NBA MVP odds 2021: Sixers' Joel Embiid overtakes Lakers' LeBron James as betting favorite to start second half of season

Back in late December when the 2020-21 NBA regular season tipped off, Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid was priced as a +4000 longer shot on the moneyline odds at William Hill Sportsbook to win the MVP Award. Nothing against Embiid, but he has had trouble staying healthy and centers just don't win MVP these days. However, with the second half of the season set to tip off Wednesday (not for Philly), Embiid is now the +200 favorite at William Hill, just ahead of the Lakers' LeBron James (+225) and Nuggets' Nikola Jokic (+350).

The last 76ers player to win MVP was the incomparable Allen Iverson in the 2000-01 season. No player who identifies purely as a center – although some teams play a power forward as a small-ball center these days – has won it since Shaquille O'Neal in 1999-2000.

The 76ers enter the second half with the East's best record at 24-12 – although the Nets, now with Blake Griffin, are the +125 conference favorites with Milwaukee next at +280 and Philadelphia third at +500. Embiid, who has missed six games, is averaging 30.2 points (second in the NBA) and 11.6 rebounds (fifth). His 21 double-doubles are 10th. Via ESPN's player efficiency rating, Embiid is No. 2 at 31.19 behind Jokic (31.61). Philadelphia owns a record of 6-1 this season when Embiid scores 38 points or more.

Embiid had a truly signature game last Wednesday in leading a 131-123 overtime upset of the NBA-best Utah Jazz. He hit the tying three-pointer late in regulation and finished with 40 points and 19 rebounds. Embiid was supposed to start for Team Durant in Sunday's All-Star Game, but he and Ben Simmons were ruled out because a barber they used before going to Atlanta tested positive for COVID-19. Neither will play at least in Thursday's game at the Chicago Bulls. Simmons will miss a minimum of two.

LeBron had been favored for weeks to win a fifth MVP, but his and the Lakers' play has tailed off a bit since Anthony Davis went down injured. He's not expected back for a while longer. 

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, and it returned over $5,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks last season. The model is also up almost $8,500 on top-rated NBA picks over the past two-plus seasons. Dating back to last season, it enters Week 12 of the 2020-21 NBA schedule on a stunning 87-52 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread. Anybody who has followed it has seen HUGE returns.