Boston’s Jayson Tatum has surged in the MVP race as of late. With that in mind, there have been many debates on whether he is being judged simply because he has not won a title yet. Tatum is aware of this, but his priority is bringing the Larry O’Brien trophy back to the city of Boston.
“I understand that, no matter what I do in the regular season, I’m at that point where people just judge me off whether I can win a championship,” Tatum said. “I realize that, and it’s like, all right, I just got to do it.”
The star small forward also had this to say:
“Earlier, I was playing the game just to play the game instead of just thinking it,” Tatum said. “Now, I go out there, and I understand who we’re playing against. I know their scheme, what they’re trying to do, which guys are in or out the lineup.
“Learning from experience, I understand that I’m good enough that I can relax and defer a little bit,” he added. “Then, the fourth quarter comes, and I know I can score 20 in the quarter.”
Tatum has developed into a top-10 player in the NBA and this could be the year he adds a championship to his resume.
Jayson Tatum Knows the Pressure is on to Win a Title
Jayson Tatum’s Season
Not only has Tatum led the Celtics to the best record in the league (43-12), but he is also having an MVP-caliber campaign. On the year, he is averaging 27.1 points, 8.6 total rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game while tallying a true shooting percentage of 60.5 percent. The Celtics superstar is also averaging a career-best assist percentage of 21.0 percent, an offensive box plus/minus of +4.4, and an offensive rating of 121, which is another career-high. Tatum is one of the best scorers in the league but has evolved every other facet of his game since he entered the league. The Boston Celtics are still in good hands with Tatum being the number one option.
Boston Still the Favorites to Win the NBA Finals
The Celtics are still the favorites to win the title at +230 odds. Following them are the defending champion, Denver Nuggets, at +440 odds. Boston has arguably the best starting five in the league to go along with a strong supporting cast. They have a terrific mix of young talent with veteran experience. If the Celtics can keep up on this trajectory they are on, it is hard to envision anyone defeating them in a seven game series. Especially at the level Jayson Tatum has performed as of late.
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