2011-2012 NBA MVP Odds and Predictions – Favorites, Contenders and Sleepers to Win the NBA MVP Award: It is tough to predict which player will win the NBA MVP each season. The criterion that the voters focus on always seems to be changing. Sometimes the best player on the team with the best record gets the nod, and sometimes it is the player that transforms an otherwise mediocre team into a playoff contender. There are even times when a player that has been consistently great for several seasons get the honor as a career achievement award of sorts. In other words, there is a good chance that the true contenders won’t be known until later in the year. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few players that have an edge.
2012 NBA MVP Favorites and Contenders
- Dwight Howard, Center, Orlando Magic
Howard seems to be among the top candidates for the award every year, and it may finally be his turn to cash in. He is coming off a season when he averaged a career-high 22.9 points per game, and 14-plus boards and two-plus blocks are a given. Not to mention the fact that Howard shoots nearly 60 percent from the field. He is the best center in the NBA, and he can dominate on both ends of the court. As long as his offensive numbers continue to climb, Howard is going to be tough to ignore when it comes time to vote for the MVP.
- Derrick Rose, Point Guard, Chicago Bulls
He is the defending winner of the award after averaging a career-best 25.0 points and 7.7 assists last year, and nothing has really changed with his situation in Chicago. Rose became a 3-point threat last season, making him almost impossible to stop on the offensive end. The ball is always in his hands with the game on the line, giving him plenty of chances to take and make big shots. Aside from needing to get his teammates involved a bit more, defense is the only weak point in his game. The bigger downside is that winning MVP twice in a row is tough, and he is going to have to be even better to repeat.
- LeBron James, Forward, Miami Heat
Comparing James’ numbers from last season to those of Derrick Rose, James was better in almost every category. He averaged more than 26 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, and he will likely put up similar numbers for the next several years. James is also an excellent on ball defender. That being said, he put himself in a tough spot by signing with Miami. He and teammate Dwyane Wade will likely split votes, and James’ disappearance in last year’s finals is going to have a lingering effect, even if his regular season numbers warrant MVP consideration. His numbers will likely be excellent once again, but he will have to be spectacular to win the award in his current situation.
- Dirk Nowitzki, Forward, Dallas Mavericks
Unlike James, Nowitzki stands to benefit from his performance in the finals. After carrying the Mavericks to a championship, Nowitzki is going to get more respect from everyone in the NBA, including the voters. Offensively, he is as tough to guard as any player in the league, and he is coming off a year when he shot a career-best 51.7 percent from the field. If he can just get to the foul line a little bit more this season and push his scoring average above 25 per game, Notwizki will be in the thick of the MVP discussion.
- Kevin Durant, Forward, Oklahoma City Thunder
Durant is the top dog on a young Thunder team that is poised to compete for a championship. He is probably the best pure scorer in the game today, and he has back-to-back scoring titles to prove it. While scoring a bunch of points is always helpful when vying for an MVP, Durant needs to assume more of a leadership role in order to secure the award. His rebounds and assists have stayed more or less the same throughout his career, and he has to expand his game to shed the label of being just a scorer. If the Thunder can compete for the top spot in the Western Conference, Durant will get plenty of attention.
Odds to win the 2011-12 NBA MVP
901 Amare Stoudemire +1500
902 Blake Griffin +1800
903 Carmelo Anthony +1000
904 Chris Paul +800
905 Deron Williams +1800
906 Derrick Rose +350
907 Dirk Nowitzki +1300
908 Dwight Howard +500
909 Dwyane Wade +800
910 John Wall +6000
911 Kevin Durant +385
912 Kevin Love +2200
913 Kobe Bryant +500
914 LeBron James +250
915 Monta Ellis +5000
916 Pau Gasol +3000
918 Rajon Rondo +5000
919 Russell Westbrook +2000
920 Zach Randolph +3000
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