Tatum mvp type season?

[cman88]

I know it's early but we are seeing a different Tatum so far.

Averaging 31ppg on nearly 50% shooting, 36% from 3 and 89% from the ft line. Almost as that 50/40/90 mark.

Looks like those stories how he was locked in during the summer were legit.

[timpiker]

Love the scoring.  His playmaking is getting so much better.  His handle keeps getting better.  This year I've noticed he tries to guard the other teams' best player a lot, even if its a PG.  I mean Tatum the size of a PF but routinely guards a PG.  Its like a challenge to him.  Love it.

[Vermont Green]

Yeah, I think this is getting ahead of yourself but he is having a good season so far.  Improvement in some key areas.  Giannis would be the MVP if the vote were today.  But Tatum is in the discussion.

Last season, he started really slowly on 3P%.  This year, he is pretty much hitting his career average.  Not having a slow start was important.  But what I like most is the 8.9 FTA this season, up form 6.2 FTA last season.  That is resulting in about 2.5 more points per game for him plus getting into the penalty quicker, likely leading to more FTs for others too.  Tatum is currently 5th in the league for FTA/gm, behind Giannis, Doncic, Young, and Durant (how is that for an MVP candidate list).  Note Ja Morant is tied with Tatum at 8.9 FTA/gm.  Lillard and DeRozan are right there too.  Only 10 games in but if he keeps up drawing fouls, that is an important step forward for him as he climbs the league ladder.

[Sophomore]

Tatum’s decisionmaking and finishing are up this year - he’s about six points better in Efg and TS. And I think he will make a good number of big, game-winning plays on defense - like shutting down Ja down the stretch the other night.

Giannis is hard to beat, but if JT plays at this level all year he’s at least solidified 1st team all-NBA and is in the conversation for MVP.

[Moranis]

I wouldn't even have him top 5 at this point, but it is only 10 games

1. Giannis
2. Jokic
3. Mitchell
4. Doncic
5. Markkanen

[Sophomore]

I wouldn't even have him top 5 at this point, but it is only 10 games

1. Giannis
2. Jokic
3. Mitchell
4. Doncic
5. Markkanen

You’re putting Markkanen over Tatum?

[slamtheking]

I wouldn't even have him top 5 at this point, but it is only 10 games

1. Giannis
2. Jokic
3. Mitchell
4. Doncic
5. Markkanen

You’re putting Markkanen over Tatum?

It's Moranis.  standard post is: anything Celtic is bad if not downright horrible but the rest of league is great if not completely superior to anything Celtic.

personally, I put Tatum at 3 if not 2 ahead of Mitchell and Markkanen if not Jokic and/or Luka right now.  only player I could see rated higher than Tatum beyond question is Giannis

[DefenseWinsChamps]

We haven't had an MVP candidate like this since Isaiah Thomas in his prime!

[Moranis]

I wouldn't even have him top 5 at this point, but it is only 10 games

1. Giannis
2. Jokic
3. Mitchell
4. Doncic
5. Markkanen

You’re putting Markkanen over Tatum?

The Jazz are 9-3 and in first place in the West.  Markkanen has been their best player.  So yeah, a team that many felt would finish in the bottom handful of teams in basketball that is unexpectedly winning at an incredible rate should be rewarded.  Again it is 10 games (or 12 in case of Jazz).

[Atzar]

I wouldn't even have him top 5 at this point, but it is only 10 games

1. Giannis
2. Jokic
3. Mitchell
4. Doncic
5. Markkanen

Oh come on, lol.  Tatum is averaging 10 more points per game on better TS% to go along with much better defense.  I know the Jazz are a fun story to start the season but this stance is nearly indefensible. 

[Donoghus]

FWIW, the most recent KIA MVP Ladder (Nov. 4th)

https://www.nba.com/news/kia-mvp-ladder-nov-4-2022-edition

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks.
2. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
3. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
4. Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
5. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
6. Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
7. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
8. Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors
9. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
10. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

[sgrogan]

Yeah, I think this is getting ahead of yourself but he is having a good season so far.  Improvement in some key areas.  Giannis would be the MVP if the vote were today.  But Tatum is in the discussion.

Last season, he started really slowly on 3P%.  This year, he is pretty much hitting his career average.  Not having a slow start was important.  But what I like most is the 8.9 FTA this season, up form 6.2 FTA last season.  That is resulting in about 2.5 more points per game for him plus getting into the penalty quicker, likely leading to more FTs for others too.  Tatum is currently 5th in the league for FTA/gm, behind Giannis, Doncic, Young, and Durant (how is that for an MVP candidate list).  Note Ja Morant is tied with Tatum at 8.9 FTA/gm.  Lillard and DeRozan are right there too.  Only 10 games in but if he keeps up drawing fouls, that is an important step forward for him as he climbs the league ladder.

Agreed.
I've been waiting for Tatum to get the star treatment for FTA's.
31/7.5/4 on 65% TS, best defender on the team, and no missed games for a projected 57 win team, would seem to put Jason firmly in the conversation.
Off course his on/off is only +1.8

[Vermont Green]

It is very clear that Giannis the MVP front runner at this point.  There are a few names that almost certainly will be in the next tier:

Giannis

Jokic
Doncic
Embiid

There may be some others, including Tatum that work their way into that second tier.  Steph Curry for example.  Not so sure that Mitchell and Markkanen get there, but there may be some surprises.  Ja Morant is another name to watch in my mind.  Maybe DeRozan.  Embiid has not been there so far, but I expect he will be in the end.  Reputation tends to matter in MVP voting (even if it isn't supposed to matter).

[Moranis]

I wouldn't even have him top 5 at this point, but it is only 10 games

1. Giannis
2. Jokic
3. Mitchell
4. Doncic
5. Markkanen

Oh come on, lol.  Tatum is averaging 10 more points per game on better TS% to go along with much better defense.  I know the Jazz are a fun story to start the season but this stance is nearly indefensible.

The MVP isn't the best player award.  It about capturing value and in that, yes Lauri has been playing very well leading the most surprising team in basketball.  Tatum is a better player than Markkanen, and that isn't close, but the MVP is not and never has been a best player award.  The best player on the best teams have always been the front runners for MVP.  The Jazz will invariably cool off and Lauri will disappear from these sorts of things, but 12% into the season, he and his team have been a very pleasant surprise. 

Everyone knows by now I think on/off differential is a very important stat for measuring value and in that Tatum is just +1.8 per 100 possessions, which is off significantly from last year.  Markkanen is +8.3 per 100.  Even just +- per 100 while on the court favors Lauri at +8.5 vs. just +3.5 from Tatum.  So yeah, Lauri statistically doesn't match up to Tatum, but his team is better when he plays by a pretty wide margin, and since his team has a better record, at this point, yeah I'd have Lauri ahead of Jayson.  And to be clear, I do not think that will hold up.  That Jazz will come back down to earth and Tatum's value to the scoreboard, will increase and get more in line with last year. 

[Kernewek]

The MVP isn't the best player award.  It about capturing value

I think this is true, but I do think that the value for the award usually comes from one of two camps in most seasons.

It's either: 'best player on a top team' or 'most essential player to a good team' - the difference is subtle, but for the latter you can look at Jokic, Harden/Westbrook or Steve Nash.

I see Tatum in the former camp, not necessarily the latter, so the C's have to have a top-of-the-league record for him to have a meaningful shot at MVP.