Kerr jokes about how Celtics fans unhappy with Tatum will greet him originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Steve Kerr knows exactly how Boston Celtics fans will receive it Wednesday night at TD Garden. Or yes?
The Warriors coach offered a perfectly tongue-in-cheek response Tuesday when asked how warm a reception he expects from Celtics fans, who directed their ire at Kerr this summer when he Boston forward Jayson Tatum benched at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“I’m excited. I think the fans are really going to cheer me on,” Kerr told KNBR’s “Tolbert & Copes” in a sarcasm-laced response. “Because you know what I did last summer: I played a ton against Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, and given that they’re both Celtics and the fact that Tatum also played a huge role in the process, all three guys, big factors, and we won the gold medal.
“This is America. It’s the day after Election Day. I think Celtics fans will welcome me with open arms and maybe even bouquets of roses… Honestly.”
Tatum received two DNP-CDs (did not play due to coach’s decision) during the Olympics and occasionally played sparingly in games. Boston fans were displeased with Tatum’s role in Kerr’s rotations, even though the Celtics star took the high road when asked about his role.
However, Kerr’s decisions worked in favor of the USA team, which defeated France to take home the gold, but he understands why It was very difficult for fans to see a player of Tatum’s caliber on the bench.
“I addressed the team before the first practice and we talked about it,” Kerr previously told “Tolbert & Copes” in an interview in August. “The elephant in the room is that everyone here will eventually go into the Hall of Fame. So how do we figure out how to play, how to put together (lineup) combinations? And I said, ‘I’m going to ask everyone to commit to winning and put everything else aside, all the usual NBA nonsense. .’
“All the guys handled it very well, other players were very good supporting Jayson and Joel (Embiid), but these are guys who are world-class players and no one is used to seeing them play so few minutes. “So, it’s just a strange sight, I understand.”
Many Celtics and NBA fans joked online that Kerr had created a monster after Tatum torched the New York Knicks on opening night of the 2024-25 season.
And while Boston fans might burn Kerr on Wednesday, the Warriors coach is probably more concerned with making sure Tatum doesn’t attack Golden State.