Jayson Tatum’s Rise as an MVP Candidate
The last time a Boston Celtic won the MVP award was during the 1985-1986 season when Larry Bird earned the honour. That season saw Larry Legend average 25.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists, two steals, and 42.3% shooting from the three-point line. He’s also the most recent player to win the award three seasons in a row.
Fast forward to the 2022-2023 season and there’s another small forward playing for the Boston Celtics looking to win the MVP award in 24-year-old Jayson Tatum.
MVP Numbers + Celtics Winning
With the 2022-2023 season already in its second half, the Boston Celtics own an NBA best record of 36-15.
And while Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets is currently leading the MVP race, Boston’s Jayson Tatum is hot on his heels with his next level play of late. For the season, Tatum’s averages stand at 31.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists. In a Finals rematch versus the Golden State Warriors, Tatum erupted for 34 points and grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds helping the Celtics score a 121-118 overtime victory.
That win was Boston’s first victory over the defending champions since the 2022 NBA Finals.
Interestingly, Tatum’s running mate, Jaylen Brown is no slouch himself in the MVP race as he’s averaging 27 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 49.1% field goal shooting. The dynamic duo are the primary reason Boston is currently the cream of the crop across the association as their elevated play this year has unlocked the Celtics offense.
Will Tatum’s MVP Numbers Translate Into A Boston Championship?
Winning the MVP award and leading a team to a championship are two different things. And only a handful of players in NBA history have done both in the same season. Larry Bird did it the last time a Celtic won the MVP.
Bird also won the 1986 Finals MVP award after powering the Celtics to a title against the Houston Rockets in six games.
Considering Nikola Jokic’s play this season, people are starting to believe the Joker could win the MVP award for the third straight season- a feat only three players have ever accomplished in the history of the league. Meanwhile players like Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo are stating their case for why they should be considered for the award with their eye popping numbers as well.
And while the Celtics are the best team in the association record-wise, the playoffs are a different animal to deal with, especially when the injury bug bites.
Tatum will need three things if he hopes to win the MVP race this season: health, consistency, and the Celtics staying atop the standings. If all 3 break just right for the former Duke Blue Devil, then Boston could see its first MVP winner in nearly 4 decades.
-Iggy Gonzales
Photo: Erik Drost. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.