With the Olympics in full swing, former Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams has been putting on his sports analyst hat, providing a fresh take on the 2024 Paris Olympics. Unsurprisingly, Williams had comments regarding Team USA head coach Steve Kerr's choice to bench Jayson Tatum again in the matchup against Serbia.
Steve Kerr admitted that he “felt like an idiot” for not playing Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum in Team USA's group stage game against Serbia at the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, in their rematch at the semifinals, Kerr appeared to repeat his mistake, keeping Tatum on the bench for the entire 95-91 victory.
Grant Williams talks about Steve Kerr's coaching decisions in Team USA
Grant Williams questioned Kerr’s strategy after the game stating in a post in X (formerly Twitter), “In my personal opinion i do not agree with kerr’s strategy. I view him as a top 5 player in the league today and although it is possibly kd/steph/lbj last olympic games, i feel like the most difficult choice to decide is AE and JT. Book has been amazing so hard to remove him.”
Serbia pushed Team USA to the brink, leading by as many as 17 points in what could have been the biggest basketball upset at the Paris Olympics.
As the team struggled to gain momentum and Kerr couldn't find a rotation that worked, Tatum was left on the bench for the entire game for the second time this Olympics. His absence has sparked backlash from Boston Celtics fans, putting Kerr under significant pressure once again.
Tatum did see the court in the subsequent game against South Sudan during the group stage, but he remained on the bench during the tight four-point semifinal victory over Serbia.
Team USA failing defensively without Jayson Tatum on the floor
The American defense faltered, as Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns and Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves provided minimal defensive impact. Despite Tatum's strong defensive reputation, he remained on the bench.
Serbia consistently knocked down three-pointers and dominated the boards against Team USA's three-guard lineups.
While Edwards had a highlight reel block that caught social media’s attention, his overall performance was lacking. He struggled with turnovers, missed open three-pointers, and appeared ineffective without the ball.
Managing rotations with 12 elite players, especially in 10-minute quarters, is challenging. Finding which lineup works on the court is difficult, but it goes beyond just rotations. Tatum, the star player from the reigning NBA champions, being left with a stat line full of zeros is baffling, particularly when the team was trailing by nearly 20 points.
Steve Kerr had a wealth of defensive talent available, yet he opted for a lineup with three guards. With Booker and Curry, neither known for their defensive prowess, it was a questionable strategy, especially when other strong defensive players were on the bench. While Curry playing out of his mind justified his presence, surrounding him with less effective defenders raised concerns.
Instead of consistently utilizing top defenders like Tatum, Bam Adebayo, Jrue Holiday, or Derrick White, Kerr repeatedly deployed less effective defensive lineups and an inadequate defensive scheme.
Steve Kerr's response to fan backlash
Team USA’s strategy of fighting through screens and doubling Nikola Jokić, instead of switching, gave Serbia excessive offensive freedom.
Kerr inevitably had to address the vitriol, which he did in an interview with Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe.
“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,” said the Team USA head coach.
Given the presence of players like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant on Team USA, it was almost certain that someone would see less court time, and Tatum ended up being the one affected.
Follow Us
Subscribe