Fans and the media consider the Boston Celtics the favorites to win the NBA title this season. They have consistently been the best team in the league on the court and currently have the best record in the NBA.
A big part of the Celtics’ success this season has been the play of MVP candidate Jayson Tatum. In Tuesday’s win over the Brooklyn Nets, Jayson Tatum tied the franchise record for most points in a half-year, tying franchise legend Larry Bird with 40 points in 25 games, according to StatMuse.
Jayson Tatum scored 41 points in the Celtics’ win over the Nets, joining Larry Bird as the only players in franchise history to score 25 or more 40 points. Tatum also added 14 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 three-pointers. He recently earned his fifth NBA All-Star appearance.Last season, Tatum finished in the top four in MVP voting. This year, he averaged 27.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 47.4% from the field, 36.2% from 3 points and 82% of free throws.
The Celtics are atop the NBA standings thanks to offseason acquisitions Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. The Celtics aggressively signed veteran big Xavier Tillman at the trade deadline to bolster their depth. In addition, they were able to be active in the acquisition market by recruiting a promising young player named Jaden Springer.