Jaylen Brown Named 2024 Finals MVP over Jayson Tatum as Celtics Win NBA Title

Andrew PetersJune 18, 2024

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Jaylen Brown was named the 2024 NBA Finals MVP after the Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks Monday night 106-88 in Game 5 at TD Garden.

NBA @NBAJaylen Brown is the 2024 #NBAFinals MVP! pic.twitter.com/6WKMyiPs2y

Brown averaged 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. He had a 30-point performance in Game 3 and put up 21 to close out the series Monday.

Brown’s co-star, Jayson Tatum, had a strong case to win Finals MVP as well, averaging 22.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game throughout the series, but voters ultimately decided Brown had the stronger performance.

If the pairing of Tatum and Brown stays together, it seems likely Tatum will have a Finals MVP of his own soon.

While Brown walks away with the Finals MVP trophy, the Celtics put together a full team performance throughout the playoffs, especially in the ultimate round.

Brown was humble after receiving the Bill Russell Trophy, expressing that the award didn’t belong just to him.

“It was a full team effort and I share this with my brothers and my partner in crime Jayson Tatum,” Brown said. “He was with me the whole way, we share this s–t together.”

Bleacher Report @BleacherReportJB says he’s sharing his Finals MVP with Jayson Tatum 🙌 pic.twitter.com/2qY9MoFI7d

While Brown is certainly a deserving Finals MVP, the result was a bit surprising in the eyes of NBA fans. After the award was announced, fans took to social media to express their shock, while others said it was the right decision.

Paul Pierce @paulpierce34Omg Jaylen Brown what a year love u little bro from one finals MVP to Another wow

br_betting @br_bettingJAYLEN BROWN WINS FINALS MVP 🔥

Jayson Tatum closed as a sizeable favorite to win the award pic.twitter.com/VwPmloJKZY

HoopsHype @hoopshypeJayson Tatum is the first player to lead an NBA champion in playoff scoring, rebounds and assists and NOT win Finals MVP since the award exists.

Larry Bird: 1984
Hakeem Olajuwon: 1994
Tim Duncan: 2003
LeBron: 2012, 2013 and 2016
Nikola Jokic: 2023

All those won Finals MVP. pic.twitter.com/0nDLDWvx79

Ben @HowUBenFellerHas a player ever led the winning team in PPG, RPG, AND APG and not gotten Finals MVP? The agenda against Jayson Tatum is WILD. https://t.co/UISdOtIJu7

Unbiased Ev @DoubleVodkaDonGive Jayson Tatum his Finals MVP trophy. He deserves it. Don’t screw him.

Ryan Wood @ByRyanWoodJaylen Brown in The Finals: 20.8 ppg, 5.4 rbp, 5 apg.

Jayson Tatum in The Finals: 22.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 7.2 apg.

Tatum scored more points, grabbed more rebounds and dished more assists. Really not seeing how he isn’t Finals MVP.

Some fans might believe that Tatum should have been the MVP over Brown, but the two likely don’t care now that they are NBA champions.

Hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy has been a long time coming for Tatum, Brown and several other members of the Celtics, who have been one of the best teams in basketball over the last few years.

Boston came up short in 2022, but improvement from Tatum and Brown along with a handful of outstanding moves from the front office have led to the 18th championship in franchise history.