USA Basketball Team

[Fierce1]

Sooner or later Kerr will be criticized for playing favorites.

Coach K and Pop never had to tell the media they felt like an idiot for benching a player.

[Fierce1]

That was just in acknowledging that JT has been All-NBA the last three years, saying he felt like an idiot for making that choice--while explaining why he made that choice. That's not at all regret, that's trying to smooth over possible hurt feelings for his decision.

There you go.

The thing is there should be no hurt feelings because the game was a blowout.

Kerr playing favorites is the problem.

Steph and Lebron should not have been playing in garbage time.

These are grown men playing in the Olympics. Sitting for one game, especially when you've been shooting poorly for months, shouldn't be seen as disrespectful or cause boo-boo feelings.

A lot of fans, media personalities, and former NBA players said it was not right to bench Tatum.

All of the reasons why it's disrespectful has already been mentioned in this thread.

[Fierce1]

That was just in acknowledging that JT has been All-NBA the last three years, saying he felt like an idiot for making that choice--while explaining why he made that choice. That's not at all regret, that's trying to smooth over possible hurt feelings for his decision.

There you go.

The thing is there should be no hurt feelings because the game was a blowout.

Kerr playing favorites is the problem.

Steph and Lebron should not have been playing in garbage time.

Point differential matters in the Olympics. So there's basically no such thing as garbage time

To ordinary teams point differential matters.

But this is Team USA.

The level of talent does not drop very much if Kerr goes to his bench at any point in the game.

In fact, if Steph wasn't getting abused on defense, USA would have maintained a big lead in the 2nd half.

Right now Steph is just so bad on defense.

[Fierce1]

What the Odds that the Media at least steps up and asks Kerr about Curry and his struggles and yet he keeps starting and getting top minutes??

or ask Kerr if he believes in double standards??

F Kerr..

Bingo!

[Fencer reregistered]

66 points for the USA bench to 14 for So Sudan's bench. That means So Sudan's starters outscored the USA's starters 72-37.

Big difference in minutes.

That said, the starters averaged exactly 20 minutes each, and totalled those 37 points. The bench totalled an identical 100 minutes, and scored those 66. Most of the team's best defenders were in the bench unit as well, with AD being the only one of team's 4 best defenders among the starters.

[Fencer reregistered]

By the way -- smart of Kerr to bench Embiid. Besides the basketball merits of the move, Embiid is obviously one of the most coddled guys in terms of team politics. If he can be benched, anybody can.

[shackles10]

What the Odds that the Media at least steps up and asks Kerr about Curry and his struggles and yet he keeps starting and getting top minutes??

or ask Kerr if he believes in double standards??

F Kerr..

I’ll take “Things that are less than zero” for $500 Alex…

[Celticlifer]

I'd just like to see JT touch the ball, between Curry and Lebron, it's not likely. He's playing the Sam Hauser role, and Sam does it better. Ridiculous. Put the three Celtics on the floor with Bam and Durant.

[Fencer reregistered]

I'd just like to see JT touch the ball, between Curry and Lebron, it's not likely. He's playing the Sam Hauser role, and Sam does it better. Ridiculous. Put the three Celtics on the floor with Bam and Durant.

That would be an absurdly good lineup.

The other lineup, however, would have a hilarious collection of egos.

[Fierce1]

Read on Twitter

[Fierce1]

That's Tatum's very nice way of saying he was disrespected.

But being the good boy that he is, he still plays on.

[ConstableGeneva]

Better quote than the one above.

Read on Twitter

Complete quote:

Read on Twitter

[Triple7]

I reckon the whole Tatum thing is blown way out of proportion. I mean, it was just one game. Kerr has already clearly stated that Tatum will play against South Sudan, so chill out and enjoy the Olympics.

Lol. Tatum is our franchise player. Nobody on that team wants to get zero mins. Hali is a young player and White is a role player. If you think that its no big deal getting benched infront of your friends and family, then you probably haven’t played any competitive sports in your life.

Gimme a break. I played for the Latvia national rugby union team. While it sucks to get benched, you take it on the chin and move on.

Lol. Probably with you its fine getting benched. Not with JT. Not with a guy that’s all nba 1st team 3 straight years. Plus its the olympics smh. Getting benched is personal.

[bucknersrevenge]

I'd just like to see JT touch the ball, between Curry and Lebron, it's not likely. He's playing the Sam Hauser role, and Sam does it better. Ridiculous. Put the three Celtics on the floor with Bam and Durant.

THIS.

I need this and I need it yesterday. Absolutely the exact lineup I was thinking earlier. Let AD, Lebron, Book, Ant, and Steph start for all I care. This is the 5-man group that needs to play together off the bench moving forward.

[Triple7]

Read on Twitter

Short of saying **** Steve Kerr lol.

[Triple7]

I'd just like to see JT touch the ball, between Curry and Lebron, it's not likely. He's playing the Sam Hauser role, and Sam does it better. Ridiculous. Put the three Celtics on the floor with Bam and Durant.

THIS.

I need this and I need it yesterday. Absolutely the exact lineup I was thinking earlier. Let AD, Lebron, Book, Ant, and Steph start for all I care. This is the 5-man group that needs to play together off the bench moving forward.

JT will play better playing alongside Jrue, White, and Bam and KD. He won’t get touches playing with Lebron and Ant.

[Triple7]

Good thing with Kerr benching Embiid. Sort of softening the JT benching.

[ConstableGeneva]

Team USA should pay for the Derrick White pick swap if it even conveys.

Read on Twitter

[Fierce1]

JT handling the issue like a true professional.

Some say he's too nice and he's not a dawg.

Before the Cs won the chip this year, there were who didn't believe nice guys could win a championship.

JT proved them wrong.

Nice guys can win a championship after all!

I prefer a true pro like JT than bad boys like Miles Bridges or Ja Morant.

Do we really want a gun toting superstar or someone who beats women?

[ConstableGeneva]

I prefer a true pro like JT than bad boys like Miles Bridges or Ja Morant.

Do we really want a gun toting superstar or someone who beats women?

Never thought it was an either/or proposition. Can we have the full menu please?