The Boston Celtics are one of the best teams in the league. After winning the 2024 NBA Championship this past season, they brought back a nearly identical roster, led by Jayson Tatum, who has his own unique history with the Golden State Warriors. Obviously, it’s highlighted by a loss in the 2022 NBA Finals, but this summer, a new chapter to the story was written.
Tatum was a part of Team USA and competed in his second Olympics this offseason, and Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was manning the sidelines. However, controversy quickly ensued when Kerr decided to plant Tatum on the pine. He was outright benched in two of the six games and barely got any playing time in the others.
On Wednesday, Tatum will get his first crack of the season at Kerr’s Warriors.
Jayson Tatum's Celtics get first look at Steve Kerr
After Boston’s win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, Tatum was asked about the upcoming game. He highlighted how interesting the matchup will be but did not mention the angle of Kerr’s part in his Olympic benching. (H/t Bobby Krivitsky of SI Media Group)
“Yeah. We’re playing against Steph Curry, somebody that I’m close with,” Tatum said. “And obviously, I’m close with Draymond Green. I know it’s a Finals matchup from a few years ago. So, from that standpoint, yeah, getting to play against those guys, we’ve had a lot of battles over the last couple years, so I’m sure it’ll be fun.”
Jayson Tatum on if he’s looking forward to Wednesday’s matchup against the Warriors:
— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) November 5, 2024
“Yeah. We’re playing against Steph Curry, somebody that I’m close with. And obviously, I’m close with Draymond Green. I know it’s a Finals matchup from a few years ago. So, from that standpoint,… pic.twitter.com/SkvVMwBJBX
Tatum’s Celtics lost to the Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals, as Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson captured their fourth ring. But that’s not what fans will be focused on during Wednesday’s matchup.
During the summer, Tatum handled the benching like a professional, but Celtics fans were very unhappy with the decision.
Kerr’s excuse for not playing Tatum at times was that it was impossible to play a 12-man rotation. Yet once the season came around, Kerr decided to run a 12-man rotation with the Warriors—a decision he’s stuck to to this day.
That type of contradiction is enough to make Boston fans’ heads explode, and it will only add to the drama of the matchup, even if Tatum isn’t focused too much on revenge.
Outwardly, the Boston superstar is just going to put his head down, do his job, and play Celtics basketball. But internally, he’s undoubtedly hoping to show out in front of the coach who glued him to the bench.
Wednesday night should be very, very interesting.