For more than a decade now, DNA of Sports has been offering you its Top 5 candidates for the “Most Valuable Player” trophy (MVP)”. This week, we decided to focus on the big start to the season of Jayson Tatumthe best player of the current best team in the league.
Starting from the foundations of the best campaign of his career, individually speaking, the All-Star winger stands today as the main rival of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncicto succeed Nikola Jokic. In the event of a coronation, it would also put an end to a major period of scarcity for the Celtics.
Indeed, it has now been 36 years, and the title of Larry Bird in 1986 (his third consecutive!), that a Boston player has not been elected MVP. Rather surprising, when you know that the C’s remain to this day the franchise that has most often seen one of its members receive the Maurice Podoloff statuette, since its creation in 1956.
In total, four Celtics players have been rewarded, for a total of 10 trophies: Bob Cousy (1957), Bill Russell (1958, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965), Dave Cowens (1973) and finally Larry Bird (1984 , 1985, 1986), so. Since then, there has been nothing and, despite this long wait, no team has taken the opportunity to overtake Boston in the meantime.
Top 5 franchises with the most MVP titles
10 — Celtics (Bob Cousy, Bill Russell x5, Dave Cowens, Larry Bird x3)
8 — Lakers (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar x3, Magic Johnson x3, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant)
6 —Sixers (Wilt Chamberlain x3, Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Allen Iverson)
6 —Bulls (Michael Jordan x5, Derrick Rose)
5 — Bucks (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar x3, Giannis Antetokounmpo x2)
Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas, even Rajon Rondo or Antoine Walker… On the side of Boston, after the Larry Bird era in the 1980s, and pending the announced advent of Jayson Tatum, seriously engaged for four seasons now, several of them have had the level – or at least the statistics – to appear even in the Top 5 of the ballot for the MVP.
Except that, since 1987, there have only too rarely been C’s players present in this same Top 5. Proof that the Massachusetts franchise, admittedly often well placed in terms of results (and downright titled in 2008), has generally had a rather bland three decades from a sporting point of view.
Celtics Players in Top 5 MVP, Post-1986
1987 —Larry Bird (3), Kevin McHale (4)
1988 —Larry Bird (2)
2008 —Kevin Garnett (3)
2017 —Isaiah Thomas (5)
But the situation will (perhaps) finally change this season. Coming out of their first Finals since 2008, precisely, the Celtics seem to be slowly — but surely — coming of age. After a month of competition, they are now holders of the best record in the league, assuming their status so far as favorites for the Larry O’Brien trophy, despite their extra-sporting problems.
And, this, in the wake of a Jayson Tatum who, at “only” 24 years old, continues to progress over the years, in attack and defense, but also in leadership. In order to establish himself now as a credible candidate for the title of MVP and to establish (for the moment) the best scoring average of a Boston player. Just that !
All that remains is to maintain this pace over time, because Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic will not fail to put pressure on him and seek to rob him of this leading position in our race for MVP 2023…
Race to the MVP 2023: our Top 5
1 – Jayson Tatum (Celtics)
Assessment: 13 wins, 4 losses – 1st in the East.
Matches: 17 disputed out of 17 possible.
Statistics: 30.2 pts, 7.6 reb, 4.6 pds, 0.8 int, 1.2 ctr and 2.5 pdb in 37 min.
Percentages: 47% on shots, 36% at 3-pts and 87% on throws.
2 – Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
Assessment: 12 wins, 4 losses – 2nd in the East.
Matches: 13 disputed out of 16 possible.
Statistics: 30.1 pts, 11.6 reb, 5.4 pds, 1.1 int, 1.1 ctr and 3.5 pdb in 33 min.
Percentages: 52% on shots, 22% at 3-pts and 58% on throws.
3 – Luka Doncic (Mavericks)
Assessment: 9 wins, 7 losses – 9th in the West.
Matches: 15 disputed out of 16 possible.
Statistics: 33.5 pts, 9.1 reb, 8.1 pds, 1.9 int, 0.5 ctr and 3.2 pdb in 37 min.
Percentages: 49% shooting, 29% 3-point and 76% throwing.
4 – Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
Assessment: 10 wins, 6 losses – 3rd in the West.
Matches: 13 disputed out of 16 possible.
Statistics: 20.8 pts, 9.5 reb, 8.9 pds, 1.5 int, 0.6 ctr and 3.2 pdb in 31 min.
Percentages: 61% on shots, 29% at 3-pts and 88% on throws.
5 – Devin Booker (Suns)
Assessment: 10 wins, 6 losses – 2nd in the West.
Matches: 16 disputed out of 16 possible.
Statistics: 27.6 pts, 4.8 reb, 5.9 pds, 1.0 int, 0.6 ctr and 2.4 pdb in 37 min.
Percentages: 48% on shots, 38% at 3-pts and 89% on throws.
Mentions : Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), Ja Morant (Grizzlies), Trae Young and Dejounte Murray (Hawks), Paul George (Clippers), De’Aaron Fox (Kings), Lauri Markkanen (Jazz), Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers)…
