Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Isn’t Eyeing MVP, ‘Thinking About’ Banner 18

Jayson Tatum’s maturity and growth this season have both propelled the Boston Celtics to new heights, quickly establishing the identity of an NBA-best 33-10 roster while sending a clear message: Banner 18 is the priority in 2024.

In late January of last season, talks about Tatum’s bid for league MVP were ramping up. Tatum had averaged 31.3 points — his highest scoring total of any month — and shot 44.4% through 14 games that month. That conversation was fueled more when he was named All-Star Game MVP after dropping an NBA-record 55 points, but none of it proved to matter by the season’s end.

The Celtics, once again, swallowed the pill of falling short in pursuit of Banner 18 by turning a 3-0 deficit in the Eastern Conference finals into a gut-punching loss in Game 7 to the Miami Heat.

So it’s no surprise that Tatum’s focus isn’t on where he ranks among the lead candidates for MVP this go-around, instead concerned about the greater goal.

“You’ve got some guys playing unbelievable basketball,” Tatum told Bleacher Report, per Scott Polacek. “It’s a little tougher with the team we have. Nobody has taken a step back, but in terms of our numbers we have so much talent on our team, and we share the wealth. Nobody’s averaging what they were probably averaging last year. We’re all probably a couple points down. But we’re all playing great basketball. MVP might be tough just with the dynamic of our team. But we’re trying to play for a championship, so that’s what I’m thinking about.”

During the offseason, Boston’s front office and ownership didn’t settle. Leaving no stone unturned, the Celtics made a handful of changes, both to the roster and coaching staff. Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday were both acquired in blockbuster fashion, making for a handful of departures for a new-and-improved crew that’s determined to get the job done.

Just 43 games deep into the season, that’s clear.

Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has an extended six-man starting lineup — Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Porzingis, Holiday, Derrick White and Al Horford — that’s played stellar, unselfish basketball. It’s not just Tatum and Brown, but an entire five-headed beast capable of leading the offense on any given night. More importantly, the starters have prioritized identifying that hot hand and targeting it for the betterment of the team.

That ongoing trust has allowed a number of roster members to flourish and shine without taking anything away from the next teammate — all while the Celtics have sat comfortably atop the Eastern Conference.

The growth of Tatum and Brown’s respective abilities to facilitate has made an impact. They don’t need a veteran older brother to chaperone them around the floor. They’ve always had the skillset to get their piece of the pie and now have the understanding that it’ll take much more than that to reach the promised land.

Boston’s historic winning tradition can’t be rejuvenated by MVP races, and nobody needs to remind Tatum of that.