“Jayson deserved the trophy”. This is what Jaylen Brown said in a press conference about his award as best player in the Eastern Conference. It's true that in terms of numbers, Jayson Tatum dominated his teammate in all areas, and last night, he came close to a triple-double with 26 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists. Active in defense, he also lost five balls, but his involvement in the game, on both sides of the field, should be highlighted.
Moreover, he reached the Finals by being the best scorer, rebounder and passer of his team with 26.0 points, 10.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game! According to the NBA, he is only the 5th player in history to achieve this feat, and he joins legends like Jason Kidd (2002), Tim Duncan (2003), LeBron James (from 2012 to 2015), and Nikola Jokic (2023). He also won a second final in three years, and this consistency is impressive.
“It remains special, even if many of us have already reached the Finals” replies the All-Star winger. “We don't take anything for granted, and it's true that we were very happy. It's because this team forced us to go for every victory. You had to earn them. »
In particular by modifying his defense with a passage into the zone which will be decisive. Tatum showed he could cover a lot of ground, but also be active, and his wingspan did good to slow down Pascal Siakam and hamper the Pacers shooters.
“The zone slowed them down a little… But when we started to come back into the game and take control, it was just because we wanted more” believes Tatum. “Whether individually or in a zone, we were not at their level in terms of intensity. They played with more freedom and rhythm, and they went to the racket whenever they felt like it. At the end of the match, it wasn't a question of adjustments, but of creating play. We made stops, we helped each other, we grabbed rebounds, and we covered our ground, no matter where we were. It was just about making choices. »
