Kerr jokes how Celtics followers, disgruntled over Tatum, will greet him

Kerr jokes how Celtics followers, disgruntled over Tatum, will greet him initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Bay Space

Steve Kerr is aware of precisely how Boston Celtics followers will greet him Wednesday night time at TD Backyard. Or, does he?

The Warriors coach provided an ideal tongue-in-cheek response Tuesday when requested how heat of a reception he expects from Celtics followers, who directed their ire at Kerr this summer time when he benched Boston ahead Jayson Tatum within the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“I am excited. I feel the followers are actually going to cheer for me,” Kerr instructed KNBR’s “Tolbert & Copes” in a reply dripping with sarcasm. “As a result of you realize what I did this previous summer time — I performed Jrue Vacation and Derrick White a ton, and on condition that each guys are Celtics and the truth that Tatum additionally performed an enormous position within the proceedings, all three guys, main elements, and we gained the gold medal.

“That is America. It is the day after Election Day. I feel Celtics followers are going to welcome me with open arms, and perhaps even bouquets of roses. … Heartfelt.”

Tatum acquired two DNP-CDs (didn’t play as a consequence of coach’s choice) all through the Olympics, and typically performed sparingly in video games. Boston followers had been displeased with Tatum’s position in Kerr’s rotations, despite the fact that the Celtics star took the excessive street when requested about his position.

Kerr’s selections labored in Workforce USA’s favor, nevertheless, as they defeated France to take house the gold — however he understands why it was so onerous for followers to see a participant of Tatum’s caliber trip the bench.

“I addressed the staff earlier than the primary follow, and we talked about it,” Kerr beforehand instructed “Tolbert & Copes” in an August interview. “The elephant within the room is that each man in right here goes to enter the Corridor of Fame finally. So, how will we work out how one can play, how one can put collectively [lineup] mixtures and I mentioned, ‘I’m going to ask all of you to commit to only profitable and to set every thing else apart, all the same old NBA BS.’

“The blokes all dealt with it very well, different gamers had been actually good about supporting Jayson and Joel [Embiid], however these are guys who’re world-class gamers, and no person is used to seeing them play so couple of minutes. So, it’s only a bizarre spectacle, I get it.”

Many Celtics and NBA followers alike joked on-line that Kerr had created a monster after Tatum torched the New York Knicks on opening night time of the 2024-25 season.

And whereas Boston followers may do their very own torching of Kerr on Wednesday, the Warriors coach probably is extra involved with ensuring Tatum would not go off on Golden State.

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