Jayson Tatum. Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Celtics star hopes MVP voters will 'understand the dynamic of our team'

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 2/23/24

Jayson Tatum is the best player on the Boston Celtics. The Celtics have the best record in the NBA. It makes sense that his name is being floated around in the MVP discussion.

However, his position within the MVP race is likely lower than he would like and than Celtics fans believe he deserves. As such, Tatum wants the voting panel to contextualize his production with the Celtics' situation and roster strength.

“I don’t have the points per game that the other three or four guys will, but I think the voters are smart enough to understand the dynamic of our team," Tatum told The Athletic's Jared Weiss. "Essentially having to do less scoring maybe on certain nights but still impact the game in a lot of ways to kind of ensure that we win every single night.”

NEW STORY:

Jayson Tatum won’t win MVP… probably.

But with his Celtics carving open a 7 game lead in the East, Tatum’s candidacy was being widely reevaluated over the All-Star break.

“I don’t have the points per game that the other guys will, but I think the voters are smart…
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) February 23, 2024

Tatum's comments are fair. He is sharing the court with four other starters who could all make a case for being an All-Star. A level of sacrifice comes with being on such a talented team. Tatum has shouldered that burden and still found a way to thrive. He's improved as a passer, a rebounder, and a defender.

Furthermore, Tatum has also altered his shot profile. He's attacking out of the post more. He's getting downhill and using his size and strength to finish around the rim. By doing that, he creates more space for his teammates on the perimeter or generates secondary driving lanes.

That growth has seen Tatum become one of the most versatile players in the league. He's elite in almost every aspect of the game. There's incredible value in being such a diverse threat. Whether his all-around performance will be enough to impress MVP voters despite lower box-score production will remain to be seen. However, as one of the best players in the league, there's no doubt that he will be in the running for the prestigious award.

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