncic averaged a triple-double to the tune of 32.7 points, 10.4 assists, and 10.3 rebounds per game while registering a mind-boggling offensive rating of 126. He essentially bowed out of the race after suffering a sprained ankle in February.

Not to be outdone, Harden was the biggest challenger - at least on paper. Houston's point guard crept up to +175 in early November after scoring 30 or more points in 14 of the first 18 games to open the year, but gradually slid back in the odds as Antetokounmpo separated.

When the league restarts on Thursday, July 30, plenty will still be up for grabs.

Just not the MVP award, apparently.

Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.

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