Just before he set an NBA record with 55 points in the Utah All-Star Game, Jayson Tatum, a star player for the Boston Celtics, was the talk of the league last season as MVP. Has anything changed after a year has passed?
Tatum’s stats aren’t quite at career-high levels, but the Celtics look a lot different now, and in a good way. With 55 games played so far this season, Boston has outperformed other teams in the league in terms of wins (43), point differential (+556), offensive rating (118.7), and net rating (+9.6). This is a much more effective and committed team. Tatum had a significant role in his rise, so the question is: Does that qualify him as the MVP?
Is it important to be the best player on the best team? “I think it does,” Stephen A. Smith of ESPN stated on “First Take” on Thursday.
During the offseason, Boston made a few significant additions, most notably Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. This gave Tatum and Jaylen Brown two additional offensive weapons that are capable of playing on both ends of the court, matching the caliber of an All-Star. It also meant that in order for everything to fit together and work well, a significant amount of sacrifice would be required from the team.
If anyone on the team has consistently embraced that, it is Tatum.
Tatum has averaged 27.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and a 47.5% field goal percentage through 52 games played. He leads all Eastern Conference players in three-pointers made per game with 3.1. And that only addresses Tatum’s private aspect of the case.
Smith said of the Celtics, “They have the best record in basketball.” “They lead the Eastern Conference by six games… He is the Boston Celtics’ best player. On the best NBA team, he is the best player. We won’t be ignoring this brother any longer, I’m saying.
Before the All-Star break, Boston was without a doubt the best basketball team in the league. They were on a six-game winning streak and had defeated the Nets 136-86 to close the first half. After establishing a lead of up to 56 points over Brooklyn, Tatum and the other Celtics starters were given a well-earned fourth quarter off.
However, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, Tatum’s odds of winning the league MVP are fifth (+6000), behind Nikola Jokic (-140), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+210), Giannis Antetokounmpo (+700), and Luka Doncic (+1300). That means that the captain of the NBA’s top team is ranked above a few dubious names.
Tatum’s ultimate goal for this season is probably a different trophy.
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