Easy Decision: Jayson Tatum Named Eastern Conference Player Of The Week
BOSTON (CBS) -- Jayson Tatum has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. It was probably one of the easiest decisions the NBA has had to make in some time.
Tatum absolutely went off for the Celtics last week, averaging an NBA-best 41.3 points off 52.5 percent shooting over his trio of games -- all Boston wins. He began his week with a 33-point showing in a win over the Atlanta Hawks last Tuesday, and celebrated his 24th birthday by outdueling Ja Morant, lifting Boston to a 120-107 victory with a 37-point performance.
He saved his best for last, scoring a season-high 54 points on 16-for-30 shooting in a huge Celtics win over the Brooklyn Nets on national TV. Tatum got the best of both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, cementing himself as one of the NBA's best stars this season.
Over his three games last week, Tatum also averaged 6.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists for the Celtics. He's now up to 26.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game over his 62 contests this season.
This marks the second time that Tatum has won Player of the Week honors this season and the sixth time during his career.
The Celtics have won eight of their last 10 games and are currently 39-27 for the season, sitting in the five-seed in the Eastern Conference.