Celtics star Jayson Tatum makes sturdy case as NBA MVP heading into season, initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Boston
The final Boston Celtics participant to win the NBA MVP award was Larry Fowl within the historic 1985-86 season. It was his third consecutive victory as MVP.
Will the Celtics’ MVP drought lastly finish this season?
It is nonetheless too early to have a definitive thought, however Jayson Tatum presents a reasonably sturdy case.
Tatum helped the Celtics erase a double-digit deficit Sunday in a 113-107 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on the highway, which improved Boston’s report to 9-2. The celebrity wing scored 31 factors with 12 rebounds and 6 assists. Twelve of his factors got here within the fourth quarter.
Tatum is presently fourth in league MVP score (+550) at Fanatics Sportsbook. There are three gamers forward of him, together with Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (+450), Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+325) and Denver Nuggets heart Nikola Jokic (+225).
Tatum leads the Celtics in factors (30.5), rebounds (7.6), assists (5.0) and steals (1.6) per sport this season. He’s one among solely two gamers (the opposite is Jokic) within the league to steer their workforce in all 4 stats per sport.
The 26-year-old ahead has solely had one unhealthy sport (by his requirements) up to now this season. He scored 15 factors (6 of 16 capturing) towards the Milwaukee Bucks on October 28, however the C’s nonetheless gained 119-108.
Tatum has eclipsed the 30-point mark in seven of 11 video games, together with every of the final three. He turned the primary participant in Celtics historical past to common greater than 30 factors per sport for a full season in 2022-23, and he is about to do it once more.
Tatum truly leads the league in factors scored:
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1. Jayson Tatum Celtics: 336 factors
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2. Nikola Jokic, Nuggets: 297
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3. LaMelo Ball, Hornets:294
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4. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks: 284
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5. Anthony Edwards, Timber Wolves: 283
Jokic, who has gained three of the final 4 MVP awards, will as soon as once more be arduous to beat for this award. He is presently placing up an absurd stat line, main the Nuggets with 29.7 factors, 13.7 rebounds, 11.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks per sport, whereas additionally capturing 56.3 from the ground and 56.4 % from 3-point vary. Denver is 7-3 on Monday.
Tatum’s resume is robust, nonetheless. He is the most effective participant on the most effective workforce within the league. And Tatum has been within the MVP combine earlier than. He has completed within the high six in three consecutive years of voting.
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2021-22: Sixth
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2022-23: Fourth
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2023-24: Sixth
This 12 months’s MVP race goes to be loads of enjoyable. There are such a lot of gamers who may have sturdy arguments. If Tatum continues to play at this stage, he ought to not less than be a high contender come April.
