Jayson Tatum may have to go through another fruitless toil! Last season, the Boston Celtics stood out as the dominant side with a 64-18 record, cruised through the postseason, and effortlessly won the chip. However, when it came down to the Finals MVP race, it was a different debate altogether when Jaylen Brown bagged it. But heading into the fresh season, JT has got his priorities straight as he aims to build his individual accolades. Unfortunately, Joe Mazzulla stands in the way!

So far in the new season, the Celtics played two games and won it in a commanding fashion with a 20+ points margin. And none of these required the Celts’ starting lineup to feature in the fourth quarter, as the reserves and second unit took care of the business. Importantly, with Tatum expressing his wish to win both MVP and Finals MVP this season in an interview with NBC Sports, NBA Insider Keith Smith feels it’s impossible. In his latest X post, Smith wrote, “It’s going to be hard for Jayson Tatum to win MVP if he never plays in a fourth quarter.”

In the last edition, Jayson Tatum had a career-high season, averaging 31.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, and 8.0 apg, shooting at 60.5% FG and 50.0% 3-pt FG. However, this stat line wasn’t enough for the Celtics forward to win the MVP award. But it helped him reach top-5 while Nikola Jokić bagged it, averaging 24.5 ppg, 11.8 rpg, and 9.8 apg.

While Tatum arguably got robbed on his MVP snub, he had to deal with a similar issue for the Finals MVP award. However, JT wasn’t affected by the snub, as he said, “Well deserved… I’m extremely happy for him (JB).” Nevertheless, the bottom line is, the 26-year-old star is determined to win both awards this season because it fulfils his career aspirations.

What’s Jayson Tatum’s career goal?

“I’ve got to check off MVP, Finals MVP, and rack up some more championships,” This is the statement that has been going around in the NBA world over the last few days. The Celtics have officially kick-started their dynasty season with two dominant wins. And Jayson Tatum came out as the best player on both occasions, racking up 37 and 25 points.

Moreover, apart from winning the MVP award, Tatum has laid out an important career goal for himself. This time, Tatum aims to cement his legacy. Speaking in the same interview, Tatum hinted at his ambition to find his name alongside one of the greats of Celtics history, Larry Bird.

Speaking of him, Tatum said, “You should strive to be the best. He’s the best Celtic of all time. And that’s what I’m chasing. Even if I fall short of that, a little bit, you had a hell of a career.” Without a doubt, Tatum has the potential to shape his career in that fashion. But will he win the MVP award if Mazzulla continues to bench in the last quarter? Next up, the Celts face the Pistons. Considering their recent form, Mazzulla may bench the superstar in the fourth quarter once again. Maybe, fans can spot the superstar in full action against the Bucks, as the Celts return home on October 28.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.