Jayson Tatum shot 11-of-24 from the field and 8-of-8 from the foul line in Monday’s 106-88 win over the Mavericks, tallying 31 points, eight rebounds, 11 assists, two steals, and one 3-pointer in 45 minutes.
The Celtics wrapped up their 18th NBA championship on Monday, with Tatum leading the way as a scorer and creator. He made some history, becoming the first Celtics player to account for at least 20 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds in an NBA Finals game since Larry Bird in 1986. The championship caps quite the journey for the Celtics star, who has been an elite fantasy option for most of his career. Tatum’s scoring average dropped by more than three points per game compared to his 2022-23 production, so he finished the regular season ranked 15th in 8- and 9-cat per-game value, according to Basketball Monster. That certainly isn’t “bad,” but most fantasy managers were hoping to get top 5 value out of the Celtics star. Tatum’s ceiling still makes him a player who should be selected in the first round of most drafts, but Boston’s depth slightly lowers his fantasy ceiling.