After being pretty close to winning the 2022 NBA Championship, Jayson Tatum is certainly eyeing a season of vengeance. He is leading the NBA’s best team and he wants to go one step further than last season.
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With an incredible 14-4 record, the Boston Celtics are the best team 5 weeks into the 22-23 season. And JT’s MVP-like performance is a huge reason for it.
Sitting in the 2nd position of the MVP Ladder, the former Duke Blue Devil has been averaging a staggering 30.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. Furthermore, during the recent Celtics-Mavs clash, Jayson became the first player in the league to record 550 total points this campaign.
Also Read: Jayson Tatum Emphatically Denies Luka Doncic at the Rim and Destroys the Mavericks
Despite being a pretty successful player, the 6-foot-8 forward has continued to study the games of some of the best players in today’s league.
Jayson Tatum names 7 superstars whose games he studies
Recently, the Celtics star sat down with Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe in a must-read interview. Among a series of interesting questions, Tatum was asked to name the opponents whose game he watches and studies.
Commending Kevin Durant, DeRozan, Kawhi Leonard, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the 3-time All-Star said:
“One thing I realized is playing some of these guys In the playoffs, you gain so much more respect for them.”
Tatum also lauded Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry, the guys he faced off against in the ECF and NBA Finals, respectively.
“Steph [Curry] and those guys [on the Warriors], you realize how hard it is to get to the Finals, and they’ve been to that [expletive] six times and won four. I gained so much more respect for them.
“Jimmy Butler and how much of a competitor he is… If you had to pick somebody on your team to go to war with, you’d definitely pick him.”
“I Like Scottie Barnes, Jaden Ivey, Paolo, and Chet”: JT
Further in the interview, the 2-time All-NBA player also stated that he enjoyed watching the youngsters in the league. Apart from naming the reigning ROTY, Tatum also mentioned a few lottery picks from this past draft.
“I like Scottie Barnes a lot. I like the kid from Detroit, Jaden Ivey. Obviously Paolo [Banchero]. Chet [Holmgren], when he gets to play next year, I’m excited for him.”
Despite being only 24 years old, Tatum has a lot of experience, thanks to Boston’s 5 straight playoffs appearance. Possessing all the necessary abilities, there is no doubt that the 2022 ECF MVP could end up replicating the same success the Cs witnessed last year while vying for the prestigious Maurice Podoloff Trophy.
Also Read: Jayson Tatum Explained His Complicated Relationship with Father
