The NBA, as we are aware, is continually dominated by a specific group of players. In recent times such as the early 2000s and prior, the NBA was dominated by players like Allen Iverson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady, and many more.
Then as players like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, Chris Paul, and others, entered the league in the mid-2000s, they began to slowly take control over the league for many years to come.
This natural turning over of power in the NBA from one generation to the next has continued for decades and another passing of the torch has occurred recently with players such as Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, Trae Young, Joel Embiid, Ja Morant, and Giannis Antetokounmpo rising to the forefront of the league.
I could go on and on listing all the players that are currently rising to the top of the NBA, but the main point is to understand that a new generation of players is upon us and has been for the past few years.
Tonight as the Boston Celtics (14-4) took on the Dallas Mavericks (9-8) we watched the future of the league go at it. Jayson Tatum, who is averaging 30.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 4.6 APG, and 1.2 BPG, and Luka Doncic, who is averaging 33.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 8.1 APG, and 1.9 SPG, are both front runners for the 2022-23 NBA MVP award and they showed us why tonight. In a 125-112 win for the Boston Celtics, who have the best record in the NBA, Jayson Tatum put up 37 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks, a dominating performance. Jaylen Brown also added 31 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Despite the loss, Luka Doncic could not be stopped and went for a game-high 42 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists. The MVP race will definitely be something to keep an eye on for the remainder of the season.
