As he propelled the Celtics to a convincing 117-99 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night with an exceptional fourth-quarter performance, Jayson Tatum found himself greeted by resounding “MVP” chants from the TD Garden faithful as he stepped up to the free-throw line.
Those free throws marked the culmination of a blistering 17-0 run by the Celtics in less than four and a half minutes — a surge that turned a two-point Boston lead into a commanding 19-point advantage.
During that stretch, Tatum scored eight of his 15 fourth-quarter points and grabbed five rebounds, surpassing the 76ers’ total rebounds for the entire quarter, which stood at just four.
While it wasn’t the first time Tatum heard “MVP” chants during the game, they were notably louder this time as the Celtics clinched their ninth consecutive win.
In recent weeks, Jayson Tatum’s MVP candidacy has become a prominent topic in the NBA world, with the five-time All-Star garnering increasing endorsements from pundits and players across the league.
During an appearance on WEEI’s Gresh and Fauria, Tatum’s boss, Brad Stevens, weighed in on his superstar’s case for the league’s most prestigious award.
“Jayson has been a stud ever since he came into the league. Obviously, you knew that it was going to be a path of growth that he was going to take because he takes care of himself. He has a routine. He works really hard. You know, all of those types of things,” Stevens said. “He should be in any conversation. Listen, there are great players all over the league. And, like I’ve said when I voted for All-Star stuff when I was coaching, the winning part really matters.”
Tatum has done plenty of winning. The 25-year-old has guided the Celtics to an NBA-best 46-12 record, as the C’s sit a commanding 7.5 games atop the Eastern Conference.
“He’s just been doing it for a long time. All he has done is win,” Stevens said. “This guy, by the time he’s 25 years old, has done stuff that very few people have done.”
The soon-to-be four-time All-NBA wing has experienced considerable success in his six professional seasons, including four appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals and a trip to the NBA Finals in 2022. However, he is still chasing that elusive championship ring.
When discussing a yearly regular-season award, it shouldn’t be a factor, yet the notion that Jayson Tatum hasn’t won a championship seems to influence his MVP candidacy. It’s worth noting that nine of the last ten MVP awards went to players who, at the time, hadn’t won a title. The sole exception is Stephen Curry in 2016. So, it’s not entirely clear why Tatum is perceived differently.
“Because of how far they’ve [Tatum and Jaylen Brown] been, there’s going to be more scrutiny. There’s going to be more eyes and all the stuff that comes with that. That’s just part of it,” Stevens said. “So, if he’s held to a different standard, it’s because he set the bar for it.”
Being the best player on the best team is undoubtedly a significant aspect of Tatum’s MVP contention. However, mere team success isn’t the sole determinant for the award. Tatum’s statistics also place him among the top performers in the league.
The Duke product is 27.0 points, on a career-best 47.5% shooting from the field, 4.9 assists (also a career-best), and 8.5 boards. Tatum has also been excellent on the defensive end, averaging a steal and 0.6 blocks per game.
Tatum undoubtedly has a shot at the award. And while MVP honors would certainly be nice, Tatum and the Celtics have their eyes set on something bigger – Banner 18.
“This is a huge talking point outside of our building, [but] t’s not a huge talking point in our building. We’re very focused on just trying to get better. We all want to be the last team standing. We all know there’s a lot in front of us to do that,” Stevens said. “He’d be the first to tell you, and I don’t pay attention to everything he says in the media, but I’m guessing that he would be the first to tell you that for him, it’s about winning in June.”
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