“TATUM IS NEVER GOING TO GET HIS FLOWERS” - NICK KYRGIOS PICKS JAYLEN BROWN TO BE NAMED 2024 FINALS MVP
In the aftermath of the Boston Celtics winning the first three games of the 2024 NBA Finals, it is natural for fans to speculate about their impending championship triumph, as no team has ever overcome such a deficit in the playoffs.
Moreover, this has fueled discussions regarding whether Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum would be awarded the Finals MVP. Voicing his opinion on ‘Run It Back,’ Nick Kyrgios picked JB to lift the trophy but mentioned how he desperately wants Tataum to finally receive the acclaim and recognition he truly deserves.
"The fact that he didn’t make any team is absolutely ridiculous in my opinion," Kyrgios said. "Right now, I have him as the Finals MVP. Although I do want Tatum to win it (2024 Finals MVP), I know if they win it, and Tatum doesn’t get it, Tatum is never going to get his flowers. He gets so much hate for no reason."
Brown has improved his performance after All-NBA snub
While Jaylen’s scoring average of 23.0 points per game during the regular season was lower than the previous season when he earned a spot on the All-NBA Second Team, the three-time All-Star focused on improving his defensive numbers this year. The fact that he matched his career-high in steals per game and logged his best blocks per game in three years is a testament to his commitment on the defensive end.
As Kyrgios rightly stated, since JB was snubbed from the All-NBA selections this season, his average of 29.8 points and 2.0 steals per game in the Eastern Conference Finals was a way to showcase his worthiness for that recognition.
Moreover, the Australian tennis player was also on-point in mentioning that Tatum never receives the acclaim he truly deserves, be it in the MVP race or when the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals MVP was crowned, simply because of the perception that fans want to see him win it all before granting him the same recognition as other players deemed the best in the world.
Although Brown was named the 2024 EC Finals MVP, Tatum was the five-time All-Star who averaged a series-best 30.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. This only highlights how Tatum has been repeatedly overlooked and denied the recognition he deserves.
The task is far from over for JB and JT
The Celtics duo had the chance to secure their much-awaited Larry O’Brien trophy together on Saturday night; however, they failed to arrive at the big stage in Dallas. While Tatum logged 15 points on 4-of-10 shooting, Brown was even worse, recording just 10 points on 3-of-12 shooting from the field.
While the discussion of who between the two should get the Finals MVP remains a topic of debate, Boston needs to make sure they don’t let the Mavs get into a fine rhythm after recording the third biggest points differential win in NBA history, beating them by 38 points in Game 4.
2024-06-15T08:49:30Z dg43tfdfdgfd