Tatum Surprised by Sitting Out as Team USA Dominates Serbia in Olympic Opener

The U.S. men’s basketball team had a fantastic start to their Paris Olympics journey with a resounding win against Serbia, finishing at 110-84. Kevin Durant returned and lit up the scoreboard with 23 points, while LeBron James also showed off his skills, making this game a showcase of American basketball power.

However, one major name was missing from the action: Jayson Tatum, who surprisingly didn’t play any minutes. Coach Steve Kerr decided to keep him on the bench, and that raised more than a few eyebrows. After the game, Kerr confirmed there were no injury concerns for Tatum, explaining that he just chose lineups that made sense for that game.

During the match, Tatum was not alone on the bench; he was joined by Tyrese Haliburton. Haliburton’s absence was expected as he has been a lower rotation player throughout the summer training. Tatum, on the other hand, had been a significant contributor leading up to this matchup.

Kerr mentioned that with Durant back in action, the team had more depth on the wings. He emphasized that the decision to rest Tatum was strategic, especially since the game called for a faster pace to challenge Serbia’s big man, Nikola Jokic. Tatum’s playing style tends to be more methodical, which might not have fit the game plan.

Instead of sulking on the sidelines, Tatum remained fully engaged with the team. His teammate, Jrue Holiday, contributed a solid performance with 16 points, while Derrick White added a bit of support as well.

As for Durant, he made good use of his return to Team USA by shooting incredibly well, even making five three-pointers in just the first half. This game marks the beginning of another quest for the U.S. to secure a fifth consecutive gold medal at the Olympics.