Jayson Tatum Named Eastern Conference Player Of The Week -- Again
BOSTON (CBS) -- Jayson Tatum is really racking up the awards this season. The Celtics forward was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday, the second time this month that Tatum has won the award.
It's the third time this season that Tatum has received the award, which matches the franchise record held by Larry Bird. Tatum's seven Player of the Week awards for his career are the third-most in Celtics franchise history.
Tatum averaged 29.3 points off 59.2 percent shooting (including 57.1 percent from three-point range), 7.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in Boston's three contests last week. All three games were on the road, and the Celtics won all three.
Tatum got his epic week started with a 26-point, 12-rebound showing in Boston's 110-88 win over the Golden State Warriors. He followed it up by hitting 12 of his 16 shots and scoring 32 points in a 126-97 win over the Kings in Sacramento. He capped his week off with a 30-point game, to go with seven assists and six rebounds, in Boston's 124-104 win over the Nuggets in Denver.
The Celtics' star was one of four players in the East to average 29.0 points and 7.0 rebounds last week, and the only member of the group to hit at least 52 percent of his shots. He shot 69.7 percent from the floor and 13-of-20 from downtown in Boston's wins over the Kings and Nuggets.
For the season, Tatum is averaging a career-high 26.9 points per game, and is one of seven players averaging 26 points and 8.0 rebounds this season.
Jaylen Brown was also a finalist for this week's awards after he averaged 28.3 points and 5.3 rebounds during Boston's three wins.