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Jayson Tatum Makes Honest Statement After Celtics-Bulls

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum spoke after defeating the Chicago Bulls.

Joey Linn

Dec 21, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) looks on during the first half against the Chicago Bulls at United Center.
Dec 21, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) looks on during the first half against the Chicago Bulls at United Center. / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
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Behind a monster game from Jayson Tatum, the Boston Celtics defeated the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night, blowing out their Eastern Conference opponent by a final score of 123-98. This was a great response for the Celtics, as they fell to Chicago 117-108 on Thursday.

Tatum finished with 43 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists in the win over Chicago. This game brought his season averages to 28.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists. While these numbers may not stand out in the same way Nikola Jokic’s do, the Celtics are now 22-6 which is the third-best record in basketball.

Jayson Tatum
Dec 21, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) shoots against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at United Center. / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Given this combination of production and team success, some believe Tatum should be higher on the list of MVP candidates. Asked about that after Saturday’s game, Tatum got honest about the situation.

Tatum: “We’re a really, really good team, with so many talented players. I’m probably not going to put up the same numbers as those other guys. That’s perfectly fine with me, especially what we did it in June last year. That’s the main goal, not for me to win MVP.”

This has been Tatum’s situation for a few seasons now. While he has consistently been the best player on one of the NBA’s best teams, Boston’s roster construction does not require him to produce the same overall volume as other stars around the league. While this may hurt his MVP chances, Tatum is focused on winning another championship.

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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