Jayson Tatum: The Favorite for 2024 NBA Finals MVP
All eyes will be on the Boston Celtics this postseason, as many believe they will be the team to beat if anyone else is to win the 2024 NBA Finals this season.
The Celtics are the joint record holders for the most titles in history with the Los Angeles Lakers, having won 17. This year could finally see them take the sole position after a few disappointing campaigns in recent seasons.
One man who has been touted to help them reach and obtain the elusive is Jayson Tatum. The small forward is arguably one of the best players in the NBA currently.
How influential can Jayson Tatum be in the postseason for the Celtics?
Anybody who has watched basketball for the last few years will know Tatum's quality. His skills and abilities on the court are undoubted, and his significance to the Boston Celtics is undeniable.
He proved just as much once again throughout the regular season, as he helped the organization to be the best team in the league in terms of their winning percentage. They finished with a .780 record, with the New York Knicks the next best in the Eastern Conference (.610), while trumping the best teams in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the reigning NBA Final Champions Denver Nuggets and their record of .695.
Tatum’s numbers were as solid as expected across the 74 games he played in. He averaged a total of 26.9 points per game, equalling his second-best season across this metric. Across his seven regular seasons for the Celtics, he has averaged 23.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 513 games and has carried those performances into the playoffs.
As of this year’s efforts, he has performed to his highest standards once again. Therefore, it’s no surprise that he is the favorite to win the 2024 NBA Finals MVP award, according to the latest Basketbal odds that are available to wager on.
What has Tatum achieved so far in the 2024 NBA Playoffs?
The small forward has been effective for the Celtics in all 12 games. He was a constant threat against the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first two stages of the Playoffs.
In the 11 games he played against the two franchises, he averaged 25.4 points per game and scored 279. He also averaged 10.5 rebounds per game and provided 5.6 assists on average (62).
His performances in the Conference Finals haven’t dropped one iota, either. Tatum’s performance against the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 helped them record a 133-128 win. He scored 36 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists in the game. If he continues in the same form throughout the series and leads them to the NBA Finals, there is every chance that he’ll be crowned the NBA Finals MVP, as expected.
Will the Boston Celtics win the 2024 NBA Finals?
Of course, there is still plenty of basketball to play and it might be too early to speculate about whether the Boston Celtics will reach the NBA Finals. However, that won’t have stopped many from doing so, as they do appear to be the team to beat.
They have been impressive all season long and have continued their fine form in the postseason. They have been beaten in just two games across the two series to have been played thus far, winning both 4-1.
In addition to Tatum, the entire team has been playing well, and the points have been spread out across the board. Jaylon Brown, Derrick White, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jrue Holiday are all adding their share to the tally, making the franchise a dominant force on the court and one that can score consistently.
The Indiana Pacers will have their work cut out for them, and being 1-0 down after Game 1 won’t help their cause. Although no one in Massachusetts will openly admit it, there may be many who are already looking across to the Western Conference bracket and keeping an eye on what happens between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Dallas Mavericks, as the Celtics are likely to book their place providing a catastrophic collapse doesn’t happen across this current game series.