Celtics fans boo Steve Kerr over Tatum’s Olympic playing time
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts during the first half against of an NBA game the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
BOSTON — Golden State coach Steve Kerr was reminded Wednesday during pregame introductions that Boston’s fans didn’t like his playing time for Celtics’ star Jayson Tatum at this past summer’s Paris Olympics.
Kerr was loudly booed after the Warriors’ starting lineup was introduced to the TD Garden crowd.
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Tatum scored 32 points in Boston’s 118-112 loss to the Warriors.
READ: Paris Olympics: Kerr explains ‘crazy’ decision to bench Tatum
“It wasn’t on my mind,” Tatum said of the Olympics. “It was just another Wednesday, another game, another opportunity to be the best player I can be. Another day to try and get a win.”
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He’s said before that after the Olympics people were telling him how he should react and what he should do, but he went into Wednesday trying not to overact to the first meeting against Kerr.
He explained that as he’s matured, listening to others isn’t going to change what he does.
READ: Jayson Tatum hungry for more after breakthrough Celtics success
“That’s part of this job. That’s what I’ve been dealing with my entire career,” he said. ”People are going to be loud, people are going to be mean, whatever. … I’m going to approach things how I want to approach them, what I feel is sincere and who I am as a person.”
Tatum, on the gold medal winning team along with teammates Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, didn’t play either game against Serbia.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) talks to the referee during the first half of an NBA game against the Golden State Warriors at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
“I don’t give it a whole lot of thought other than I didn’t enjoy not playing Jayson against Serbia, not playing Joel (Embiid) against South Sudan,” Kerr said when asked if he had any regrets.
“Those are not fun decisions, but our guys were all amazing,” he said. “They committed to each other, they committed to winning the gold medal. They brought the gold home for their country.”
He seemed to expect the reaction when he was asked what’s the loudest he’s been booed.
“I don’t think anybody actually cared about me to boo me,” he said.
Tatum’s first basket came when he was fouled after hitting a jumper in front of the Warriors’ bench late in the opening quarter, bringing loud cheers. He scored 17 points in the third quarter, helping Boston wipe out most of an 11-point halftime deficit.
Kerr said before the game that some fans might be cheering him, too.
“We’ll see how it goes tonight. I’m sure a lot of Celtics fans are going to cheer me for being part of Team USA, winning a gold medal for the country,” he said. “I’m a patriotic American. I love my country. Three Celtics on the team, who won a world championship, and two months later won a gold medal. Pretty incredible stuff.”
But, if they were, it was drowned out by loud boos.
