Jayson Tatum

Item one on Jayson Tatum’s Christmas wish list: reign supreme over a fellow Eastern Conference heavyweight. It was indeed a happy holiday for Tatum’s Boston Celtics, as the four-time All-Star pump faked his initial Milwaukee Bucks defender out of his shoes before he found Marcus Smart all alone in the corner. Smart dished it right back to a cutting Tatum, who finished the play with bravado when he landed a highlight-reel slam over Giannis Antetokounmpo. Tatum’s consistent dominance in his sixth season has kept the Celtics at the top of the East, and his 41 points — including a 20-point third quarter — on 14 of 22 from the field to go with seven rebounds, five assists and three steals led his team to a festive 139-118 win on December 25, 2022.