Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics are just one win away from that sought-after 18th banner.
But if the Celtics close the deal and defeat the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night at the American Airlines Center, Tatum may not be the one leaving the court with the NBA Finals MVP in his possession.
Even though Tatum has long established himself as a top-10 player in the NBA, his teammate, Jaylen Brown, is the odds-on favorite as of Thursday night when it comes to Finals MVP discourse.
Brown, who recorded 30 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists in Boston’s Game 3 win on Wednesday night, is currently leading the Celtics in scoring this series at 24.