Celtics followers scratched their heads after Thursday when Jayson Tatum didn’t function in Group USA’s semifinal win over Serbia, and you may add Boston possession to the lengthy line of individuals questioning what goes in on the Paris Olympics.
Stephen Curry and LeBron James led america rally within the fourth quarter to advance to the gold medal sport towards France. Group USA can win its seventeenth Olympic gold medal with a win Saturday, and it hasn’t wanted a lot of Tatum on this 12 months’s event.
Head coach Steve Kerr used an analogous technique to his aspect’s opening group sport the place Tatum additionally didn’t play towards Serbia. The Celtics star topped a tournament-high 23 minutes towards Puerto Rico, however Thursday’s DNP irked Celtics followers since Nikola Jokic virtually led Serbia to a giant upset.
Tatum’s mom questioned what was happening together with her son, however Kerr defined it was a “math drawback” when it got here to managing his 12-man roster. Celtics proprietor Wyc Grousbeck did not appear to purchase into Kerr’s explanations.
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“I imply, I would not play Steve Kerr, let me put it that approach,” Grousbeck stated on the “Greg Hill Present” on Friday, per WEEI. “What is going on on? It is a thriller. It is a full thriller. I believe Jayson would not deserve something however reward, kudos and enjoying time. He and Jaylen (Brown) led us to this unbelievable championship, they usually’re not apparently serving to out the Olympic crew. They don’t seem to be capable of be useful within the Olympic crew and simply depart it at that. It is mystifying.”
It isn’t a shock Grousbeck defended Tatum and Brown for his or her perceived remedy of Group USA. But it surely’s one other feather within the cap for Boston followers that reveals why the proprietor and governor of the Celtics is so beloved and why his household’s resolution to promote the crew was such a shock.
There’s nonetheless an opportunity for Tatum to function within the gold medal sport towards France, and Inexperienced Teamers could have a eager eye on the All-NBA star’s minutes throughout Saturday’s matchup.
