In Jayson Tatum, he became the first player in Celtics history to earn an award named after a legendary player.
Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics became the first player to win the Larry Bird Award.
The Boston Celtics’ best player, Jayson Tatum, became the first recipient of the Larry Bird Eastern Conference Finals MVP award as the team advanced to the NBA Finals.
Many great past players have had new trophies and honors named after them as part of the NBA’s 75th anniversary season. The Bird Award is given to the best player in the Eastern Conference Finals, while the Eastern Conference Champion receives a trophy named after another Celtics legend, Bob Cousy. It’s only fitting that the Celtics win these trophies in their first season.
Congratulations to Tatum for ensuring that the Bird Award begins its amazing journey from Boston.
Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics is the first player to earn the Larry Bird Award.
Tatum and the Celtics faced a tough challenge in the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals, as they needed all seven games to defeat the Miami Heat. Boston is making its first appearance in the NBA Finals since 2010. The Celtics are on the verge of earning their first league title in 14 years, but they’ll have to beat the Golden State Warriors in four games, which they’re used to.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Tatum. If the Celtics beat the Warriors in the NBA Finals, he will be unquestionably a top-five player in the league today and a superstar. Even getting to this point is a huge step in the right direction for him in terms of developing that story. Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, though. It’s all about championships in Boston.
The most exciting aspect of it all is that Tatum and the Celtics are not expected to beat the Warriors. The Golden State Warriors’ core of Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson are vying for the pinky ring. The Warriors have advanced to the NBA Finals six times under Steve Kerr’s leadership. Even though this group of Celtics players is going into uncharted territory, Boston is known for winning championships.
Tatum, who is playing in his first NBA Finals, has the most to gain from the series.
