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Most Valuable Player Of Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum

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Without a doubt, Jayson Christoper Tatum Sr. is the best player on the current Boston Celtics team. If he is the most valuable player on the team, this article will answer the question. Drafted as the third pick of the 2017 NBA Draft, Tatum has done nothing but live up to expectations at Boston. He might as well pass as a steal in his draft class for Boston, as he might as well be the first pick, looking at how the first and second picks turned out. Over his career in the NBA, we will look at his rise to stardom in Boston and why he’s considered the most valuable player on the team. 

Jayson Tatum’s Career Path?

High School

He was one of the top basketball players on the school squad and went to the “Chaminade College Preparatory School. He scored 13.3 points per contest on average during his junior year in college. On average, he scored 26 and 29.6 points per game in his sophomore and last seasons, respectively.

College 

  • Jayson Tatum attended Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. On December 3, 2016, he made his Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball debut. Tatum scored 10 points in his first game.
  • He was a key contributor to the Blue Devils winning the ACC Tournament Championship. In the tournament, he averaged 22 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game for the Blue Devils. 
  • In the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, the men from Duke defeated Troy University. But in the second round, they were defeated by South Carolina. Tatum did, however, average 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds each game.
  • He was selected for the All-ACC and ACC All-Freshman team’s third team due to his exceptional efforts. 
  • Jayson Tatum as a freshman at Duke, had an extremely inspiring and successful season. Additionally, his first-year performance made it possible for him to enter the 2017 NBA Draft.

Jayson Tatum In The NBA

  • In the 2017 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics picked Jayson Tatum as the third overall choice. He was immediately added to the starting lineup and made an impact. He contributed significantly to the Celtics’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2018 NBA Playoffs. He was selected for the NBA All-Rookie First Team. 
  • In his sophomore year, he could only increase his box score averages as the Celtics made a poorer postseason run than his rookie season. The Milwaukee Bucks, whom Giannis spearheaded, defeated the Celtics 4-1 to make them tumble out of the playoffs in the second round. 
  • After Kyrie Irving decided not to return with the Celtics and departed them in free agency coming into Tatum’s third season, Jayson Tatum finally had the chance to be the team’s focal point. As a result, Tatum and Jaylen Brown were given a more challenging assignment, which they both did exceptionally well. He guided the team to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they were defeated 4-2 by the Miami Heat. He, however, earned his first NBA All-Star Game.
  • In 64 games in 2020–2021, Jayson Tatum averaged 26.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists, increasing his offensive performance. The Boston Celtics concluded the regular season with a 36-36 record, and they secured a playoff position by winning the play-in game against the Washington Wizards. 
  • In Game 3 of the first-round series against the Brooklyn Nets and their “Big Three,” Tatum broke a number of records with the performance, becoming the first player in NBA postseason history to score 50 points after scoring just ten the game before. The Nets eliminated the Celtics in five games in the first round of the playoffs.
  • Last season was Tatum and Boston Celtics’ year. They achieved a feat that hadn’t been done in twelve years. The Celtics, led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, have made the NBA finals since 2010. Although the Celtics fell to the Warriors in the NBA finals, the Celtics had quite a run, with Jayson Tatum leading the squad with 25.6 points per game.
  • Besides this, Jayson established himself as one of the most valuable players in the NBA by taking the league lead in Plus-minus for the first time in his fifth season. Tatum also earned his first start as an All-Star in his fifth season. 

Jason Tatum’ Strengths 

The most intriguing selling point of Jayson Tatum is his extraordinary rate of shooting success. He has a well-developed offensive skill set which only gets better. He can be lethal from long-range and mid-range, where he shoots 45.8% and 38.3%, respectively. Because of his speed and ball-handling prowess, Tatum can occasionally play the small ball four positions and finish at the basket. He has several ways to get to the basket and plays the game at his own pace. 

Jayson Tatum’s Weakness

Jayson Tatum’s inconsistent defense stands out as one of his weaknesses. While he may thoroughly restrain a player from forcing a turnover, he can become icy-cold and be out of rhythm on other occasions.

Another flaw is his shot selection. Tatum enjoys playing isolation games, which sometimes puts him in a position to take more contested shots. This has not affected his efficiency much, but he might need help keeping up moving forward.

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Jayson Tatum’s 2023

Jayson Tatum picked up things from where he stopped last season. He has remained the focal point of the Celtics’ attack, which led to him breaking a number of records this ongoing season. 

