Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Earns Major Award, Strengthening MVP Bid

The five-time All-Star is in the midst of his best season yet.

Dec 2, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) looks for an opening around Miami Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11), forward Haywood Highsmith (24) and forward Duncan Robinson (55) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images / Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

Fresh off his second Olympic gold medal and his first NBA title, five-time Boston Celtics All-Star power forward Jayson Tatum is in the midst of his best season yet.

The NBA at large has apparently taken notice.

The 6-foot-8 Duke product was named the league's Eastern Conference Player of the Month, covering games played in October (since the season starts late into October) and November, the league has announced. All-NBA Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was honored as the Western Conference Player of the Month.

The 26-year-old superstar vanquished a murderer's row of excellent players in netting the accolade. He bested two-time league MVP Milwaukee Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, All-Star Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball, All-NBA Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Donovan Mitchell, All-NBA Indiana Pacers power forward Pascal Siakam, and Orlando Magic small forward Franz Wagner, plus New York Knicks All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Across his first 19 games for the Celtics during the period honored (the team went 16-3 in October and November, and is now 17-4 in the East), Tatum's 28.7 points, 8.5 boards, and 5.8 assists a night paced Boston's star-studded squad. Three of Tatum's fellow starters have been All-Stars, and at least Jaylen Brown and potentially Jrue Holiday could reach that lofty status again this year (Kristaps Porzingis is the other starter to earn that distinction, but he's likelybeen too banged-up to make the All-Star cut).

Adding further fuel to the fire, Tatum's scoring has also been remarkably efficient. In those 19 bouts, the four-time All-NBA honoree was connecting on a .461/.378/.795 slash line.

Tatum has emerged as a major early contender for league MVP honors.

All-NBA Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, the reigning MVP, appears to be the favorite to claim the award for a fourth time in the last five seasons, even as his 10-8 Nuggets struggle to stay in the play-in picture during a crowded Western Conference race. They're currently the No. 9 seed in the West. Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished second in MVP voting last year behind Jokic is another clear favorite.

Per Shaun Powell of NBA.com, Antetokounmpo and All-NBA Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis both rank among his five favorites at this stage of the season.

Previously, Tatum has finished within the top six vote recipients for league MVP honors three times, and among the top 12 four times. He controversially missed out on Finals MVP honors to Brown after his shooting nosedived throughout the playoffs, but he has reasserted his place in Boston's — and the league's — pecking order so far this year.

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