If you think Jayson Tatum has been the best player in the Eastern Conference through three games, the NBA agrees with you.
The Boston Celtics star has been named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for Oct. 18 through Oct. 23, the league announced Monday. Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard earned the Western Conference honor.
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Tatum has poured in an NBA-best 104 points over Boston's 3-0 start, breaking Larry Bird's franchise record of 96 through three games to begin his MVP campaign in 1984-85. Tatum is filling up the stat sheet in other areas, as well, averaging 34.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.3 blocks to date.
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Remarkably, this is the ninth time Tatum has been named East Player of the Week in five-plus seasons. He's also won four of the last seven East Player of the Week awards dating to the week of March 7, 2022. Here are the seven East winners in that span:
- Week of March 7: Jayson Tatum
- Week of March 14: Kevin Durant
- Week of March 21: Jayson Tatum
- Week of March 28: Jayson Tatum
- Week of April 4: Trae Young
- Week of April 11: Joel Embiid
- Week of October 24: Jayson Tatum
Tatum has vaulted to the third-best odds to win NBA MVP behind Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. There's a long season ahead, but it's hard to start a season better than Tatum has in his first three games.
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Tatum and the Celtics are back in action Monday night against the Chicago Bulls, with coverage on NBC Sports Boston beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET with Celtics Pregame Live.