DURHAM – Former Duke men's basketball star Jayson Tatum has been awarded the inaugural Larry Bird Trophy, given to the most valuable player of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Tatum led the Boston Celtics to a Game 7 win over the Miami Heat on Sunday night to advance to the first NBA Finals of his career.
The All-NBA First Team selection this season averaged 25.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists against the top-seeded Heat, including two 30-plus point performances in Games 4 and 6. In Sunday's Game 7 at FTX Arena in Miami, Tatum stepped up with a team-high 26 points, 10 boards and six dimes in 46 minutes.