Player of the Week

Jayson Tatum (BOS) is our Player of the Week for Playoffs - Round 1.

Less than two months after returning from a ruptured Achilles tendon, Jayson Tatum just delivered the kind of playoff week that reminds you why he was an MVP-caliber player before the injury. The Celtics entered this first-round series against Philadelphia as the 2-seed in the East with a 56-26 record, and Tatum made sure Boston would leave the week firmly in control.

It started rough. In Game 2 at home, Tatum shot 8-for-19 and went just 2-for-8 from deep in a 111-97 loss that gave the Sixers homecourt advantage. But even on an off night, he nearly posted a triple-double with 19 points, 14 rebounds and 9 assists. After the loss, Tatum stressed the importance of emotional stability in the playoffs, telling reporters that staying even-keeled through adversity is what separates experienced teams.

He backed those words up in Philadelphia. In Game 3, Tatum scored 11 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including two clutch 3-pointers in the final two minutes to seal a 108-100 win. The dagger, a pull-up three with 26 seconds left, drew a chest-pound and a roar. Coach Joe Mazzulla praised the team's poise and competitiveness after a game Jaylen Brown called "like a Game 7 for us."

Then came the blowout. Game 4 saw Joel Embiid return from his appendectomy, but Tatum was unfazed. He poured in 30 points with 11 assists as Boston dismantled the Sixers 128-96 to take a commanding 3-1 lead. His playmaking was surgical all week, averaging 9 assists per game against a season average of 5.3, and he shot 44.4% from three after a regular season spent at 32.9%. With a 19.0% championship probability in our model, the Celtics look every bit the contender they were projected to be. Boston heads home for Game 5 with a chance to close it out.