This year we are enjoying a hungry Jayson Tatum. He assured before the start of the season that Joe Mazzulla was happy because he did not win the Finals MVP as it would be gasoline for him. This is demonstrated. Last year he achieved the first ring of his career, but as an individual he did not gain the recognition he desired. Tatum wants more. Tatum wants to show he’s the best, and moments like last night, when he sealed the Celtics’ 126-123 win over Toronto with a basket at the buzzer, lead him in that direction.
It’s not just us saying this, it’s the NBA itself. When the season’s MVP list was last updated, they placed the Boston star in second place, surpassed only by Nikola Jokic. Behind them were other great players like Kevin Durant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Davis.
The truth is that Tatum is doing everything well in the present. Last night, against the Raptors, he almost achieved a triple-double with 24 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists, including a magical last-gasp triple. Since he didn’t have the opportunity to take action, he rose from more than eight meters and gave his team the victory 11:3. Only the stubborn Cleveland Cavaliers (14:0) are ahead of them.
The global numbers are not misleading. They are on pace to have the best season of their careers, averaging 30.2 points per night. He also has 7.9 rebounds and up to 5.9 assists per game, making him the place with by far the most basket passes he distributes. And he doesn’t give up on defense either, averaging 1.5 steals, which is the best mark he has ever achieved.
A knock on the table
Boston didn’t need the stated step forward, but Tatum did. The Greens could continue to win games and be equally favorites for the championship if their franchise player shifted gears, but that’s not their decision. Tatum knows it’s time for his legacy to become one of the best in history, and that individual titles add up. He doesn’t say publicly that he’s aiming for it, but it’s clear that it’s no coincidence that he’s been pushing this way from day one. Does he have a real chance of winning MVP?
(Foto von Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
