Player of the Week: Jayson Tatum
Finals MVP Snub? Jayson Tatum's Stats Shows Strong Case
Jayson Tatum
Jayson Christopher Tatum
Boston Celtics0
26 years old (03-03-1998)
6’8″
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
PF
2017: 1st Round, 3rd Overall Pick
Jayson Tatum is our NBA Player of the Week even if he did not win the NBA Finals MVP. He played big in Game 5 to help the Celtics cover the line and win their first title in 16 years. Jayson Tatum’s stats were off the charts for that game in TD Garden. He didn’t win the individual award, but had he not performed so well on Monday, the series might have continued.
Coming Up Big in Game 5
Tatum came alive with his best NBA Finals appearance just when the Celtics needed him most. The 26-year-old scored 31 points and added 11 assists and eight rebounds. That was enough to get the Celtics over the line against the Dallas Mavericks as he also made buckets at the right times.
The Celtics star also had two steals, and his defense helped turn the game on its head in the second quarter.
Dallas had made a decent run, but a steal from Tatum changed the momentum and they never looked back.
Some believed he was disappointed not to win Finals MVP, but it was all about winning a championship.
“The main goal for us was to win a championship,” Tatum said. “We didn’t care who got Finals MVP. I know that I need him through this journey, and he needs me.”
We can’t understand why they would care about winning MVP. It’s a team sport, and the team having success is the only important thing, especially for players already on massive contracts.
Tatum should be praised for his response to not winning the individual title.
Cementing His Superstar Status
Tatum might not have played insanely well during the NBA Finals, but he did what was asked of him. The Celtics’ players don’t need to be anything other than good, because they have more depth than most NBA teams. Tatum continued to cash for bettors with NBA players’ props, and he covered most lines in Game 5.
The five-time All-Star cemented his status as a superstar. He showed this in multiple games throughout the series.
Tatum scored 31 points in Game 3, which was a key road victory, and it’s about to earn him a big contract extension.
“Once these NBA Finals are over, teams are now allowed to start negotiating contract extensions, negotiating with their own free agents,” Adrian Wojnarowski said. “Which means that the Celtics will soon present Jayson Tatum with the largest contract in NBA history, a five-year, $315 million extension.”
Being the Player of the Week comes with its perks, and Jayson Tatum’s stats are why he’s getting a big contract. He doesn’t often go missing in games. And that also gives him a chance to win the regular-season MVP next NBA season. Tatum’s NBA MVP odds will likely be in the top three. We wouldn’t be surprised if he played even better.
Where is Tatum’s Ceiling?
We don’t think we have seen the best from Tatum yet, which is a scary thought. Our best NBA bets today see him winning more titles. He doesn’t take over NBA games like Luka Doncic but that’s because he doesn’t need to. The Celtics have Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, and many other supporting stars.
Tatum would likely average 35 points a game if the Celtics had less depth. The fact he averages 23.1 points per game is a feat as it comes at 46% shooting from the field.
We think Tatum will only improve with more years under his belt. Being only 26, Jayson Tatum’s stats are already off the charts.
There is every chance Boston starts a dynasty if it keeps Tatum and Brown together. That’s likely to happen for at least a few years. So we expect Tatum to win an MVP or Finals MVP or both before his career ends.
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