Nikola Jokic and Jayson Tatum are showing exactly why they’re in the MVP conversation, both picking up Player of the Week honors for their incredible performances.
It’s the second time this season both stars have grabbed the weekly award. Talk about consistency.
Jokic’s numbers were just ridiculous – he put up 36.5 points, grabbed 16.5 rebounds, and dished out 11.3 assists per game. That’s video game stuff right there.
Tatum wasn’t too shabby either, averaging 25.5 points, 8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. Both players led their teams to 3-1 records for the week.
The timing couldn’t be better – these two superstars are about to face off in Denver tonight. The Celtics are slight favorites, coming in as 5.5-point favorites on the road.
The MVP race is heating up, with both players right in the thick of it. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is currently the favorite, but Jokic and Tatum aren’t far behind. Even Giannis is lurking in the conversation.
Tatum’s had pretty decent success against Jokic over the years, holding a 7-6 edge in their head-to-head matchups.
Tonight’s game could be extra special – we might be watching a preview of next year’s Finals. The oddsmakers give that matchup a +1400 chance of happening.
It’s been an interesting journey for both teams lately. The Nuggets had a tough break last year, getting knocked out by Minnesota in seven games. Meanwhile, the Celtics took advantage of a favorable matchup against Dallas to grab their first championship since ’08.
The Nuggets will be missing Aaron Gordon tonight, while Boston’s coming in fully healthy. They’re looking to bounce back after a tough loss to Oklahoma City on Sunday.
Denver’s had Boston’s number lately, winning their last three regular-season meetings. But this Celtics team looks different this year – they’re hungry and ready to prove something.
