Kendrick Perkins thinks Jayson Tatum is ‘playing at an MVP level’
Perkins praised Tatum for showing that "he has the capability to elevate his game to elevate others around him."
Jayson Tatum’s high-level performance against the Spurs on Wednesday ensured that the Celtics would get a 116-103 home win even while missing two starters.
It’s become an almost assumed status for Tatum, that he will continue to be consistent as a franchise player even as the season hasn’t been a spotless title defense to this point for Boston.
His stat line from Wednesday told a simpler story: 32 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists. It drew praise from former Celtic (and now ESPN analyst) Kendrick Perkins on NBA Countdown, who also noted that Tatum raises the level of his teammates.
“We know that Jayson Tatum is a walking bucket,” Perkins said of Tatum’s scoring ability. “He showed that last year. But it’s seven assists, it’s the 14 rebounds, it’s doing the other things, being the primary ball-handler, and showing that he has the capability to elevate his game to elevate others around him. I think that was the biggest takeaways.”
Even without Jrue Holiday and Jaylen Brown on Wednesday, Boston hardly missed a beat.
Perkins highlighted a larger conversation that he believes Tatum should be in.
“We talk about all those guys who are in the MVP conversation,” said Perkins, who played in Boston from 2003-2011. “You look at Tatum’s numbers — by the way, the Celtics haven’t had an MVP in over 40 years, a regular season MVP — this guy’s playing at an MVP level.”
(Boston last had an MVP in 1986, 39 years ago, when Larry Bird completed a streak of three in a row).
Fellow ESPN panelist Richard Jefferson pointed out that he thinks Tatum might have had a case were it not for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder.
“I 100-percent agree. I think when you look at it, it’s tough,” he explained. “I do believe that Shai has pulled away.”
A critique of Tatum case, Jefferson relayed, is that he’s a victim of Boston’s success. The Celtics having a “loaded team” hurts the local star’s MVP case.
“But it’s not just the seven assists,” Jefferson continued. “He only had two turnovers.”
“He was doing all of the things and they couldn’t stop him. They couldn’t force him any mistakes. He was efficient, getting everyone involved.”
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