NBA Finals 2024 Odds & Best Bets: Is Jayson Tatum a Good MVP Pick?

NBA Finals MVP 2024 odds, picks, and best bets are brought to you by BetOnline. BetOnline is a market leader in sports betting, offering various options from Jayson Tatum’s NBA postseason betting odds to the UFC and everything in between.

5/5 Review Rating
Bonus & Benefits
50% up to $1,000
Bonus Details »
Competitive Odds Pricing
$10 Cash Bonus with code “BNEWS”
Sports, Casino, Poker & Racebook

Bet Now & Claim $1,000 »

The Boston Celtics are up 2-0 over the Dallas Mavericks as the 2024 NBA Finals head to American Airlines Center for Game 3 on Wednesday. There’s still plenty of basketball betting action to get in on as the championship series continues, including when it comes to wagering on this year’s Finals MVP.

With an abundance of all-star-level talent, including the exceptional Jayson Tatum who is considered one of the league’s top five players (and some even argue for a higher ranking), the Celtics have a strong roster. As Boston is only two victories away from securing the championship, there is growing speculation about whether Tatum will be crowned the MVP this spring.

Choosing the award recipient can be tough, so Betting News is here to help. Let’s check out the latest NBA Finals MVP odds and whether Tatum is a good bet to take home the accolade.

And if he isn’t, who is?

NBA Finals MVP ODDS 2024: Is Jayson Tatum a Good Pick?

NBA Finals MVP 2024 odds are courtesy of BetOnline as of Monday, June 10 at 10:30 p.m. ET.

  • Jaylen Brown, BOS (+130)
  • Jayson Tatum, BOS (+150)
  • Jrue Holiday, BOS (+500)
  • Luka Doncic, DAL (+600)
  • Kristaps Porzingis, BOS (+4000)
  • Derrick White, BOS (+5000)
  • Kyrie Irving, DAL (+6600)
  • P.J. Washington, DAL (+50000)
  • Al Horford, BOS (+50000)

Jayson Tatum enters Game 3 as the second-favorite for the NBA Finals MVP award (+150), just behind his Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown (+150).

Although the 26-year-old superstar has played a crucial role in Boston’s journey to the Finals, Tatum’s performance has raised doubts among bettors regarding his eligibility for the MVP award. Despite leading all Celtics players in assists (8.5) and rebounds (10.0), Tatum falls behind with a 17.0 PPG, ranking third in the team.

In terms of comparison, Tatum’s scoring performance progressively improved throughout the rounds, with an average of 21.8 points in Round 1, 26.8 points in Round 2, and 30.3 points in Round 3.

In Games 1 and 2, his average steals and blocks amount to 0.5, while he also has an average of 4.5 turnovers per game.

His inefficient shooting splits contribute to his poor point totals. Despite having a career average of 44.0% field-goal and 34.8% three-point percentages in the postseason, Tatum’s shooting has been particularly bad in this year’s Finals, with only 31.6% from the floor and 28.6% from deep. This is unacceptable considering his talent level, even if the Celtics are currently leading in the series.

Jayson Tatum struggled to shoot the ball through the first two games of the NBA Finals. Will that hurt his MVP odds? 

Despite his underwhelming offensive performance, is Tatum still a viable choice for NBA Finals MVP?

In terms of the award’s 55-year history, only one player — 2004 Detroit Piston’s Chauncey Billups — was named MVP up a field-goal percentage worse than 40.0% (39.4%). Even if Tatum starts shooting the ball better, there have been just four MVPs since 2011 who shot worse than 50.0% in the championship round.

If Tatum’s case hasn’t been weakened enough, history has not favored players who score less than 20.0 PPG. Since the 1991 NBA Finals, only five MVP winners have had an average below 20.0 PPG, and there hasn’t been one since Andre Iguodala achieved it with the Golden State Warriors in 2015.

Simultaneously, we should acknowledge that Tatum has the potential to reverse the situation in the upcoming two games, if not more. It’s important to remember that he is a five-time NBA All-Star and has consistently ranked among the top six in regular-season MVP voting for the past three years.

Get 50% up to $1,000 on your NBA Finals picks at BetOnline

If Tatum can increasehis assist total, he would also become the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double in the Finals, following only LeBron James in 2017. Accomplishing a historical feat like that is bound to earn votes for the former Duke product.

With that in mind, it makes sense to sprinke some money on Tatum. Although his performance hasn’t been mind-blowing thus far, he’s still good enough to turn things around while potentially making history along the way. If his shot starts to fall more consistently, these might be the last time you see his odds looking like they do before Game 3.

