Stephen A. Smith officially throws Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum's name in the MVP conversation

Stephen A. Smith heaped high praise on Jayson Tatum after his stellar start with the Boston Celtics this season. The 24-year-old has averaged a career-high 30.8 PPG and 7.7 PPG in 20 appearances. Stephen A, who is often very critical of players, stated Tatum as a superstar in the league. There was a lot of criticism on the young sensation after his poor performance with the Celtics during the NBA Finals. However, he has responded well to all of them and played some great basketball so far.

With a lot of controversy surrounding the Boston Celtics in the offseason due to the Ime Udoka’s situation, not many believed the Eastern Conference side to have a great start. However, they have proven everyone wrong and started 17-4 to grab the top spot in the East. In all their 21 games, the team has shown grit and determination, which is once again making them look like favorites to come out of the East.

Jayson Tatum certainly is going to be key in their pursuit of winning it all. Stephen A. Smith believes that his exploits make him well deserved to enter the MVP conversation. Speaking about the same on “The First Take” he said:

“I will officially on national television throw Jayson Tatum into that conversation for the Boston Celtics. If you don’t know, you should ask somebody, this brother is special and he is putting on a show and trying to make amends for his struggling performance in the NBA Finals, but Jayson Tatum is a superstar in this league and he plays like one. Night in night out basis, you gotta contend with that brother.”

How good has Jayson Tatum been for the Boston Celtics this season?

Jayson Tatum has undoubtedly elevated his game for the Celtics this season. He has yet again improved and added a few more skills to his armory. Along with his offensive brilliance, the forward has been a beast on the defensive end as well. He has worked hard to make things tougher for opponents and that is what has contributed to his success this season.

He is averaging a career-high 1.2 blocks per game, which is a testament to his defensive abilities. His relationship with Jaylen Brown has also been key for the Celtics this season. The duo have been wreaking havoc on opponents. They have been the best duo in the league and if they continue producing high-octane performances, the Celtics will be a tough side to stop.

Tatum has already seen a lot of individual success, but the NBA championship is still his main goal. He narrowly missed out last season, but that has made him even stronger. The way the Celtics are playing, they are strong favorites of getting beyond the line this time around. He will have his eyes on the MVP trophy, but it will be the Larry O’Brien trophy that puts him in the conversation of the all-time Celtic greats.