The stars were out for U.S. men’s basketball’s Olympic opener against Serbia on Sunday.
LeBron James and Kevin Durant were the standout players for Team USA, while the Serbs were spearheaded by the NBA’s reigning MVP, Nikola Jokic.
In the end, James and Durant’s efficiency was too much for Serbia to overcome. The Americans walked out worthy winners, building up a double-digit lead in the third quarter and refusing to relinquish it.
Plenty of players got involved in the action for the USA. There was one notable exception, however: Celtics star Jayson Tatum was left out of the contest without any real explanation, a surprise given the amount of play time he received during the Olympic tune-up matches.
Here’s what you need to know.
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Why did Jayson Tatum not play against Serbia?
Tatum was a fixture in head coach Steve Kerr's rotation during USA's pre-Olympic build-up, averaging 17.8 minutes of action during the Americans' 5-0 slate. However, an eclipse was waiting in the wings, always looking likely to shake up the rotation once he got his health in order. Durant was held out of each showcase, tending to a calf injury.
Durant returned to the floor on Sunday. And per usual in the Stars and Stripes, Durant was fabulous, pouring in 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting to fuel USA's 16-point win.
MORE: Kevin Durant shows no rust after long layoff in dominant Olympics opener
Durant's arrival was always going to threaten some player's minutes, particularly those who play a similar role to the 6-11 wing. In the end, Tatum found himself the odd man out, with Kerr opting to give time to Jrue Holiday, Devin Booker and Anthony Edwards when Durant wasn't on the floor.
The result was a predictable one: Tatum didn't play a single minute of action, not even in garbage time.
"I went with the combinations that made sense," Kerr said after the game. "That was for tonight. He handled it well. He’ll make his mark."
Tatum wasn't the only one who didn't see the floor on Sunday. Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton suffered the same fate despite playing a major role in the warm-up games. However, his limitations — particularly on the defensive side of the ball — made his absence a little more understandable. Not to mention the fact that there's a surplus of talent at his position.
MORE: Full stats from USA vs. Serbia Olympic clash
Given Tatum's stature around the league — he was just selected to be one of the faces of the sport's preeminent video game — his absence was far more glaring. And with Durant, James, Holiday, Booker and Edwards all impressing at moments during Sunday's contest, it's unclear just when Boston's supernova could get his chance to get back into the lineup.
Kerr did indicate Tatum would see an increase in minutes sooner rather than later, for what it's worth.
"It's tough but Jayson handled it really well. I talked to him today before the game that it may play out this way just with Kevin coming back and the lineups that I wanted to get to but that'll change," Kerr told ESPN's Brian Windhorst postgame. "Jayson's gonna play, every game's gonna be different based on matchups. He's a total pro — he's First Team All-NBA three years in a row. I felt like an idiot not playing him, but in a 40-minute game, you can't play more than 10. You really can't."
Is Jayson Tatum injured?
In a word, no. Tatum doesn't appear to be suffering from any major ailments. And if you think he did, he swiftly assuaged such concerns with a three-word answer directed toward Boston Globe reporter Gary Washburn.
Just asked Jayson Tatum if he was sick, he told me, “No, I’m good.” #Celtics #Paris2024
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) July 28, 2024
