Did Shai surpass Jayson Tatum last year

[ForeverTFC]

SGA is in a different tier and there isn’t really much argument outside Boston. Now sure what the purpose of the thread is.

[CobraCommander]

More GMs would start their team with SGA over everyone but Wemby in the eyes of current and future upside.

And GMs have him behind only Jokic in mvp race this year....

So individually many say yes....but a ring trumps opinions so no....hail to the champs...Tatum is the best of the young guns cause he did it on the court at the highest level...and won

[RB34]

They are both MVP or high level superstar tier, but yes SGA was better last year. Bisme and others bringing up Tatum in the playoffs he wasn’t even the best player on the finals. You can’t find one series or barely games where SGA got outplayed, let alone by multiple teammates like Derrick White and Brown.

Tatum gets carried a lot and is one of the most streaky superstars in the NBA (though he’s much better in that regard the last two years). SGA is the opposite. He’s got the lowest variance game to game of any MVP candidate outside of Jokic maybe.

Both are the same age, so who knows the future, but based on trajectory and leaps so far SGA is going to continue to peak higher. Also lol at the people picking Tatum for his defense. He’s nowhere near the defender SGA is now.

A mostly reasonable post, but I think your bias came out pretty strongly here at the end. Since SGA came to OKC, Tatum has had a better defensive rating than him every year except for last year, when SGA was better by less than a single point. Then when you consider that Tatum is far more versatile, able to defend more positions, and is a much better rebounder...

There's simply no evidence to say that Tatum is "nowhere near the defender SGA is now." If anything, the opposite is closer to being true.

SGA has a +1.5 D-EPM, Tatum a +.7. SGA pretty sure also held players to lower shooting percentages. He’s also crushed Tatum in DBPM the last couple years. I literally don’t even think Tatum is the 2nd best defender on his own team, and the data shows that. He’s probably 3rd or 4th.

Calling Tatum the 3rd or 4th while championing SGA is an interesting angle. Do you actually watch him on the defensive end?

Basically never on the ball, just gambling for steals because he’s got another 3-4 players anchoring.

[Myth]

Yes. You switch the players in their specific contexts and you'll see Shai winning FMVP last year and the thunder last year not really getting anywhere.

Hypotheticals don’t work in this scenario, SGA was the lesser player as his team didn’t advance.

I love SGA, and want to see his succeed so let’s see if he can surpass Tatum this year and do that.

So the best player in the league is always on the championship team?

[Onlytimewilltel]

Yes. You switch the players in their specific contexts and you'll see Shai winning FMVP last year and the thunder last year not really getting anywhere.

Hypotheticals don’t work in this scenario, SGA was the lesser player as his team didn’t advance.

I love SGA, and want to see his succeed so let’s see if he can surpass Tatum this year and do that.

So the best player in the league is always on the championship team?

I mean obviously not. And Tatum wasn’t even the MVP of his own team in either of his finals appearances

[srhcan]

He was more efficient, led in stocks for Guards and had great playoffs while being 2nd in MVP. While Tatum left some to desire in the playoffs even tho he had all time teams and all time Spacing.
You think it will continue this season with Shai having better season?

of course. Are you forgetting Shai was among the MVP candidates last season while there were questions that if Tatum is even the best player on his team. Those questions were put to rest in playoffs when Brown clearly showed he is the best player on Celtics.

[srhcan]

According to a lot of people, apparently yes.

According to me and numbers and results, no.

Did SGA pass Tatum in 2023?

"Nope, and I'll tell you why"

*Posts SGA's postseason stats from 4 years before 2023 when he was a rookie and 2nd year player*

wow; did not expect @bisme37 to give a dishonest answer good catch

[Sweet Serenity]

He was more efficient, led in stocks for Guards and had great playoffs while being 2nd in MVP. While Tatum left some to desire in the playoffs even tho he had all time teams and all time Spacing.
You think it will continue this season with Shai having better season?

of course. Are you forgetting Shai was among the MVP candidates last season while there were questions that if Tatum is even the best player on his team. Those questions were put to rest in playoffs when Brown clearly showed he is the best player on Celtics.

Well done, you just showed how small your basketball knowledge is.

[AussieCeltic]

People whinging about Bisme’s post while comparing 2 rounds of SGA v 4 rounds of Tatum.

Fact is, the further you go in the playoffs, the worse your stats get. Your competition gets better, you’ve played top level basketball for over a month by the finals. There is always a drop off. Each and every great player has dropped off in the NBA finals.

Just look at Luka as the most recent example.

The same thing will happen when SGA eventually makes the finals. His stat line won’t look as pretty.

Tatum is the better overall player. He’s proven it at all levels.

[srhcan]

He was more efficient, led in stocks for Guards and had great playoffs while being 2nd in MVP. While Tatum left some to desire in the playoffs even tho he had all time teams and all time Spacing.
You think it will continue this season with Shai having better season?

of course. Are you forgetting Shai was among the MVP candidates last season while there were questions that if Tatum is even the best player on his team. Those questions were put to rest in playoffs when Brown clearly showed he is the best player on Celtics.

Well done, you just showed how small your basketball knowledge is.

Did I say something wrong?
* Shai was a better player than Tatum last year; everybody not biased will attest to it.
* Shai was MVP candidate last year while Tatum was not.
* Brown performed better than Tatum last year in playoffs and win both final MVPs; everybody not biased will attest to it.

