On Sunday, Team USA men’s basketball began their gold medal defense with a 110-84 victory over Serbia and the three-time champion Nikola Jokic. As anticipated, the game started slow for the U.S., but they soon took control. Kevin Durant shined in his Paris Olympics debut, and LeBron James, at 39 years old, proved once again he’s still Team USA’s top player.
However, the major surprise was Jayson Tatum not playing at all. Despite his stellar season and pivotal role in Team USA’s Tokyo gold medal win, the Boston Celtics star didn’t see a single minute of action, not even in the blowout’s final moments. Head coach Steve Kerr’s choice to bench Tatum left the basketball community astonished.