  • At the age of 24, Tatum broke the previous record established by Bradley Beal at the age of 25 when he made eight three-pointers in a 134-121 victory over the Miami Heat to become the youngest player in NBA history to make 900 three-pointers.
  • Tatum also became the first player in the history of the NBA to have multiple games with 45 or more points, ten or more rebounds, and eight or more made three-pointers.
  • He also became the sixth player in NBA history to have multiple games with 45 points or more, ten or more rebounds, and just one or fewer turnovers (two).
  • He was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month in October and November 2022 after averaging 31.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game.

From all indications, Jayson Tatum is undoubtedly the Celtics’ most valuable player. He carries the offensive load of the team, and he sometimes draws double teams, which allows other players like Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart to take better shots. Besides being the Celtics’ most valuable player, Tatum might as well be a contender for the regular season MVP award this season. 

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The World Cup Semifinals In 2022, Predictions

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World Cup anticipation for who will win the trophy in Qatar 2022 is growing among fans around the globe. The good news is that we did the grunt work and figured it out for you.

As we get closer to the Qatar World Cup Semi-Finals, the situation can change quickly. So, Half A Goal prepared a small Groups overview and predictions on Semi-Finals.

The Pairs Of The 1/4 Finals Of The 2022 FIFA World Cup 

  • Friday, December 9, 10am ET – 7am PT. Croatia – Brazil
  • Friday, December 9,  2 p.m. ET Netherlands – Argentina
  • Saturday, December 10, 10:00 a.m. EST / 3:00 p.m. GMT / 4:00 p.m. CET. Morocco – Portugal
  • Saturday, December 10, 2:00 p.m. EST / 7:00 p.m. GMT / 8:00 p.m. CET. England – France

Brazil and Argentina, as well as France (or England) and Portugal, can play each other in the semifinals.

  • Netherlands/Argentina – Croatia/Brazil
  • England/France – Morocco/Portugal

Semi-Final World Cup Predictions

Analysts from Half A Goal analyzed the history and past matches of all teams in the 2022 World Cup and determined that the most likely contenders to win the semifinals would be Argentina, Brazil, France and Portugal.

Based on the bookmakers’ predictions, as well as the past matches played by these teams, it can be noted that each team has its own strengths in strategy. Nevertheless, only two teams will make it to the finals that will not only show attack on the field, but also those teams who will make the least number of reckless decisions on the field. 

The underdogs can be identified by analyzing odds and teams key problem areas based on their matches’ performance at the 2022 World Cup. According to Half A Goal, they are Croatia, England, the Netherlands and Morocco. 

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Groups Overview, Who Will Be in the Finals?

The main contenders for the final are Brazil and Argentina, however just one team can proceed to the Final. Expecting to watch a historical battle of South-American teams in semifinal.l

The World Cup is said to determine not just the team that will lift the most coveted trophy in the world, but also the country where soccer is currently better developed than in any other country in the world. Whatever the outcome of the Qatar Mundial, the strongest football nation in the world right now is probably France.

Before and during the tournament, Didier Deschamps’ team suffered huge personnel losses: Benzema, Kante, Pogba, Lucas Hernandez – there is hardly any team in the world that could cope with such a powerful blow to their team potential. And France is doing well, and despite its losses, it looked more than a real contender for the title in the group stage.

Who could prevent the French from reaching the final? England, after being in a fairly easy group, managed to have trouble even there against the United States. The English went far at the last two major tournaments, largely due to an easy playoff schedule; this time, it won’t be any different. Portugal might simply lack skills.

Follow the news and accurate predictions on our Half A Goal website.

Argentina Reaches World Cup Quarterfinals: Match Argentina Vs Netherlands

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One of the heavy favorites to win the World Cup, Argentina is up against the Netherlands, who can be said to be the tournament’s dark horse. After an early scare to start the tournament by losing to Saudi Arabia, Argentina has been brilliant ever since. They have now made it to the quarter-finals, and they face a serious test in the Netherlands, which has been impressive from the start of the tournament until now. 

