With the Celtics en route to a sweep of the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, it looked like Jayson Tatum had the Larry Bird Trophy in his hands.
Prior to Game 4, Tatum was rated -170 odds at FanDuel Sportsbook to win the series MVP after playing well in the first three games.
As the fourth game progressed, his chances of winning became less and less likely.
After the first quarter, Tatum was a -800 favorite to win the trophy. According to X’s Michael Fiddle.
In the second quarter, the score falls to -1350.
By the end of the game, Tatum’s odds had dropped to -2100, making him a sure thing in the eyes of Las Vegas bookmakers.
However, in reality, that was not the case.
Tatum’s teammate, Jaylen Brown, won the award with a fourth-quarter blitz that led the Celtics to the NBA Finals, shocking oddsmakers, bettors and even Brown, who thought Tatum would win it.
“I didn’t expect it at all, I hadn’t won anything before,” Brown said after the game. “I was just happy to get the win.”
Brown won by a narrow margin, receiving five votes from the nine voters and Tatum four.
Both players put in impressive performances in leading Indiana to four straight wins.
Brown averaged 29.8 points, five rebounds and three assists per game and had 10 points in the fourth quarter, capping it off with a block on Andrew Nembard at the basket with just over a minute left in the fourth.
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Tatum fared even better in the series, averaging 30.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists.
Heading into the NBA Finals, Tatum is rated as the -125 favorite to win the series MVP award at FanDuel Sportsbook.
Brown has the third-best odds (+600) behind Luka Doncic (+230) as the Mavericks look to pull off a sweep of the Timberwolves on Tuesday night.
