Jayson Tatum doesn’t want to perceive anyone else’s thoughts connected nan matter.
The Celtics star, famously glued to nan chair during Team USA’s tally to nan golden badge successful Paris complete nan summer, shook disconnected nan thought of Wednesday’s nonaccomplishment to nan Warriors — helmed by Olympic coach Steve Kerr — arsenic a revenge game.
“I mean, that’s portion of this job, that’s what I’ve been dealing pinch my full career,” Tatum told reporters Wednesday. “People want maine to beryllium louder, group want maine to beryllium meaner, whatever. One point astir Jayson is, I’m ever going to do what nan f–k I want to do.”
Tatum scored 32 points successful nan 118-112 loss, but nan Boston crowd had his back, offering up boos to Kerr during pregame introductions.
The three-time NBA champion coach didn’t look to person immoderate regrets coming into nan matchup.
“I don’t springiness it a full batch of thought different than I didn’t bask not playing Jayson against Serbia, not playing Joel (Embiid) against South Sudan,” Kerr said.
“Those are not nosy decisions, but our guys were each amazing,” he said. “They committed to each other. They committed to winning nan golden medal. They brought nan golden location for their country. They each handled themselves pinch unthinkable dignity and class, and that’s nan existent story. But we unrecorded successful a clip wherever we person to talk astir worldly that really doesn’t really matter.”
Tatum called his Olympic acquisition “humbling,” but didn’t not different prosecute successful immoderate of nan sound surrounding Kerr’s lineup choices — moreover arsenic his ain mother raised questions arsenic Team USA barreled toward its latest domination of nan Games.
The 26-year-old, coming disconnected a play successful which he won an NBA title pinch nan Celtics, made his 5th consecutive All-Star Game, was named to a 3rd consecutive All-NBA First Team and earned a league-record five-year, $314 cardinal extension, doesn’t scheme connected changing nan ways that sewage him there.
“People who respond differently, it’s easy to opportunity if they were successful my shoes what they would do,” he said. “I admit erstwhile it comes from a bully place, but for illustration I said I’m ever going to react, respond, attack things nan measurement I want to.”