Jayson Tatum is not the name that will instantly pop on someone’s head when asked about MVP candidates this season. Or even the seasons before.
This is despite the fact that he puts up huge numbers almost every game and his team always being among the contenders.
The Boston Celtics star is aware that he is being snubbed on conversations like that.
“Probably so. I’m on a really, really good team,” he said when asked if his team being good as the main factor why is snubbed in MVP conversation.
“There’s so many talented players that I’m probably not going to put up the same numbers as some of those other guys and that’s perfectly fine with me, especially what we did in June last year.”
Despite that, he insisted that he is not after individual accolades and is instead more focused on repeating the championship.
“That’s the main focus, not me winning MVP, but for us to play at a high level and compete for championships year in and year out. If I accomplish that along the way, that would be amazing, but the main goal is for everybody to feel involved and everybody to play a part and that’s doing something special.”
Tatum is currently ranked Top 5 by the NBA.com MVP rankings. The highest rank he got was no. 3 so far and that was in December 6.
Joe Mazzulla backs Jayson Tatum for MVP but . . . .
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla thinks Tatum’s brilliance is being taken for granted by not including him in MVP conversations.
What could be the reason behind? He believes it is because greatness comes easy for his player.
“Because he’s been doing great things for such a long time, I still think he gets taken for granted,”he said as quoted by SB Nation’s Noa Dalzell.
“Because he’s done it for a long time, and because it comes relatively easy for him, and we’re in Boston, so that’s the expectation.”
Tatum is currently averaging 28.8 ppg (6th in the league), 9.3 rpg, and 5.7 apg. His team is currently second in the Eastern Conference, third overall.
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