The benching of Jayson Tatum is unfounded controversy
Even though Team USA won by 26 points, 110-84, Steve Kerr faced a barrage of criticism for benching Jayson Tatum in the opening game.
Stephen A. Smith voiced his dissatisfaction over Tatum sitting out the duration of Team USA’s 110-84 victory over Serbia on Sunday, joining a chorus of voices that included almost every Boston Celtics fan on the internet. NBA analysts believe it was unfair to sit out a first-team All-NBA forward who had just won a title, while Celtics supporters have variously blamed Kerr’s decision on his ineptitude as a coach and his animosity toward the organization.
However, Team USA emerged victorious, with Kevin Durant—who replaced Tatum as the team’s backup forward—finishing
Tatum is undoubtedly a fantastic player, but it’s not as though he was dominating the exhibition games for Team USA. He played slightly under eighteen minutes a night and finished with an average of 6.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. Tatum did not score a three-pointer in his 46.7% shooting from the field. That comes after Tatum shot 28.3% from three-point range during a playoff run.