Draymond Green isn’t shy to share his opinion, even when it involves his own NBA head coach.
The Golden State Warriors forward believes Steve Kerr, currently the head coach of Team USA, and his staff were crazy to bench Jayson Tatum in their Olympic opener against Serbia.
Tatum did not see the court in the first game of the Olympics in what was labelled as a coach’s decision. It has left many scratching their heads, including Green.
“Not playing [Tatum] was wrong,” Green said on his podcast, The Draymond Green Show. “We all know it was wrong. He should’ve played. He didn’t. What I don’t like about it is, now, to me, it feels like a covering my tracks, proving a point type of thing to where, oh, now Joel [Embiid] is out of the lineup. And then today, Jrue [Holiday] didn’t play… From the outside looking in, it comes off as, ‘We made a mistake as a coaching staff.’”
Kerr explained that his decision to not play Tatum had more to do with having the right combinations to play against Serbia and also to give Kevin Durant minutes in his return from injury.
Tatum would draw into Team USA’s starting lineup in Game 2 against South Sudan with Embiid sitting on the bench.
The constant reshuffling of the lineup has raised some concerns, which Green made known in his message to the coaching staff.
“I’m sure it’s part ‘We can rest the ankle a little bit’, but it’s part ‘we gotta not play somebody.’ And quite frankly, I don’t like it. Come out with a rotation and stick with it. These teams aren’t good enough to where we’re trying to match their lineup. They gotta match our lineup … We got the best players in the world. We’ll be fine.”
The U.S. will take on Brazil in Tuesday’s quarterfinals of the tournament, which also includes Canada, Germany, France, Greece, Serbia and Australia.
If Team USA comes away victorious, it will face the winner of Serbia and Australia.
Draymond Green, a key member of the USA Men’s Basketball team, recently spoke out against the decision to bench Jayson Tatum during their recent game against Serbia. Tatum, who has been a standout player for Team USA throughout the tournament, was surprisingly left on the bench for much of the game, leading to criticism from Green and other fans.
Green expressed his frustration with the decision, stating that Tatum is one of the team’s best players and should have been given more playing time. He pointed out that Tatum’s scoring ability and versatility on both ends of the court make him a valuable asset to the team, and that his presence could have made a difference in the outcome of the game.
Many fans and analysts have also questioned the coaching staff’s decision to bench Tatum, especially considering his strong performances in previous games. Tatum has been a consistent scorer for Team USA, averaging over 20 points per game and providing much-needed offensive firepower.
The decision to bench Tatum against Serbia ultimately backfired, as Team USA suffered a surprising defeat in the game. The loss raised concerns about the team’s chances of winning gold in the tournament, as they have struggled at times to find their rhythm and chemistry on the court.
Moving forward, it will be important for the coaching staff to carefully consider their lineup decisions and ensure that they are putting their best players on the court. Tatum’s performance and impact on the team cannot be understated, and it will be crucial for Team USA to utilize his talents effectively in order to succeed in future games.
In conclusion, Draymond Green’s criticism of Team USA’s decision to bench Jayson Tatum against Serbia highlights the importance of making strategic lineup decisions in order to maximize the team’s chances of success. Tatum’s absence was felt during the game, and it will be important for the coaching staff to learn from this mistake and make adjustments moving forward.