NBA MVP Power Rankings: Nikola Jokic remains atop the leaderboard after strong week

5. Jayson Tatum

Last week's rank: 5

Unfortunately for Celtics fans, Jayson Tatum won't rise in this week's MVP rankings despite winning 10 games in a row. Tatum has been excellent in these last ten games but has failed to be better than the four names who are above him.

In the primetime win over the Mavericks, Tatum proved to be one of the reasons why the Celtics ran away with the lead down the stretch. Tatum finished with an efficient 32 points and constantly led teammates to open shots.

It also helped that the Celtics didn't miss. They shot nearly 50 percent from down the stretch and constantly made tough shots down the stretch. Boston center Kristaps Porzingis became a lethal part of the Celtics' offense as he was always open on pick-and-pop opportunities.

Against Dallas, Tatum proved to have one of the best second halves out of any player. The majority of his 32 points came in the second half and he constantly knocked down tough contested mid-range shots. Tatum also finished 5-9 from behind the 3-point arc due to the amount of open looks he and his teammates were getting.

Having four other players on the floor who can knock down outside shots has become one of the main reasons the Celtics host a top-two offense in the NBA. On any given night, Tatum doesn't have to be your primary option for scoring because you have four other players on the floor who can take the game over whenever needed.