Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs is set for Thursday night, and the latest odds peg LeBron James as the favorite to win his second-consecutive Finals MVP award. However, if the Miami Heat don't handle business on their home floor, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan are the leading Spurs candidates for MVP with Danny Green third on that list.
NBA Finals 2013: MVP odds favor LeBron James, Tony Parker
The latest odds on the MVP of the 2013 NBA Finals have LeBron James pegged as the prohibitive favorite, but things get a bit more interesting with the Spurs’ candidates.
Here are the latest Finals MVP odds from CarbonSports.ag, via Covers.com:
| Player | Odds | |
| LeBron James | -260 | |
| Tony Parker | +450 | |
| Tim Duncan | +450 | |
| Danny Green | +800 | |
| Dwyane Wade | +2000 | |
| xz Field (Any other player) | +10000 | |
| Chris Bosh | +20000 | |
The case for LeBron is simple. Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have been operating at far less than 100 percent in this series, and LeBron has carried the Heat to Game 7 with some huge performances. His massive triple-doubles in Game 1 and Game 6 have moved him up the all-time list for Finals and playoff triple-doubles, and through six Finals games, he has averaged 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 2.3 steals. The fact that Wade, who has been abysmal on defense and a liability on offense for most the series, holds the next highest MVP odds for the Heat says one thing: if Miami wins on Thursday, LeBron will take home the trophy.
The Spurs are a different story. Duncan and Parker are their star players, but they have both turned in a few sub-par performances along the way. Parker's 48.7 percent true shooting in the series makes it tough to hand him the award, while Duncan's double-double average obscures his poor play in games 2 and 3. Danny Green has more than filled in for a struggling Manu Ginobili against the Heat, and by hitting 26-of-43 three-pointers, he owns an outrageously good 74.2 true shooting percentage. A defining moment in Game 7 could tip the scales for a Spurs MVP. Here's a look at what Parker, Duncan and Green have done so far in the Finals:
| PTS | AST | REB | TS% | X-Factor Stat | Net Rating In Series | ||
| Tony Parker | 16.7 | 6.8 | 2.2 | 48.7 | 3.15 AST/TO | -2.0 pts / 100 poss | |
| Tim Duncan | 18 | 1.3 | 12.2 | 55.3 | 1.5 blocks | +3.8 pts / 100 poss | |
| Danny Green | 15.5 | 0.8 | 4 | 74.2 | 60.5% 3PT | +0.1 pts / 100 poss | |
The stakes couldn’t be higher on Thursday night, and by the end of Game 7 it should become clear who deserves the Finals MVP award. LeBron has made his case, but his work is not done. The Spurs will need their stars to play well to win on the road, and whomever steps up in Game 7 will likely take home the MVP.
More from SB Nation:
See More:
