Yesterday, former NBA GM Ryan McDonough joined Ken Barkley and Nick Kostos on You Better or You Bet. The fellas discussed ongoing NBA storylines that are currently heating up including the MVP betting market.
Here are some of McDonough’s most notable comments from last night’s show:
On the Brooklyn Nets:
It’s amazing how well the Nets have played and how much they’ve won with a revolving door of star players coming and going from the lineup.
This really helps the case for the people advocating for James Harden as the MVP. Second week of February, the Brooklyne Nets were, I believe, they were 14-12. Since then, I believe, they are 21-4 over their last 25 games, and that’s been in large part without Durant. It just shows you how much talent and depth they have.
One of the issues we were all concerned about was how was Steve Nash going to manage this, as far as keeping all three of those guys happy. But, he really hasn't had to worry about that because it seems like sometimes one, maybe two of those guys, have been missing from the Nets' lineup.
Can anyone top Nikola Jokic for MVP?
I think it’s going to be hard. As you guys know, I’ve advocated for Damian Lillard on this show, and will continue to do so. I see he’s about 14-1 to win MVP now. If you are willing to take some risk, I like those odds courtesy of our friends at BetRivers.
I don’t understand what’s so different about those two guys [Lillard and Jokic]. Jokic has had a phenomenal year and puts up triple-doubles, but, look at the standings and they’re only two games apart. Denver is in fourth, Portland is in sixth.
I think about what Lillard has had to do. He’s been without CJ McCollum for basically half of the year, without Jusuf Nurkic for two-thirds of the year. He’s been carrying a Portland team who has been missing their second and third best players and is still neck and neck with Denver.
If you see the Blazers surge down the stretch, keep an eye on Lillard making a late push for MVP. I personally don’t think the case is as open and shut as BetRivers and the other sportsbooks have it.