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Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce believes Jayson Tatum has passed Kevin Durant as the better player. Pierce highlighted Tatum's heroics in the Celtics' 4-0 first-round sweep over KD's Brooklyn Nets in last year's playoffs to back his claim.
Tatum averaged 29.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game, shooting on 46/42/87 split. He was instrumental in holding Durant to only 38.6% field goal shooting during that series.
His impact on both ends of the floor didn't go unnoticed, which prompted Pierce to make the bold claim that Tatum has surpassed KD as the better player.
Here's what Paul Pierce said regarding this on the "KG Certified" podcast:
"After last year's playoffs he surpassed Kevin Durant. As far as the better player in the NBA today... Him going against Kevin Durant was lke passing of the torch. I'm not taking nothing away from KD, KD is still one of the best in the game, I just think Tatum today has passed KD."
Durant wasn't as effective during that playoff series. However, it's difficult to rule him out as one of the best players in the league. Even at 34, he continues to perform at a high level. This season, Durant has averaged 30.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.7 blocks per game, appearing in every game so far.
Also read: Stephen A Smith puts Jayson Tatum in MVP conversation - “If you don’t know, you should ask somebody”
Paul Pierce may have made a strong case for Jayson Tatum as the latter leads the MVP charts
Jayson Tatum has continued to improve every year. This season, he seems to have elevated to a whole new level. After leading the Boston Celtics to a finals appearance, Tatum seems to be on a mission to lead the team to their 18th championship win.
He has gotten off to a solid start, averaging 31.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.1 blocks per game, shooting on a 49/37/88 split. Tatum is currently the frontrunner to win his maiden MVP award. He has led the Celtics to a league-best 18-4 start and has never looked more consistent.
Paul Pierce may have made a solid point about Tatum being a better player than Kevin Durant despite the latter also having a stellar year. Tatum is arguably looking like the best player in the league. He has shown improvement on both ends of the floor.
He is also emerging as a reliable leader on the team, which could contribute to his potential maiden MVP season. Tatum's performances are also impacting the team's results, which shows how crucial his performances have been so far.
Guess the Lakers players!