So what is the issue?

[OkcSinceSGA]

People whinging about Bisme’s post while comparing 2 rounds of SGA v 4 rounds of Tatum.

Fact is, the further you go in the playoffs, the worse your stats get. Your competition gets better, you’ve played top level basketball for over a month by the finals. There is always a drop off. Each and every great player has dropped off in the NBA finals.

Just look at Luka as the most recent example.

The same thing will happen when SGA eventually makes the finals. His stat line won’t look as pretty.

Tatum is the better overall player. He’s proven it at all levels.

He hasn’t the last two years.

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

OKC is gonna smoke Boston in the playoffs I’ve put that out there over and over early so you guys can bump this later. Tatum wasn’t even the best player on his own team in the finals man. That ends the argument alone probably. SGA is not getting outplayed by any teammates.

[NZB2323]

More GMs would start their team with SGA over everyone but Wemby in the eyes of current and future upside.

And GMs have him behind only Jokic in mvp race this year....

So individually many say yes....but a ring trumps opinions so no....hail to the champs...Tatum is the best of the young guns cause he did it on the court at the highest level...and won

Does that mean that Billups was ahead of KG in 2004?

[AussieCeltic]

People whinging about Bisme’s post while comparing 2 rounds of SGA v 4 rounds of Tatum.

Fact is, the further you go in the playoffs, the worse your stats get. Your competition gets better, you’ve played top level basketball for over a month by the finals. There is always a drop off. Each and every great player has dropped off in the NBA finals.

Just look at Luka as the most recent example.

The same thing will happen when SGA eventually makes the finals. His stat line won’t look as pretty.

Tatum is the better overall player. He’s proven it at all levels.

He hasn’t the last two years.

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

OKC is gonna smoke Boston in the playoffs I’ve put that out there over and over early so you guys can bump this later. Tatum wasn’t even the best player on his own team in the finals man. That ends the argument alone probably. SGA is not getting outplayed by any teammates.

Bro, if you’re going to bring up stats and accolades, then Tatum is so far ahead of SGA it’s not even close.
Don’t bring up the awards. The media narrative was against Tatum all season. He averaged 30-11-6 in the conference finals and then lead the Celtics in points, rebounds and assists and somehow didn’t get finals MVP.

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Read on Twitter

?s=46

Read on Twitter

?s=46

[robbie84]

Shai is the better player at this point. Although factoring in defensive impact it's much closer than most would give Tatum credit for.

[1993Playoffs]

Yes for atleast a year at this point

[OkcSinceSGA]

Shai is the better player at this point. Although factoring in defensive impact it's much closer than most would give Tatum credit for.

Defense widens the gap for SGA, not closes it. Both are very good, not elite defenders. This idea that Tatum is a monster defender because he’s bigger is funny. People acting like he’s known as a top shelf defender, the man has never made an All Defense team once and he’s been in the league like 7 years.

Shai hasn’t either, but he’s only been a superstar 2 years and people aren’t talking like he’s a lockdown guy.

[Larry_Russell]

What a dumb thread.

Tatum has won far more (while apparently having a overrated team based on end of season awards, allstar nods, all defense voting, all nba voting, etc) than SGA, he is willingly sacrificing his own stats to win as a team, plays within the system at all times.

Media votes for flash, and SGA has far more of that then JT, for sure.

Tatum is the better player.

SGA is a lesser version of OKC Westbrook at this time.

[OkcSinceSGA]

What a dumb thread.

Tatum has won far more (while apparently having a overrated team based on end of season awards, allstar nods, all defense voting, all nba voting, etc) than SGA, he is willingly sacrificing his own stats to win as a team, plays within the system at all times.

Media votes for flash, and SGA has far more of that then JT, for sure.

Tatum is the better player.

SGA is a lesser version of OKC Westbrook at this time.

This reads like someone who’s never watched basketball outside of Boston before. “Lesser Russell Westbrook”? Huh? He’s a lot more like peak Wade or Kobe than Westbrook.

[Larry_Russell]

Also

SGA
28.7ppg
8.7rpg
6.3apg
3spg
2bpg
23 fga
34 minutes played / game

Tatum
33ppg
6.3rpg
6apg
1.3spg
0.7bpg
21 fga
32 minutes played / game

Arguing semantics at this point.

Tatum is a better scorer and playmaker and rebounder
SGA is better at recording stocks

Tatum is leadingleague in PER, OWS, WS, WS/48, OBPM, BPM, VORP
SGA leads in DBPM (thanks stocks)

[Larry_Russell]

What a dumb thread.

Tatum has won far more (while apparently having a overrated team based on end of season awards, allstar nods, all defense voting, all nba voting, etc) than SGA, he is willingly sacrificing his own stats to win as a team, plays within the system at all times.

Media votes for flash, and SGA has far more of that then JT, for sure.

Tatum is the better player.

SGA is a lesser version of OKC Westbrook at this time.

This reads like someone who’s never watched basketball outside of Boston before. “Lesser Russell Westbrook”? Huh? He’s a lot more like peak Wade or Kobe than Westbrook.

Not a **** chance.
Someone is into the coolaid too early in the morning here.

PEak Kobe??? wtf???????