The race for the 2023 NBA Finals MVP is starting to settle after the Nuggets dominated the Heat in Game 3 on Wednesday night to take a 2-1 series lead. Denver received a historic performance from two-time league and Western Conference Finals MVP Nikola Jokic and star point guard Jamal Murray. Jokic had 32 points, 21 rebounds, and 10 assists, becoming the first player ever with a 30/20/10 triple-double in NBA Finals history.
However, Jokic wasn't the only player with a triple-double for the Nuggets, as Murray posted 34 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. It was the first time in NBA Finals history that two teammates had a triple-double in the same game.
Heading into the Finals, Jokic's odds for Finals MVP were $1.55 and Murray was at $12. After three games and off the back of their historic performances on Thursday, both players' odds shifted, as Jokic is now $1.12, and Murray's odds are now at $15. That being said, the series is still not over, as Jimmy Butler and the Heat have a chance to tie it at 2-2 with a win on Saturday. Butler is tied with Murray and Bam Adebayo with the second-best odds ($15) behind Jokic to win Finals MVP.
Below, we'll look at the latest odds from TAB for Finals MVP and discuss the path for the top four contenders to win the award.
2023 NBA Finals MVP Odds
| Player | Odds |
| Nikola Jokic, Nuggets | $1.12 |
| Jimmy Butler, Heat | $15 |
| Bam Adebayo, Heat | $15 |
| Jamal Murray, Nuggets | $15 |
| Gabe Vincent, Heat | $101 |
| Max Strus, Heat | $201 |
NBA Finals MVP 2023 Odds: Favourite
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets ($1.12). After notching his incredible 10th triple-double in this year's NBA playoffs, Jokic has a firm grasp on Finals MVP ($1.12).
Jokic has been playing at another level through the first three games of the Finals, averaging 33.3 points, 14 rebounds, and 9.3 assists. In Game 1, he set the tone with a 27-point, 14-assist, and 10-rebound triple-double, followed by a 41-point and 11-rebound performance in Game 2. Then in Game 3, he showcased his full array of skills and has the Nuggets two wins away from their first title in franchise history.
As of right now, there's no point in bettors wagering on Jokic's Finals MVP odds. At $1.12, bettors would not get a lot of value in return. Instead, they would be better off wagering on the correct series result for the Nuggets or when the series end props. Lastly, the only way Jokic's odds start to tumble is if the Heat win on Saturday and Butler has an amazing performance.
NBA Finals MVP 2023 Odds: Best of the rest
Jimmy Butler, Heat ($15) Jimmy Buckets' saw his Finals MVP shift drastically after Thursday's (AEST) double-digit loss in Game 3. However, with the Heat down 2-1 to the Nuggets, Butler is $15 to win Finals MVP, which isn't terrible value.
Butler scored 28 points in Game 3 on Thursday, but he was 11-of-24 shooting from the field and 1-of-4 from beyond the arc. He also had four assists and two rebounds in 40 minutes. For the Heat to win this series, they need Butler to not only score 25-plus points to combat the duo of Jokic and Murray but also be a factor on the glass and get others involved. The path for Butler to win Finals MVP is obvious, but the Heat need to actually take care of business.
If you believe that the Heat can make a comeback in this series and take home the crown, grabbing Butler to win Finals MVP at $15 isn't a bad bet, as he will play an integral role in how things play out the rest of the way.
Bam Adebayo, Heat ($15). Even though the Heat lost Game 3, Adebayo still put together another solid outing, as he's been the Heat's most consistent player in the Finals. The 25-year-old center had 22 points (7-21 FG) and 17 rebounds in 41 minutes. Adebayo has now scored 20-plus points in three-straight games and has recorded a double-double in two games.
Unlike Games 1 and 2 when Adebayo shot over 50 percent, he didn't have his best shooting performance on Wednesday However, Adebayo is doing his best offensively to try and keep pace with Jokic.
You could make the case that if the Heat come back and win this series, Adebayo could be the Finals MVP based on whatever he does to limit Jokic and the rest of the Nuggets in the paint. At $15, bettors are getting good value for a big man averaging 23 points and 13 rebounds per game, which is better than his regular season numbers (20.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game). If Adebayo continues to put up 20 points and 10 rebounds in the Finals, it wouldn't be a bad idea to put down a modest wager.
Jamal Murray, Nuggets ($15). Despite the Finals MVP looking like a lock for Jokic, we have to talk about Murray, who is playing excellently and should have better odds than Adebayo. The 26-year-old star point guard has dished out 10 assists in three-straight games, which has only been done by Magic Johnson and Bob Cousy.
Murray and Jokic have worked the two-man game to perfection, which helped the Nuggets win Game 3 in dominating fashion and has them only two wins away from an NBA title. The 6-4 point guard is averaging 26 points, 10 assists, and 6.7 rebounds per game while shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from beyond the arc. For Murray's odds to shorten, he must have a couple of 35-point outings while Jokic struggles, but it's tough seeing that happening with how Jokic is playing, making this a stayaway for bettors.
