Warriors star Draymond Green passionately expresses his frustration regarding what he interprets as a slight against Celtics star [Full story link in comment]
Draymond Green may be a rival of the Celtics but he still has great respect for some of the team’s talent. The Warriors forward spoke at length on his podcast this week about what he views as a slight for Celtics star Jayson Tatum amid a stellar season for the franchise.
Tatum has been characterized as a heavy underdog to win MVP by betting odds despite Boston’s 45-12 start to the year. Currently, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo all have better odds to win the award.
“The Celtics are 7.5 games ahead of the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference,” Green said. “Do people think the Celtics are that great to where Jayson Tatum is only in fifth? Sometimes it’s like, that team is winning and that guy is the best player and playing well. In this situation, clearly that’s not the goalpost.
“Clearly the goalposts have shifted dramatically, because in this guy’s case, he’s fifth? And the Celtics have a 7.5-game lead in the conference? The goalposts have moved on Jayson Tatum. I know what JT has to do. JT will not be taken seriously for MVP until he wins a championship, and it just hasn’t been that way for everybody else, I must say.”
Tatum has been in the MVP conversation in recent years, finishing fourth in voting in 2022 and sixth in 2023. His numbers have taken a hit in some areas this year amid the team’s additions to the roster in Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis but Green believes there’s a different factor that has hurt Tatum’s standing potentially.
“Maybe it’s because he got to the NBA Finals and lost, and everybody is like, ‘Oh, you had your chance,’” Green said, “but golly, that’s brutal, that’s tough. I’m not sure how JT always lags behind in this voting. …I don’t know how the goalposts moved on you like that, but they should acknowledge it. Those are facts.”
Tatum addressed his MVP candidacy at All-Star Weekend in Indiana with reporters last Saturday, appearing to agree with Green’s assessment
“Of course you want to win those things,” Tatum admitted to reporters when asked about his MVP candidacy. “But you can’t take precedence over playing the right way and doing the things that you have to do in order for your team to essentially be the best team in the league and have a chance to win a championship. Would I love to win? Yes. But apparently us losing the Finals two years ago affects what people think of me now, so I guess I’ve got some ground to make up.”