5/5 Review Rating
Bonus & Benefits
50% up to $1,000
Bonus Details »
Competitive Odds Pricing
$10 Cash Bonus with code “BNEWS”
Sports, Casino, Poker & Racebook

Bet Now & Claim $1,000 »


Other NBA & WNBA Betting Stories

  • NBA Finals 2024: 28 Betting Trends & Interesting Facts
  • Lakers Next Head Coach Odds
  • Caitlin Clark Effect & WNBA Championship Odds

NBA Finals MVP 2024 Best Bet & Picks

Is Jayson Tatum the best choice to win the 2024 NBA Finals MVP award, despite being a good pick?

As mentioned before, Jaylen Brown (21.5 PTS/5.0 REB/4.5 AST/3.0 STL/1.5 BLK) is the current favorite at +130 odds. The Celtics likely wouldn’t be up 2-0 without his leadership and efforts, so no one would bat an eye.

Will Jaylen Brown cash in on his favorable odds to become the 2024 NBA Finals MVP? 

If the Mavericks pull of a miracle by winning four of the next four/five games, you know Luka Doncic (+600) will likely be the reason why. The human highlight-reel is averaging 31.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 3.0 steals with .511/.381/.462 shooting splits, making him worth of a sprinkle if you think the Mavericks can pull off the comeback.

For reference, Jerry West (1969) is the only player in NBA history to have been named MVP on the losing team in the Finals.

As for myself, I’m intrigued about the idea of Jrue Holiday (+500) being named NBA Finals MVP. The former champion’s experience has paid off through two games as he’s nearly averaging a double-double in points (19.0) and rebounds (9.5) while putting up 4.0 assists, 1.0 steal, and 0.5 blocks. Holiday has also been the most accurate Celtics in this round, leading with a 65.2 FG% and 44.4 3P% without missing a single free throw on four attempts.

Does Jrue Holiday have a case for NBA Finals MVP? 

Contrary to Tatum and Brown, Holiday has not committed a single turnover in his 38 minutes per game. He holds the highest offensive rating of 166 among the Boston team and his defensive rating of 103 highlights the beneficial influence he brings to the game.

If Holiday continues to deliver strong performances, there is a possibility that he could be considered for the Finals MVP title. His statistics are comparable to Tatum and Brown, and he has shown greater efficiency than both players. Considering these factors, it would be worth considering him as a solid option for those seeking additional value.

NBA Finals MVP Best Bet: Jaylen Brown (+130)

Sprinkle for Fun: Luka Doncic (+600)

NBA Finals MVP Best Value: Jrue Holiday (+500)

Get 50% up to $1,000 on your NBA Finals bets at BetOnline


NBA Finals 2024: Mavericks vs. Celtics Series Schedule

  • Game 1: @ TD Garden — Thursday, June 6 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
  • Game 2: @ TD Garden — Sunday, June 9 at 8 p.m. ET (ABC)
  • Game 3: @ American Airlines Center — Wednesday, June 12 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
  • Game 4: @ American Airlines Center — Friday, June 14 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
  • Game 5: @ TD Garden — Monday, June 17 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
  • Game 6: @ American Airlines Center — Thursday, June 20 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
  • Game 7: @ TD Garden — Sunday, June 23 at 8 p.m. ET (ABC)
5/5 Review Rating
Bonus & Benefits
50% up to $1,000
Bonus Details »
Competitive Odds Pricing
$10 Cash Bonus with code “BNEWS”
Sports, Casino, Poker & Racebook

Bet Now & Claim $1,000 »


NBA Finals 2023-24 FAQ

When are the 2023-24 NBA Finals?

  • The NBA Finals for the year 2023-24 are set to commence on Thursday, June 6th and conclude by Sunday, June 23rd.

Where are the 2023-24 NBA Finals?

  • TD Garden (Boston) and American Airlines Center (Dallas) will host the NBA Finals in 2023-24.

How can I watch the 2023-24 Finals?

  • ABC will broadcast all the games of the NBA Finals for the 2023-24 season.

Where can I bet on the 2023-24 Finals?

  • Basketball bettors can wager on this year’s NBA Championship and Finals MVP odds on the majority of online sportsbooks, including the following that Betting News highly recommends:
  • Trusted Online Sportsbooks
  • BetOnline Sportsbook Review »
  • BetWhale Sportsbook Review »
  • SportsBetting Sportsbook Review »
  • Bovada Sportsbook Review »
  • BetUS Sportsbook Review »
  • BetDSI Sportsbook Review »
  • Everygame Sportsbook Review »
  • MyBookie Sportsbook Review »
  • Bookmaker Sportsbook Review »
  • WagerWeb Sportsbook Review »