Jayson Tatum has yet to taste championship victory in his NBA career. The lack of a championship has not sat well with certain analysts. Some felt Tatum’s Celtics had the best record in the NBA due to their star-power roster and not just Tatum’s performance. On ESPN’s First Take, Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo attempted to rank Bolton Celtics star Jayson Tatum against other established NBA stars. Stephen A. Smith and JJ Redick took turns countering Russo’s critique.
Jayson Tatum has had an incredible season, with his team reigning as the Eastern Conference’s number-one seed. The Boston Celtics have a deep roster. Hence, Chris Russo didn’t give much credit to Tatum. This is what Russo said about ranking Tatum:
If you look at the top 10 players in the league, where do you put Tatum? Seven or eight? Chris Russo via ESPN First Take
Russo didn’t believe Tatum was among the top five players in the league. He believed Tatum was a level below other NBA stars such as Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James , Denver Nuggets Nikola Jokic , Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant , and Golden State Warriors Steph Curry . Stephen A. Smith sat quietly when Russo made the statement.
Russo believed Tatum failed to push the Celtics to their peak performance. He noted that aside from his Game 6 performance against the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2022 NBA playoffs and Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers in 2023, Tatum hadn’t delivered for the Celtics when it mattered the most.
Tatum has had an incredible season despite the endless criticism. His performance recently received the praises of Suns’ Kevin Durant. Tatum has the best roster in the NBA to help him win his first title. The criticisms will disappear if Tatum can achieve championship success. Only time will tell if that happens this season.
It’s now or never for Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics have remained the best team in the NBA by a mile this season. The acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday has added more steel and firepower. They have the best record in the league (54-14). Furthermore, they are one of the bookies’ favorites to win the league, and analyst Nick Wright believed it’s “Now or never” for the C’s.
The Celtics have had a great time with the Tatum-Brown synergy. However, it has only resulted in near misses. This season is their best opportunity to add a record number 18 title and match the 2008 title-winning team. The power duo has led the Celtics to four Eastern Conference Finals and one NBA Finals over the years but still fall short.
With Tatum and Brown firing on all cylinders, maybe the year 2024 is destined for them. However, nothing great comes easy, as the C’s have to show high consistency and determination.
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