The US men’s national basketball team faced its first real test at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, when it trailed Serbia by 11 points at halftime.
While the team struggled to slow down Serbia, another overarching storyline took control of the game: Jayson Tatum.
Tatum did not play in the first half against Serbia, which was the U.S. basketball team’s worst half of the tournament. Tatum famously did not play in the U.S.’s first game at the Olympics, which was also against Serbia. The U.S. dominated Serbia in that game, 110-84, though. Thursday is a different story.
Read more: Jayson Tatum reacts to his non-participation in the opening game of the US men’s basketball national team at the Olympic Games
Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images
Why doesn’t Jayson Tatum play for Team USA?
US coach Steve Kerr called himself an “idiot” for not playing Tatum in the Olympic opening game against Serbia. But he clearly sees something in the matchups that Tatum didn’t bring to the field against Serbia either.
Read more: Steve Kerr explains decision to bench Jayson Tatum for US team’s opening game
“Jayson handled it really well. I talked to him before the game today that it could happen just because Kevin is coming back and I have the lineup I wanted,” Kerr said after the game. “But that’s going to change. Jayson will play. Every game is going to be different depending on the matchup. Jayson is First Team All-NBA three years in a row. I felt like an idiot not letting him play, but you can’t play more than 10 guys in a 40-minute game. You really can’t.”
Now it looks like Tatum will miss the semifinal game, which will determine a place in the gold medal match against France. Tatum and guard Tyrese Haliburton are the only players on the US team who did not play on Thursday. They are the two players who also sat out the first game of the Olympics against Serbia.
It remains to be seen whether Kerr will change his plan and bring in Tatum as the U.S. continues to fight back into the game. After three quarters, the United States trails Serbia by 13 points, 76-63.
The Americans face a difficult task if they want to make a comeback and move into the gold medal match at a fifth consecutive Olympic Games. The Americans are fighting for their fifth consecutive gold medal, but if they want to make that dream come true, they will need a nearly perfect fourth quarter.
More news: Victor Wembanyama and Guerschon Yabusele lead the French team to the Olympic gold medal game
