NBA MVP Odds Still Favor Giannis Antetokounmpo With Kawhi Leonard Rising Following Opening Night

Anyone who thought Giannis Antetokounmpo was primed to take another leap this year was certainly excited to see him post a triple double in his first game of the 2019-20 season.

Even though the reigning MVP torched the Houston Rockets for 30 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists, Giannis' odds to win his second-straight MVP award did not budge, as he's still available at +270, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Sitting behind Antetokounmpo is two-time MVP Stephen Curry (+500). Despite getting blown out by the Clippers, Curry led the Warriors in scoring, though he was only 2-of-11 from beyond the arc.

The man who defeated Curry in the Golden State Warriors' season opener, Kawhi Leonard, is available at +750, tied for the third-best odds to win the award.

After leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a 2-0 record while averaging 25.5 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game and 7.0 assists per game, Kawhi's odds have improved from +950 on Tuesday, Oct. 22, to +750 as of Friday, Oct. 25.

That puts Kawhi in a three-way tie with Anthony Davis and James Harden at +750 to win the MVP award. With at least 80 games remaining for each of the current top-five MVP contenders, these odds will likely continue to shift as the season progresses.

Join FanDuel Sportsbook Today. New users get a risk-free bet up to $500. Join Now.

Stuart Easton is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Stuart Easton also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username stueast13. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.