Contrary to what many people believed, LeBron James is playing great basketball at age 36, leading his Los Angeles Lakers to the top of the Western Conference with 14 wins and only 4 defeats. The King is ready to take them to the promised land for the second consecutive season and he’s putting to work to take them to the next level.
On Monday, he recorded a season-high 46 points in front of his former team Cleveland Cavaliers, going off with 21 points in the 4th quarter. LeBron is having another historical season and that has led to oddsmakers to put him as the favorite to win the 2021 NBA MVP award, surpassing Dallas Mavericks’ wonderboy Luka Doncic.
After his magical 2019/20 NBA season, Doncic was expected to take things to the next level this campaign, but he’s failed to lead his Mavs to the top 8 of the conference although he’s had incredible performances in recent games. Well, oddsmakers now believe the King has taken that spot and seeing his level right now, that will continue for the next couple of months.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is now the NBA MVP betting favorite or runner-up at most sportsbooks, thanks to an unexpected commitment to the regular season that has led the Lakers to the league’s best record.
The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook was the first operator to make James the favorite, posting 4-1 odds Monday night after the 36-year-old rallied the Lakers to a comeback road win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. James finished with 46 points on 19-for-26 shooting, including 7-for-11 from 3-point territory.
“People have to be more in awe of what he’s doing the older he gets. I think that has to play in some voters’ minds. I think that could sway some people who didn’t vote for him last year,” SuperBook head NBA oddsmaker Jeff Sherman told ESPN.
James began the season among the top six favorites, even reaching as high as 14-1 odds. However, despite a short turnaround from October’s NBA Finals to this season’s opening night, James has played every single game while averaging 25.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.4 assists.
LeBron was hoping to start the season in January but everything changed when the NBA and NBPA agreed to start the action in December. People believed he was going to sit out for some games but none of that has happened. James is 36 and he’s not showing signs of slowing down; this man is something special and he confirms that every time he steps on the court.
Last season, plenty of people, and James himself believed he was the rightful MVP winner, and this season he’s leaving no doubts about his status.
