Jayson Tatum did not play in Team USA's 110-84 win over Serbia to open their stint at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Tatum wasn't injured but was a healthy scratch at the end of the bench alongside Tyrese Haliburton. Many people have criticized Steve Kerr for benching Tatum entirely in this matchup, with Stephen A. Smith going off on an explosive rant against the coach.
"The reigning, defending NBA champion Jayson Tatum. And you can't find minutes? In a 26-point lopsided victory, you can't find one minute? Steve Kerr, that's some straight bulls**t. You gotta be kidding me."
Smith emphasized the achievements and sacrifices Tatum has made to be in the position he's in, and couldn't believe that a reigning NBA Champion is being treated like a waterboy in the Olympics.
"And to have him go through an entire NBA season and then go through the playoffs and capture a championship and still take time in his offseason to join Team USA. To have a champion riding the bench like he's some d**n waterboy, you've got to be kidding me! Really hard in a 40-minute game to play more than ten guys. It's Team USA!"
Tatum couldn't sniff the floor while his Celtics teammates Jrue Holiday started and Derrick White played minutes off the bench. Both of those players are two-way guards, with Holiday being one of the best one-on-one defenders in modern NBA history. Tatum shouldn't be pigeonholed as an offensive wing.
The 2024 Playoffs showed Tatum is less of a superstar and more of an elite all-around player who can be the do-it-all piece in a stacked lineup. Tatum's inconsistent offense is the reason he's not a Finals MVP right now, but there's no questioning his defensive abilities and his ability to be connective tissue in every lineup.
Steve Kerr Felt Like An Idiot For Not Playing Jayson Tatum
Steve Kerr has already admitted that benching Tatum was an odd move, but one that was made necessary by Kevin Durant's return to the national team after injury. Durant's red-hot form made it even harder to justify taking him out of the game for Tatum, but Kerr has made it clear he intends on playing Tatum in their next game .
“It's tough but Jayson handled it well. I talked to him today before the game, that it may play out this way just with Kevin coming back and the lineups I wanted to get to. But that will change, Jayson is going to play... Every game is going to be different, based on match-ups, he's a total pro, first-team All-NBA three years in a row. I felt like an idiot not playing him but in a 40-minute game, you can't play more than 10, you really can't. I think he's an amazing guy, a great player, and handled it beautifully, and he'll be back out there next game."
Team USA will take on South Sudan tomorrow in what should be a fun contest. South Sudan won their first Olympic matchup as well, with the winner of this matchup guaranteeing a spot in the quarter-finals. Without LeBron James ' pulling off heroics, South Sudan could have claimed a win over the USA, so they'll enter the next game motivated to win.
Related: Shea Serrano Shares Wild Theory After Steve Kerr Keeps Jayson Tatum On The Bench Against Serbia
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