The Philadelphia star gets the highest chances of winning the title of Outstanding Player of the Season from the US betting agencies • The first chin to win since Shaquille O'Neal?
Ambide drowns over James
Photo:
AP
The NBA regular season will return tonight (Wednesday to Thursday) to activity after the All-Star break with a new favorite to win the MVP title at the end.
The '76 Philadelphia star, center Joel Ambide, passed LeBron James this week and is now the candidate with the highest chances of finishing as the outstanding player of the regular season, according to the betting agencies in the United States.
In "
Caesars Sportsbook
"
Ambide was
given a +200 chance of winning the MVP, while King James was behind him with +225.
They are followed by Nikola Jokic (+350), Luka Doncic (+1,300), Steph Kerry (+1,400) and the incumbent MVP, Yannis Antokompo (+1,600).
Ambide opened the season with a 1 in 40 chance of winning (according to "Caesars") but over the course of the season his chances improved thanks to the great displays in which he put up monstrous numbers.
So far, the chin is averaging 30.2 points, in addition to 11.6 rebounds per game.
He is at the right pace to join Steph Kerry as the only players to finish with more than 30 points on average in 50% from the field and 40% from three.
Ambide will also try to be the first chin to win an MVP since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000.