Steve Kerr's clarification for Tatum's DNP vs. Serbia does not add up

Steve Kerr’s explanation for Tatum’s DNP vs. Serbia doesn’t add up initially appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid deserve all of the credit score on this planet for main Staff USA to a thrilling comeback victory over Serbia within the males’s basketball semifinals on the 2024 Paris Olympics on Thursday.

However there’s one other storyline that may’t be ignored.

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum didn’t leave the bench in the 95-91 win, the second time he is registered a DNP at these Olympic video games (both against Serbia). Tatum has played 60 total minutes through five games in France and appears like an afterthought in head coach Steve Kerr’s rotation.

Tatum is not injured, so why is the very best participant on the defending NBA champions not getting extra run?

“It’s not what I’m not seeing from Jayson; it’s what I’ve seen from the opposite guys,” Kerr informed reporters Friday, by way of The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach. “Like I’ve stated many instances throughout this event and the final six weeks, it’s simply laborious to play 11 folks, even in an NBA recreation.”

Kerr pointed to the robust defensive play of Thursday’s reserve unit — Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, Anthony Edwards and Derrick White — in addition to Durant’s contributions on each ends to clarify why Tatum did not see the ground.

“Our second unit was not nice (Thursday) evening, however that group has been one of many vivid spots on this workforce, particularly on the defensive finish. So it’s not about what Jayson is doing or not doing. It’s nearly combos and the way in which that group has performed collectively, the way in which Kevin (Durant) has crammed in since he got here again from his harm.

“It’s only a math drawback greater than something.”

Kerr has a good level about his minutes conundrum. It is practically unimaginable to divvy up 40 minutes of enjoying time — eight fewer than an NBA recreation — amongst 12 gamers, and with a roster stuffed with All-Stars, at the very least one or two large names must sit every recreation.

The gripe with Kerr is extra about his calculus, and why Tatum seems to be the odd man out.

Whereas Tatum hasn’t had an ideal offensive event, he is nonetheless an distinctive two-way participant who supplies size, defensive versatility, rebounding and playmaking. When Kerr gave Tatum the beginning in opposition to Puerto Rico in group play, he responded with a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double in a blowout win.

On the very least, Staff USA may have used Tatum’s rebounding prowess Thursday in opposition to Serbia, which racked up 9 offensive rebounds whereas making 15 of 39 3-pointers to take a double-digit lead into the fourth quarter earlier than the U.S. starters staged a miraculous comeback.

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens is amongst those that hopes Kerr will deploy Tatum within the gold medal recreation in opposition to France, which boasts two 7-footers (Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert) and a muscular power forward in ex-Celtic Guerschon Yabusele.

“It’s laborious to not play, and I’m guessing it’s exponentially more durable if you find yourself top-of-the-line gamers on this planet,” Stevens stated Friday, by way of Himmelsbach. “However once we’ve talked, he’s been all concerning the workforce. That is such a novel alternative to win a gold medal within the Olympics. He’s all the time prepared.

“The championship recreation can be an ideal highway surroundings, and he shines in these conditions.”

USA vs. France tips off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, and Kerr’s current observe file suggests Tatum will not begin or be first off the bench. However Tatum is simply too gifted a participant with an excessive amount of big-game expertise to trip pine in a gold medal recreation on the Olympics.