MIAMI — Boston Celtics Swingman Jayson Tatum He was the inaugural Larry Bird award winner and the MVP of Sunday’s NBA Eastern Conference finals.
Tatum, 24, wore Kobe Bryant’s wristband when the Celtics beat them Miami Heat In Game 7, Tatum scored 26 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and added six assists in just 46 minutes. Tatum entered Game 7 with an average of 24.8 points, 8 boards and 5.5 assists. He also made numerous big plays when the Celtics needed him.
His consistency throughout the series was what set Tatum apart. He was consistent night after night, especially in Game 7, where he scored big jumpers and made huge defensive plays against Heat star. Jimmy Butler. After the series finale, Tatum and Butler exchanged a handshake at center court. This was a sign of their mutual admiration.
Tatum now has the Bird trophy and the Celtics are back in the NBA Finals. Tatum will have a chance to make his Boston legacy. Game 1 against Tatum Golden State Warriors Thursday is in San Francisco
Tatum won the Bird award, but Butler’s performance might be remembered for a longer time. The 32-year old swingman scored 35 points in Game 7, and also grabbed nine rebounds. He entered the decisive contest with an average of 24 points, 6.7 rebound and 3.8 assists.
The fact that Butler had right knee pains for the entire series and was unable to play in the final game of Game 3 due to ongoing knee problems, made it even more impressive. Butler was relentless in his determination to win the series and carried the Heat to victory. Butler scored 41 points, nine boards, and five assists in Miami’s Game 1 victory. He did this in just 41 minutes. Butler’s Game 6 performance was a highlight of his career. With the Heat at the brink of elimination, Butler scored 47 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and gave eight assists to the Boston crowd. This allowed the Heat to advance to Game 7.
Tatum won the battle against Butler and the Heat in the end — and got revenge for Miami’s win in the 2020 Eastern Conference finals.