When we last checked out the Most Improved Player of the Year award odds in February, it was a two-man race between Jazz All-Star power forward Lauri Markkanen (-135) and Thunder All-Star point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+135). Fast forward to March, and it is still a two-player race between Markkanen and Gilgeous-Alexander, who have played outstanding basketball this season.
Heading into the final stretch of the regular season, Markkanen is the overwhelming favorite to win MIP at -400 odds, with Gilgeous-Alexander having the second-best odds at +300. You could make the case that if Utah or Oklahoma City did not have Markkanen or Gilgeous-Alexander, they would not be in contention to claim a spot in the play-in tournament.
Below, we'll look at the latest odds from BetMGM and discuss what else Markkanen and Gilgeous-Alexander can do to win the award.
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NBA Most Improved Player of the Year 2023 Odds
All odds courtesy of BetMGM
| Player | Odds |
| Lauri Markkanen, Jazz | -400 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder | +300 |
| Jalen Brunson, Knicks | +3000 |
| Mikal Bridges, Nets | +6600 |
| Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers | +20000 |
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year 2023 Odds: Favorites
Lauri Markkanen, Jazz (-400). Markkanen has held firm as the betting favorite to win Most Improved Player, despite missing five games in the second half of the season. This season, the first-time All-Star is averaging a career-high 25.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. He's also shooting 50.1 percent from the field and 39.6 percent from beyond the arc.
In the second half of the regular season, Markkanen has been playing at another level, recording 29.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. The veteran forward's shooting hasn't been the greatest at 45.8 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three-point range in the past 11 games. However, Markkanen has six games left in the regular season to build up his resume, as the Jazz are 1.5 games behind the Thunder for the 10th spot in the West.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder (+300). The first-time All-Star point guard has fallen behind in the MIP race due to injuries, which has cost him nine games in the second half of the season. However, that hasn't affected bettors from placing wagers on Gilgeous-Alexander, who is receiving the highest ticket percentage (12.9) and highest handle percentage (25.5), per BetMGM Sportsbook Insights.
Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 33.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game in his past 11 games and has scored 30-plus points nine times over that span. Overall, the 24-year-old point guard is recording 31.3 points, 5.4 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game. For Gilgeous-Alexander to overtake Markkanen for MIP, he must get the Thunder into the play-in tournament and have 30-40 point performances in Oklahoma City's last five games (Pacers, Suns, Golden State, Utah, and Memphis).
2023 Most Improved Player of the Year Betting Advice
It is Markkanen's award to lose, barring any poor play in Utah's last six games and a couple of astronomical performances from Gilgeous-Alexander. That being said, bettors are still hammering the dynamic point guard to win the award, and you don't blame them at +400 odds. However, this Thunder team has shown they can be competitive without him. If you plan to bet on Gilgeous-Alexander to win MIP, wait to see how he plays in his next start.
