Who's most likely to win 2025 NBA Finals MVP? Here are key predictions
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has already won the NBA MVP and the Western Conference Finals MVP. He is now the strongest candidate to win the Finals MVP, too.
What are Shai's chances to win Finals MVP, you might wonder?
He has favorable odds without question. According to OddsChecker, a betting website, his odds of winning the Finals MVP award are -550.
Shai performed well in the Western Conference Finals, of course. He is credited for averaging 31.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 5.2 rebounds. The Oklahoma City Thunder dispatched the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1 and advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012.
Also Read: NBA All-star 'confident' that New York Knicks will make title run next season
The Thunder will play the Indiana Pacers in the Finals. Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton was next in line in the MVP-sweepstakes conversation.
Even though Haliburton did not win the Eastern Conference Finals MVP, his line is ahead of teammate Pascal Siakam for MVP nods. Siakam won the MVP for the Eastern Conference Finals with five votes. Haliburton received four votes.
Siakam had a great game during the Game 6 win against the New York Knicks. He was credited with 31 points. His averages for the series were 24.8 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. Haliburton had averages of 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 10.5 assists.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder): -550
Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers): +650
Pascal Siakam (Pacers): +2300
Jalen Williams (Thunder): +3300
Chet Holmgren (Thunder): +7500
Myles Turner (Pacers): +36000
If Gilgeous-Alexander wins Finals MVP, it will make him the first player to win both the league MVP and Finals MVP in the same year since LeBron James did it in 2013.
He would also break a streak of 8 consecutive MVP award winners not winning a championship in their MVP year. The last was in 2015, when Stephen Curry won the NBA title with the Warriors.
After all that, if Shai and the Thunder win the championship, it will be the first in Oklahoma City since they moved from Seattle to Oklahoma in 2008.
Game 1: Pacers vs Thunder - June 5, 8:30 p.m. ET
Game 2: Pacers vs Thunder - June 8, 8:00 p.m. ET
Game 3: Thunder vs Pacers - June 11, 8:30 p.m. ET
Game 4: Thunder vs Pacers - June 13, 8:30 p.m. ET
Game 5: Pacers vs Thunder - June 16, 8:30 p.m. ET*
Game 6: Thunder vs Pacers - June 19, 8:30 p.m. ET*
Game 7: Pacers vs Thunder - June 22, 8:00 p.m. ET*
If you're in the U.S., it will be on ABC, and also streamed on fubo (which offers a free trial for new customers), while AS USA will have live updates.
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