The beginning of the 2024 Olympics in Paris featured an eye-opening resolution from Group USA basketball head coach Steve Kerr in a 110-84 opening victory towards Serbia. With the People’ roster loaded with expertise, Kerr left Jayson Tatum (and Tyrese Haliburton) on the bench for the whole lot of the primary recreation.
The transfer got here as a shock initially, though Kerr proceeded handy Joel Embiid a DNP-CD within the recreation that adopted towards South Sudan. Nonetheless, the choice on Tatum, who’s contemporary off successful a title with the Boston Celtics and signing a five-year extension value as much as $315M, has been a well-liked matter of debate.
Following that call, at the very least one in every of Tatum’s teammates on the Celtics, Payton Pritchard, believes the All-Star guard will come again and must show doubters fallacious as soon as once more. And as he informed “The Level Ahead Podcast,” Pritchard is worked up to see Tatum show critics fallacious as soon as once more.
“I’m excited to see what he does with that. That simply provides extra gasoline to the hearth.” Pritchard mentioned, by way of SB Nation. “Now you gotta present individuals once more as a result of they doubting. I’m trying ahead to JT proving them fallacious.”
The excellent news for the Celtics is that Tatum silencing critics this previous season performed at the very least a small half within the group successful the NBA title in dominant trend. Boston, the highest seed within the Jap Convention, was a full 14 video games forward of the No. 2 seed New York Knicks and proceeded to lose solely three video games within the playoffs and no multiple in any single sequence.
After averaging 26.9 factors, 8.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists per recreation whereas capturing 47.1 % from the sector within the common season, Tatum posted an exceptionally well-rounded stat line within the postseason. He averaged 25.0 factors, 9.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists, placing his full talent set on show on the most important stage.
Group USA is scheduled to play Serbia within the semifinal on Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.
