The NBA introduced Conference Final MVP trophies in 2022, naming the Western Conference trophy after Magic Johnson and the Eastern Conference trophy after Larry Bird.
This provided another opportunity for betting, as the NBA odds for conference finals markets are often more favorable than their teamโs odds to win the conference title. For example, Jayson Tatum is +100 to win MVP in the East, while his Boston Celtics are -140 favorites to win the conference.
Hereโs a look at the latest NBA betting lines and predictions for the 2025 NBA Playoffs:
Eastern Conference MVP Odds 2025
Player | Team | Odds |
---|---|---|
Jayson Tatum | Celtics | +100 |
Donovan Mitchell | Cavaliers | +225 |
Jaylen Brown | Celtics | +1100 |
Darius Garland | Cavaliers | +2000 |
Evan Mobley | Cavaliers | +2000 |
Jalen Brunson | Knicks | +2000 |
Kristaps Porzingis | Celtics | +3000 |
Tyrese Haliburton | Pacers | +3000 |
Pascal Siakam | Pacers | +4000 |
Karl-Anthony Towns | Knicks | +5000 |
Tatum is the betting favorite (+100) to win the Eastern Conference Finals MVP, offering better value than the Celticsโ odds (-140) to win the East. Tatum has an implied probability of 50%, while Bostonโs chances of returning to the NBA Finals stand at 58.33%.
Last yearโs conference finals provided a perfect example of why pricing differs.
Jaylen Brown, Tatumโs teammate, was honored with the MVP trophy in both the ECF and the NBA Finals. Brown received five of the nine votes for ECF MVP, narrowly edging out Tatum, who garnered four votes.
With Brown dealing with a knee injury, I donโt expect that to happen for the second year in a row.
As a result, Iโm willing to take the plus-money odds on Tatum to be honored with this award and would be interested in adding more to my position whenever the Celtics lose a postseason game.
I expect Tatum to win MVP in the East this summer.
Prediction: Jayson Tatum (+100)
Western Conference MVP Odds 2025
Player | Team | Odds |
---|---|---|
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Thunder | -175 |
Anthony Edwards | Timberwolves | +550 |
Stephen Curry | Warriors | +900 |
Kawhi Leonard | Clippers | +1400 |
Nikola Jokic | Nuggets | +1800 |
Jimmy Butler | Warriors | +2500 |
Jalen Williams | Thunder | +3500 |
Chet Holmgren | Thunder | +5000 |
James Harden | Clippers | +6000 |
Julius Rangle | TImberwolves | +8000 |
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander opens as the betting favorite (-175) to win Western Conference MVP, giving him an implied probability of 63.64%. The Thunder are -175 to win the West, so these prices are the same.
I am more interested in taking long shots in the West anyway. The Thunder are deserving favorites, but this young core has only won two playoff series, and I am not willing to pay the minus odds on that level of reputation.
Still, Iโd prefer to delay facing the Thunder for as long as possible, which is why targeting the other side of the bracket is beneficial. Specifically, I built a portfolioย featuring Luka Donฤiฤ (+1200), LeBron James (+2500), and Anthony Edwards (+2500) entering the opening round.
My 25/1 ticket on Edwards is the only one left standing after the Wolves’ 4-1 series win over the Lakers, but it’s a favorable position with him being the No. 2 option in the updated NBA betting lines. I expect Minnesota to win its Round 2 matchup, so it could be worth backing Edwards in this market even at his current value.
Prediction: Anthony Edwards (+550)
NBA Conference Finals MVP Award Winners
Year | East MVP | West MVP |
---|---|---|
2024 | Jaylen Brown (Celtics) | Luka Doncic (Mavericks) |
2023 | Jimmy Butler (Heat) | Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) |
2022 | Jayson Tatum (Celtics) | Stephen Curry (Warriors) |
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