Getty Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Jayson Tatum put up excellent numbers for the Boston Celtics this season. In his fifth year in the NBA, Tatum averaged 26.9 points, eight rebounds, and 4.4 assists. To go with that, Tatum put up percentages of 45.3 percent from the field, 35.3 percent from three, and 85.3 percent from the free throw line.
Tatum turned it up from the all-star break onward. From the all-star break to the end of the regular season, Tatum averaged 30.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. To go with that, he put up percentages of 50.2 percent from the field, 41.5 percent from three, and 86.5 percent from the free throw line. In that 20-game span in which Tatum played, the Celtics lost only three games.
Tatum’s efforts earned him recognition by the NBA, as he was selected to the 2021-22 All-NBA First Team. Joining Tatum are the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks, and Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns.
The 2021-22 Kia All-NBA First Team:
🏀 Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee)
🏀 Devin Booker (Phoenix)
🏀 Luka Dončić (Dallas)
🏀 Nikola Jokić (Denver)
🏀 Jayson Tatum (Boston)
This will mark the first time Tatum has been selected on the All-NBA First Team, although this is not the first time Tatum has been selected on an All-NBA Team in his career. Tatum was selected to be on the All-NBA Third Team in the 2019-20 season.
All-NBA Voting Results
Those who were selected on the All-NBA Second Team were Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers, Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies, Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets, Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, and DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls.
Those who were selected on the All-NBA Third team were Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves, LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns, Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks, and Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors.
Shortly after the All-NBA teams were announced, the league then revealed how many votes each player received.
The Kia All-NBA First Team is made up entirely of players age 27 or younger for the first time since the 1954-55 season.
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Voting results ⬇️
Tatum made All-NBA First Team over Embiid despite Embiid getting more points in the voting system. The NBA’s press release explained that “players who received votes at multiple positions were slotted at the position at which they received the most voting points.” Because Tatum received more votes at the forward position than Embiid did, Tatum got the nod.
Jaylen Brown was the only other Celtic to get any votes, having accumulated three All-NBA Third Team votes as a forward, according to the NBA’s press release.
Tatum is Boston’s First All-NBA First Teamer Since Kevin Garnett
Tatum’s All-NBA First Team selection makes him the first Celtic to receive the honor since Kevin Garnett did in the 2007-08 season. That was the only time Garnett made an All-NBA team in the six years he played for the Celtics.
In the time between then, the Celtics have had the following players make either an All-NBA Second or Third Team, according to NBA.com.
-2008-09: Paul Pierce (Second Team)
-2011-12: Rajon Rondo (Third Team)
-2016-17: Isaiah Thomas (Second Team)
-2018-19: Kyrie Irving (Second Team)
-2019-20: Jayson Tatum (Third Team)
The last time the Celtics had one of their players make the All-NBA First Team, they won the championship. The same goes for Defensive Player of the Year. The last time a Celtic won that honor (Garnett), they won the championship. The Celtics have received both honors again this season with Tatum getting First Team All-NBA and Marcus Smart winning Defensive Player of the Year.
The only difference between the 2021-22 season and the 2007-08 season was that both honors went to the same player back in 2008.