In the USA men's basketball team's dominant 110-84 victory over Serbia in their Olympic group play opener, there was one unexpected absence on the court. Jayson Tatum, the Celtics All-Star player and recent record-breaking contract signee, did not make an appearance in the game. The only other player who did not play was Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, who is considered to be a tier below Tatum.

After the game, US coach Steve Kerr shed some light on Tatum's absence, attributing it to the return of forward Kevin Durant, who made an impressive comeback with 23 points in just 17 minutes of play after recovering from a calf strain that sidelined him for nearly a month.

Kerr explained that with the limited minutes of a 40-minute game, it was challenging to play more than 10 players. He chose the lineups that he felt made the most sense, considering Durant's return. Kerr acknowledged Tatum's skills, emphasizing his three consecutive First-Team All-NBA selections and his status as one of the best players in the world. He had a conversation with Tatum, who handled the situation with professionalism.

However, Kerr made it clear that these rotations are not set in stone for the rest of the Olympic tournament. He believes that Tatum will have opportunities to make his mark on the games and stressed the importance of the team focusing on winning six games while putting aside any NBA-related distractions.

Tatum, who did not participate in post-game interviews, simply stated that he is in good health. Celtics guard Derrick White, who played in the game, mentioned speaking to Tatum and said that he is in good spirits. White expressed confidence in Tatum's abilities and believes he will bounce back.

As the USA men's basketball team continues their quest for Olympic gold in Paris 2024, all eyes will be on Tatum to see how he contributes to the team's success in the upcoming games.