Jayson Tatum didn’t open the Olympics within the beginning lineup, no shock at the same time as Kevin Durant got here off the bench in his return from a calf harm. Group USA featured balanced lineups all through exhibition play that always positioned Tatum with the second unit. But when the bench shifted into the US’ Olympic opener on Sunday in opposition to Serbia, Tatum stayed seated and by no means left that spot. Gary Washburn, in Paris, famous that Tatum didn’t heat up after halftime.
Tatum, following presumably the primary DNP-CD of his basketball life, informed Washburn that he was not sick or injured, and Steve Kerr later confirmed that he made the choice to depart the Celtics star out of the sport plan. It labored, the US maintained a double-digit lead for many of the sport and pulled away for the dominant victory, 110-84, that it sought in latest weeks whereas warming up for the Olympics. However it left Celtics followers and lots of nationwide onlookers shocked having simply watched Tatum assist lead Boston the championship.
“It’s actually onerous in a 40-minute sport to play greater than 10 guys,” Kerr mentioned. “With Kevin coming again, I simply went to the mixtures that I felt made essentially the most sense. It appears loopy. I assumed I used to be loopy after I checked out every little thing and decided these are the lineups I needed to get to. Jayson is first-team All-NBA three years in a row. He’s among the best gamers on the planet. I went with the mixtures I felt would make sense, and I talked to him, and he was extremely skilled.”
Kerr mentioned Tatum’s time will come later within the event, and with Durant enjoying a cautious 16 minutes coming from a calf sprain, it’s attainable that minutes fluctuate again in Tatum’s path. On Sunday, Devin Booker shot 4-for-5 from three in a beginning position, Jrue Vacation continued to play level guard with the starters in a continuation of his extremely profitable exhibition slate and Derrick White returned to the backup level place that keyed shut wins over South Sudan and Germany. Anthony Edwards supplied the second unit scoring, including 11 factors on 4-for-6 taking pictures. Then, Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis continued their dominant double-big defensive partnership off the bench.
That left Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton on the surface trying in. Cutaways to the bench confirmed Tatum largely sitting, generally standing and clapping, and stretching exterior of the timeout huddle in an unfamiliar place. Haliburton smiled and laughed from the bench. Each gamers obtained alternatives within the exhibitions, and whereas their standing as the highest gamers on the 2 groups that competed within the east finals made their demotion shocking, it turned evident each gamers confronted tough acclimations to this roster even when they did play.
Tatum largely stood within the wings, caught passes as a cutter and set screens earlier this month. He completed 0-for-6 from three throughout 5 video games and generally didn’t try any. That left the second unit’s entrance courtroom enjoying across the rim solely. Like Haliburton, Tatum misplaced his regular level position to the staff’s guards, LeBron James, and on Sunday, Durant’s return left Tatum out of the sport solely. Trusting Vacation and White to handle the offense and stress opposing guards labored, the opposite two Celtics combining for 17 factors on 7-for-10 taking pictures. They hit all 4 threes that they tried in a 56.3% US three-point effort.
Taking pictures possible turned the most important purpose past all of the expertise in entrance of him for Tatum’s demotion. Whereas it’s tough to gauge the place his shot is at based mostly on six makes an attempt, these misses adopted a 28.3% three-point taking pictures postseason the place Tatum remained chilly from deep all through. He made up for it with a renewed defensive effort, dominant rebounding and impactful passing whereas manipulating crowds of defenders for Boston. Seeing one-on-one protection appeared to throw Tatum off within the USA exhibitions, although, typically deferring to his star teammates or unable to use the protection along with his scoring. He solely drew 5 free throw makes an attempt and didn’t hit a leap shot interval till the ultimate sport.
Kerr added that Tatum dealt with the benching nicely, and whereas Celtics followers can take solace in Vacation and White flexing their significance to profitable basketball, Tatum changing into the headline from the sport didn’t quell any criticism of Tatum’s efficiency throughout the championship run. Tatum leaned on the width of his affect exterior of scoring to guide Boston to the final word prize. On this setting, the US leaned on the taking pictures and scoring benefit Booker and Edwards carried over him, and the younger stars have collectively deferred to the standing James, Curry and Durant have earned.
Tatum beforehand turned the second-leading scorer on the 2021 Olympic staff, taking pictures 49.3% from the sphere and 44.7% from three alongside Durant whereas profitable gold. The US sought to reduce among the inconsistency the roster confirmed in latest tournaments. On an old-school all star staff, Tatum may’ve performed over White, Vacation, and even Joel Embiid, who has largely struggled with the US staff, however he falls into a distinct bucket on a staff centered on forming roles. Tatum struggled to type one within the preparation course of.
It calls again to the identical debate had following Jaylen Brown’s snub from the staff, except for sneaker politics. Grant Hill mentioned that call got here right down to constructing the very best staff. If the exhibitions confirmed something, the perfect model of that staff may change nightly. Tatum largely shook off his dangerous nights and losses throughout latest seasons, however on Sunday, he confronted a problem he may’ve by no means felt earlier than. He opened Olympic coaching camp, affirmed as a champion, sharing the identical message he preached to Boston all yr.
“We bought excessive character guys,” Tatum mentioned earlier this month. “That perceive what we’re attempting to perform and perceive how powerful it’s to place 12 new guys on the staff with 40 days to get to know one another and follow and be away from their household to attempt to win a gold medal. That’s all that issues, not who begins, what number of factors you common. All that issues is if you happen to come dwelling with the gold medal.”
