Tatum is Player of the Month

[Roy H.]

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum have been named the NBA Players of the Month for October and November.

Tatum has started the season off strong, coming in at 31.6 points a game, second in the NBA. The Celtics All-Star is also averaging 7.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists for the NBA-leading 18-4 Celtics.

That's a great month for the Celtics in terms of awards.  Tatum is POTM, Mazz is COTM, and Smart is the Community Cares winner.

[gouki88]

As he should be. Elite play on both ends, and we're dominant. He's the key in an all-time offence.

[Somebody]

Don't see how Booker got it outside of team record (especially with Steph having a '16 redux so far), but well-deserved for Tatum - he's been playing amazing basketball so far.

[Moranis]

Don't see how Booker got it outside of team record (especially with Steph having a '16 redux so far), but well-deserved for Tatum - he's been playing amazing basketball so far.

Team record matters a great deal for player of the month and MVP awards and the only guys I think you could argue other than Booker are Curry and Doncic, and they are both leading .500 teams.  Jokic has tailed off, the Pelicans are a 3-headed monster, and Morant is in the same general range as Booker statistically.

[tenn_smoothie]

Times are good aren't they ?

Looks like the Celts did the right thing, in the end, by deciding to put the team around Tatum and Brown and letting them develop, though I sure had my doubts at times. Now we just need to add another key piece or two, get the defense back in order and start hanging some banners again. And let's hope Brown stays content.

I still have some criticism of Coach Joe, but he has done a great job with the offense.
How Udoka did not see the need for more movement and less stagnant iso is beyond me.

[blink]

Tatum has been just absolutely awesome.  Both he and Brown keep improving incrementally.  What is our long term ceiling?  Contenders for the next 3-4 years if everyone stays here?  Hard to know, but it is a fun time to be a Celtic fan!

Great Job JT!!!!

[Goldstar88]

Times are good aren't they ?

Looks like the Celts did the right thing, in the end, by deciding to put the team around Tatum and Brown and letting them develop, though I sure had my doubts at times. Now we just need to add another key piece or two, get the defense back in order and start hanging some banners again. And let's hope Brown stays content.

I still have some criticism of Coach Joe, but he has done a great job with the offense.
How Udoka did not see the need for more movement and less stagnant iso is beyond me.

Think the C’s have all the key pieces they need. Team is 18-4. Just need to get/stay healthy. Can’t wait for Rob to come back.

[seancally]

We’ve really got something in Tatum. Hard to ask for more from him. To boot he’s been composed and poised ever since he came in the league, never a headcase. He’s incredibly mature — not just for his age, but for anyone. On the court this season he has left very little to be desired. He has virtually no flaws in his game. And incredibly durable.

This man is in Year 6. Multiple All-star, multiple all-NBA, multiple ECF appearances, NBA finals, and this year more accolades to come. I hope he spends a long time as a Celtic, because I think he can make the franchise Mt Rushmore when it’s all said and done.

[GreenEnvy]

We’ve really got something in Tatum. Hard to ask for more from him. To boot he’s been composed and poised ever since he came in the league, never a headcase. He’s incredibly mature — not just for his age, but for anyone. On the court this season he has left very little to be desired. He has virtually no flaws in his game. And incredibly durable.

This man is in Year 6. Multiple All-star, multiple all-NBA, multiple ECF appearances, NBA finals, and this year more accolades to come. I hope he spends a long time as a Celtic, because I think he can make the franchise Mt Rushmore when it’s all said and done.

I’ve watched the majority of Pierce’s career. And I vividly remember IT’s magical season. What Tatum is doing is closer to what I envision it was like watching Bird nightly. He’s special already, and only getting better.

[slamtheking]

We’ve really got something in Tatum. Hard to ask for more from him. To boot he’s been composed and poised ever since he came in the league, never a headcase. He’s incredibly mature — not just for his age, but for anyone. On the court this season he has left very little to be desired. He has virtually no flaws in his game. And incredibly durable.

This man is in Year 6. Multiple All-star, multiple all-NBA, multiple ECF appearances, NBA finals, and this year more accolades to come. I hope he spends a long time as a Celtic, because I think he can make the franchise Mt Rushmore when it’s all said and done.

I’ve watched the majority of Pierce’s career. And I vividly remember IT’s magical season. What Tatum is doing is closer to what I envision it was like watching Bird nightly. He’s special already, and only getting better.

it's more like IT's magical season than what Bird did.  Bird did it all from day one and did it all at an incredible level. 

[Moranis]

We’ve really got something in Tatum. Hard to ask for more from him. To boot he’s been composed and poised ever since he came in the league, never a headcase. He’s incredibly mature — not just for his age, but for anyone. On the court this season he has left very little to be desired. He has virtually no flaws in his game. And incredibly durable.

This man is in Year 6. Multiple All-star, multiple all-NBA, multiple ECF appearances, NBA finals, and this year more accolades to come. I hope he spends a long time as a Celtic, because I think he can make the franchise Mt Rushmore when it’s all said and done.

