As the Celtics and the NBA enter the All-Star break, the majority of the season has been accounted for. There are still roughly 27 games left for each team, though, so narratives can shift over the final couple months of the season.
So, at this point, the NBA’s MVP race looks like a two-man race between the old and new. In ESPN’s Tim Bontemp’s MVP straw poll, where he asks 100 media members for their votes on the award, the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads all players. Gilgeous-Alexander earned 70 of 100 first-place votes, leading second-place vote getter Nikola Jokic, who got 30 first-place votes.
Celtics star Jayson Tatum rolls in at fourth place in the poll as the final player to earn more than 100 points. He received 18 third-place votes, 65 for fourth and 14 for fifth, getting 299 total points. That only trails Gilgeous-Alexander (910), Jokic (788) and Bucks star Giannis Antetekounmpmo (430). Tatum is currently putting up averages of 27.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 52 games played.
So it’s clear Tatum is well-respected around the league as he should be. The Celtics have had their struggles, but they’re still 39-16 on the season, good for the third-best record in the league behind the Cavaliers and Thunder. Tatum has also been named first-team All-NBA the past three seasons as he’s well on his way to another nod for the fourth straight year.
For now, Gilgeous-Alexander is the favorite atop the polls, though there’s still plenty of season left. He’s averaging 32.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists for a Thunder team taking that next step toward title contention. Jokic, the three-time MVP, is averaging a triple-double at 29.8 points, 12.6 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game. Voter fatigue could also factor into Jokic’s MVP case as Gilgeous-Alexander has yet to win the award.
Regardless, the season still has to play out — plus, MVP is a regular-season award. Fans will rightfully cheer on their guys, but the superstars are judged on how they perform in the playoffs. That’s where Tatum has the edge on everyone as the C’s are reigning champs, hoping for a chance to go back-to-back later this year.
