Jayson Tatum quietly entering the MVP conversation

The Boston Celtics have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA as of late. Their defense has been nothing short of incredible and it’s now ranked first in the NBA.

Robert Williams and Marcus Smart are leading the charge on that end of the floor, and both should be in the conversation for the Defensive Player of the Year award.

However, they aren’t the only players on the team deserving of consideration for an award this year. The DPOY award would be a great honor, but the C’s have someone who could quietly enter the MVP convo, too.

Jayson Tatum quietly entering the MVP conversation

While Boston’s defense has been the leading factor in their recent success, Jayson Tatum’s elite play has gone largely unnoticed. Over the past few weeks, he’s been organizing a bid for the MVP award.

As the Celtics slowly climb up the Eastern Conference standings, they’re depending on their two stars to generate offense. And while Jaylen Brown has been solid, it’s been Tatum who’s led the way.

Since the beginning of February, Jayson Tatum is averaging 26.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists while shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 32.1 percent from behind the three-point line. (Ant that’s without the updated stats from his 54-point game against the Brooklyn Nets.)

And it’s about more than just those stats, too. Along the way to recording that statline, Tatum has put up some massive performances in very crucial wins for the Celtics.

He scored 33 in a comeback win over the Atlanta Hawks, 37 in a huge win against the Memphis Grizzlies, and a whopping 54 points in a hard-fought battle against Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and the healthy Nets.

The 24-year-old is stepping up in the biggest way possible for a team that doesn’t really have many offensive weapons at their disposal. He’s their go-to guy, and it’s not hard to see why.

Boston is soaring up the Eastern Conference standings and is now within striking distance of homecourt advantage. They could realistically climb as high as the second seed.

If they secure a top-four seed in the East, Tatum needs to be firmly placed in the conversation for the MVP award. He’s been that good for one of the hottest, most impressive teams in the league.