I’ve watched the majority of Pierce’s career. And I vividly remember IT’s magical season. What Tatum is doing is closer to what I envision it was like watching Bird nightly. He’s special already, and only getting better.

it's more like IT's magical season than what Bird did.  Bird did it all from day one and did it all at an incredible level.

Tatum has been Boston's most important player and the most impactful player to winning since he was a rookie.  A 19 year old rookie.  Bird turned 23 during his rookie year

[Roy H.]

We’ve really got something in Tatum. Hard to ask for more from him. To boot he’s been composed and poised ever since he came in the league, never a headcase. He’s incredibly mature — not just for his age, but for anyone. On the court this season he has left very little to be desired. He has virtually no flaws in his game. And incredibly durable.

This man is in Year 6. Multiple All-star, multiple all-NBA, multiple ECF appearances, NBA finals, and this year more accolades to come. I hope he spends a long time as a Celtic, because I think he can make the franchise Mt Rushmore when it’s all said and done.

I’ve watched the majority of Pierce’s career. And I vividly remember IT’s magical season. What Tatum is doing is closer to what I envision it was like watching Bird nightly. He’s special already, and only getting better.

it's more like IT's magical season than what Bird did.  Bird did it all from day one and did it all at an incredible level.

Tatum has been Boston's most important player and the most impactful player to winning since he was a rookie.  A 19 year old rookie.  Bird turned 23 during his rookie year

As a rookie, Bird also carried his team to 32 more wins than the prior year.  He won a title the following season.

It’s revisionist to argue Tatum was the most important / most impactful player in 2018, though.

[blink]

We’ve really got something in Tatum. Hard to ask for more from him. To boot he’s been composed and poised ever since he came in the league, never a headcase. He’s incredibly mature — not just for his age, but for anyone. On the court this season he has left very little to be desired. He has virtually no flaws in his game. And incredibly durable.

This man is in Year 6. Multiple All-star, multiple all-NBA, multiple ECF appearances, NBA finals, and this year more accolades to come. I hope he spends a long time as a Celtic, because I think he can make the franchise Mt Rushmore when it’s all said and done.

I’ve watched the majority of Pierce’s career. And I vividly remember IT’s magical season. What Tatum is doing is closer to what I envision it was like watching Bird nightly. He’s special already, and only getting better.

it's more like IT's magical season than what Bird did.  Bird did it all from day one and did it all at an incredible level.

Tatum has been Boston's most important player and the most impactful player to winning since he was a rookie.  A 19 year old rookie.  Bird turned 23 during his rookie year

Tatum has developed himself into a monster mvp level player.  But he wasn't no where near that dominant as a rookie. Tatum was a step or two below Bird in his rookie season.

Bird averaged 21/10/4 in his rookie season, while leading a huge turn-around with the team.  Bird led the team in points, rebounding and was 2nd in assists.  Bird was rookie of the year.

Tatum rookie season -
Regular season - 3rd in scoring on the team, 8th in assists, 5th in rebounding, 4th in minutes played
Playoffs - tied for 1st in scoriing w/ JB, 4th in assists, 6th in rebounding, 2nd in minute played.
That just doesn't compare with Bird's rookie season, regardless of how old they were.

Tatum had a great rookie playoff run, but he wasn't dominant.  But he was only part of 4 main guys that were really impactful to winning.  None of them were heads above the others.  Tatum, Brown, Rozier, and Horford all averaged between 15-18 points a game.  All four of those guys stepped up at different times and lead the team. 

[aefgogreen]

Being in DC, I'm getting all my info from the box scores.  I didn't realize how strong his defense has been. At this point, I think it's safe to say that taking him over Fultz was the right move.

[slamtheking]

We’ve really got something in Tatum. Hard to ask for more from him. To boot he’s been composed and poised ever since he came in the league, never a headcase. He’s incredibly mature — not just for his age, but for anyone. On the court this season he has left very little to be desired. He has virtually no flaws in his game. And incredibly durable.

This man is in Year 6. Multiple All-star, multiple all-NBA, multiple ECF appearances, NBA finals, and this year more accolades to come. I hope he spends a long time as a Celtic, because I think he can make the franchise Mt Rushmore when it’s all said and done.

I’ve watched the majority of Pierce’s career. And I vividly remember IT’s magical season. What Tatum is doing is closer to what I envision it was like watching Bird nightly. He’s special already, and only getting better.

it's more like IT's magical season than what Bird did.  Bird did it all from day one and did it all at an incredible level.

Tatum has been Boston's most important player and the most impactful player to winning since he was a rookie.  A 19 year old rookie.  Bird turned 23 during his rookie year

since he was a rookie?  revisionist history.  as other mentioned in reply to your post, Bird was far more impactful and to be blunt, was a far more gifted player.  not saying Tatum isn't having an MVP-caliber year because he is but Tatum's season is reminiscent of the MVP-type season IT had than any of Bird's early years, never mind his MVP years.