Inside The Celtics

Jayson Tatum Named Eastern Conference Player of the Week

Jayson Tatum averaged an NBA-best 41.3 points per game last week, outdueling Kevin Durant, Ja Morant, and Trae Young, leading the Celtics to a 3-0 record in games that were all nationally televised.

Bobby Krivitsky

Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

After showing out on national television all week, Jayson Tatum is the Eastern Conference Player of the Week. Tatum averaged an NBA-best 41.3 points per game last week.

Tatum led the Celtics to a 3-0 record in that stretch, first pouring in 33 points to help Boston best Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks. Then, the three-time All-Star outdueled Ja Morant, scoring 37 points, 21 of which came in the fourth quarter to propel a Celtics team missing Jaylen Brown past the Grizzlies. Tatum capped off his week with a 54-point masterpiece, outperforming Kevin Durant to help Boston knock off the Nets.

That 50-plus point performance against Brooklyn ties Tatum with Larry Bird with four games with at least 50 points, the most in Celtics history. By reaching or eclipsing the half-century mark six times in a calendar year, Tatum has accomplished that feat three times as much as any other NBA player, per Celtics team reporter Taylor Snow.

Tatum's averaging 26.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and nearly a steal per game this season. The former two would represent season-highs for him. He's so good offensively that it's easy to lose sight of how impactful he is at the other end of the floor, but Tatum also leads the NBA in defensive win shares, per basketball-reference.com.

Tatum's making the right read seemingly every time the ball's in his hands. He's also shooting better after struggling on that front in the early months of the campaign, and he's combining that with aggressive drives to the rim, leading to him averaging a team-best 9.8 points in the paint per game and nearly 6.5 free throws per contest. He appears poised to earn an All-NBA selection. And while it's unclear what this postseason holds for the Celtics, Tatum's growth raises their ceiling.

Further Reading

What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Nets: Jayson Tatum's 54 Points Help Boston Pass Its Latest Test

In Interview with Shams Charania, Jayson Tatum Discusses Partnership with Jaylen Brown, Differences Between Brad Stevens and Ime Udoka, and More

Celtics Sign Malik Fitts and Kelan Martin to Second 10-Day Contracts

Profile on Celtics' Latest Signing, Nik Stauskas

Profile on Celtics' Newest Signing, Matt Ryan

The Trials, Tribulations, and Growth of Ime Udoka in His First Year as Celtics' Head Coach

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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