National Basketball Association

2023-2024 NBA odds: Jalen Brunson injury impacts Knicks' title futures, MVP odds

Updated Mar. 5, 2024 10:41 a.m. ET

Bettors backing the New York Knicks' NBA title futures probably started second-guessing that decision Sunday afternoon.

In New York's 107-98 win over Cleveland, star guard Jalen Brunson went down in the first minute of the game with a knee injury. Brunson went to the locker room and didn't return to the game.

Fortunately for the Knicks — and for bettors who are banking on Brunson helping New York hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy — the guard's X-Rays were negative, and his non-contact injury is listed as a knee contusion.

However, when it comes to availability, he's day-to-day. As a result, the Knicks' title futures lengthened to +3200 from +2300 overnight.

Another market impacted by the Brunson injury news is NBA MVP.

Heading into the weekend, at +25000, Jalen was far from the favorite to win the award. After he missed a majority of Sunday's game, his MVP odds lengthened to +34000.

"It's gonna be a dog fight to stay in the top four," host Craig Carton mentioned on Monday's episode of The Carton Show."