Argentina’s Run In The World Cup

Argentina got off to a bad start in the competition. They unexpectedly lost to Saudi Arabia before getting back on track and winning the group with 2-0 victories over Mexico and Poland. Argentina was up against a brilliantly-coached Australia team in the round of 16, and it took them 35 minutes to break the deadlock. Who else to open the scoring for Argentina besides Lionel Messi? The PSG forward received a fast pass from Nicolás Otamendi at the edge of the box, steadied himself, and fired a low drive that sailed through Souttar’s legs and into the far corner of the net. In the second half, Man City’s Striker Julian Alvarez doubled Argentina’s lead to ensure their progression into the quarterfinals. Australia pulled one back close to the end of the game, but the Argentines maintained their lead and won the game.

Netherland’s Run In The World Cup

The Netherlands, the group’s favorite to win, did so, albeit not with the ease everyone anticipated. Cody Gakpo has excelled for the Dutch, scoring in all games, and they were generally strong, only giving up one goal in three games. The Netherlands kicked off their run in the tournament with a 2-0 win over Senegal. They went on to play out a draw against Ecuador, but they won comfortably against the host nation Qatar to progress to the round of 16. The Netherlands were up against the USA in the round of 16, and they cruised past them by winning three goals to one to secure their spot in the quarter-final. The Netherlands had a great start thanks to a goal from Memphis Depay, and the Americans faced a daunting assignment after Daley Blind’s replica goal on the last play of the first half. In the 76th minute, Haji Wright halved the score to set up a tight conclusion, but Denzel Dumfries quickly declared victory by scoring to secure the win. The man of the match, Denzel Dumfries, scored and handed out two assists.

Playing Styles

Bring on the direct, aggressive thriller. This quarterfinal is one of the few World Cup games this year, where both sides start the game with an aggressive purpose of attacking and trying to gain possession. No ten-man defensive shells, no long passes to a solitary striker in isolation. In Qatar, the Netherlands and Argentina have repeatedly displayed cutting-edge, precise finishing and depth off the bench to change the momentum. The attacking prowess on display, from Messi and Julian Alvarez to Memphis Depay and Cody Gakpo, speaks for itself. This should result in a fast-paced, end-to-end match where both defenses are strained.

Strength And Weaknesses

Netherlands

  • Their strength lies in their adept defensive play; the Netherlands will likely try to neutralize Messi with their back three and Frenkie de Jong.
  • Also, how they transition from attack to defense. Denzel Dumfries and Daley Blind, their two aggressive full-backs, provide them with width as they attack by channeling the ball to the flanks. To distract the defenders, the midfielders spread out, trying to get low crosses into the box for their two strikers to finish.
  • Their weakness is that the Dutch team is surprisingly meek in attack for such a dynamic team. They only managed ten shots worth 0.7 xG against Senegal and two worth 0.1 against Ecuador despite having so much possession in risky areas.

Argentina

  •  The Argentine team has the talent to play through teams, whether with passing circles between a nimble central midfield three or with progressive center-backs who can dribble and pass forward. Emiliano Martinez, the goalkeeper, is a gifted passer who can play short to draw the press before playing over it.
  • Argentina finished the group stage atop Group C despite the tension and unforced errors, having the second-best xG differential in the competition so far (behind only France). Over the course of three games, their defense hardly allowed any good shots.
  • Their weakness lies in how they defend the counter-attack. Against Saudi Arabia, the two goals they conceded were on the counter, and that’s typically how the Netherlands plays.

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Match Prediction

  • Messi is the key man for Argentina in this tournament. Messi shoulders a massive load as usual, but this time it’s much more as this is poised as his last chance to win a World Cup, a trophy that would put the finishing touches on a gleaming résumé, but he can’t do it by himself. 
  • On the Netherlands’ side, they broke an American defense that had previously stopped a freely scoring England attack in the group stage, but was breached by the Dutch in a stylish 3-1 victory over the USMNT in the Round of 16. 
  • The Oranje have all the components to grind out a victory with Depay healthy and on fire. At the same time, the experience of Virgil van Dijk and Daley Blind should benefit younger colleagues.
  •  The midfield duel is key to this game as Frenkie de Jong and Rodrigo De Paul will have to battle out the control of the midfield. Both playmakers usually benefit their teams when they have a grasp of a game. 
  • The Inter Milan player’s excursions down the right wing give the Netherlands another dimension, and his matchup with Marcos Acuna could be crucial. Denzel Dumfries stands out as a true X-factor for the Netherlands.

This game has the making of both teams scoring, which will be the prediction here. The teams’ attacking playing style has influenced this decision. They have also conceded heading into this game, which should be the case here. Argentina is the favorite to progress to the semi-finals, but as the underdog in this match, the Netherlands will not go down without a fight. 

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