Former Chicago Bulls star earmarks Kevin Durant and Jayson Tatum for MVP: "Boston's the best team"

Kevin Durant and Jayson Tatum have both been two of the most prolific players in the NBA this season. Out east, Tatum's Boston Celtics will be eager to bounce back after an Eastern Conference Finals loss to the Miami Heat. On the flip side, with Bradley Beal and Devin Booker both dealing with injuries through the opening portion of the season, Kevin Durant has has carried his team (Phoenix Suns) alone.

With the 2023-24 NBA season providing plenty of thrilling moments so far, it's no surprise that debates around the MVP race are already starting to heat up. Last season, the race was largely contested by Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid, with the latter going on to capture his first MVP award.

This year, both Embiid and Jokic have been putting on dazzling performances again, fueling their teams to victory. In the west, Jokic has continued to lead the reigning NBA champs (Denver Nuggets) to success despite Jamal Murray's absence. In the east, Joel Embiid has led the Philadelphia 76ers to success after the James Harden trade.

However, former Chicago Bull Jay Williams believes that Jayson Tatum and Kevin Durant are leading the MVP race this season. While speaking on a recent episode of Get Up this week, he gave his thoughts on the situation.

"Right now I think it's between Jason Tatum and Kevin Durant. I mean, KD's been averaging crazy points. They were prolific last night, but Jayson Tatum's game has gone to a different level and he's doing a lot more pick and rolls. He's splitting pick and rolls. I mean, obviously his game is just coming around all."

Analysing Jayson Tatum and Kevin Durant's hopes for an NBA title with the Celtics and the Suns respectively

This offseason saw a number of teams make blockbuster moves in hopes of securing an NBA title. Out east, the Milwaukee Bucks acquired Damian Lillard in a blockbuster move that quickly saw them emerge as Eastern Conference favorites. Around the same time, however, the Celtics were making moves of their own.

In addition to acquiring Kristaps Porzingis, the team also acquired Jrue Holiday, one of the most prolific two-way players in the league. Meanwhile, in the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets are eager to go back-to-back in the finals, while the bolstered Phoenix Suns have plans to stop them.

After making one of the biggest early moves of the off-season by acquiring Bradley Beal, the Suns quickly emerged as favorites out west. While the Suns' big three hasn't been able to share the floor for an extended period of time, the way Jay Williams sees things, the Celtics are the favorites.

"Boston's the best team in the league right now. They're playing like the best team in the NBA right now. They're definitely the best team in the Eastern Conference."

With the Celtics currently sitting atop the Eastern Conference, and the Denver Nuggets sitting atop the West, this season is sure to deliver plenty more action.