Steve Kerr says Jayson Tatum not playing in Olympics is a "math problem"
PARIS -- For the second time of the Paris Olympics, Celtics star Jayson Tatum found himself entrenched on the Team USA bench for a matchup against Serbia. Steve Kerr's decision to keep Tatum out of the semifinal showdown drew criticism Thursday after Team USA needed a furious comeback to advance to Saturday's gold medal game against France, and his explanation on Friday is just as baffling.
Kerr says Tatum's lack of playing time has nothing to do with Jayson Tatum. The head coach said Friday that you can blame math for one of the NBA's best and most versatile players failing to see a lot minutes in Paris.
"It's not what I'm not seeing from Jayson; it's what I've seen from the other guys," Kerr said Friday, courtesy of Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. "Like I've said many times during this tournament and the last six weeks, it's just hard to play 11 people, even in an NBA game.
"Our second unit was not great last night, but that group has been one of the bright spots on this team, especially on the defensive end. So it's not about what Jayson is doing or not doing. It's just about combinations and the way that group has played together, the way Kevin [Durant] has filled in since he came back from his injury. It's just a math problem more than anything," Kerr added.
Had Steph Curry, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid not led Team USA on an epic fourth-quarter comeback Thursday, Kerr probably would have needed a better excuse than just a numbers game for keeping the only All-NBA first teamer on the bench. He continued to roll with Anthony Edwards and Devin Booker, both of whom were allergic to defense on Thursday, and a struggling Derrick White as Serbia built a 17-point lead.
When Tatum was benched for Team USA's first game against Serbia in the group stage, Kerr said he felt like an "idiot" for not playing him. Apparently he hasn't been working the abacus much since that game.
Tatum was one of the last guys off the bench for the team's win over Brazil in the quarterfinals, before he logged his DNP on Thursday. While Tatum has struggled to find an offensive rhythm on the Olympic stage, there is no denying the defensive impact he can bring to the floor. Team USA certainly could have used his switchability and perimeter defense Thursday as Serbia torched them from downtown for three quarters.
Tatum didn't say much about his lack of playing time after the quarterfinals victory, saying that Team USA getting a win is all that matters. He called his previous benching against Serbia "humbling," but hasn't said anything about being glued to the bench on Thursday. Celtics president of basketball ops. Brad Stevens told Himmelsbach on Friday that Tatum remains focused on doing whatever he can to help Team USA bring home gold.
"It's hard to not play, and I'm guessing it's exponentially harder when you are one of the best players in the world," said Stevens. "But when we've talked, he's been all about the team. This is such a unique opportunity to win a gold medal in the Olympics. He's always ready. The championship game will be a great road environment, and he shines in those situations."
Maybe the "math" will swing in Tatum's favor for Saturday's gold medal game against France.
