Tag: Olympics

Team USA coach Steve Kerr on why star Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum is getting benched in the Olympics

We’re not buying it. It may not be a vendetta, but it’s clear this isn’t a good way to build a basketball team in international play.

The US National Team needed a miracle comeback to avoid losing to the Serbian National Team in the 2024 Paris Olympics, and despite the fact that it was a win, many were left scratching their heads. Why, when it was clearly not a good night for several members of Team USA, did head coach Steve Kerr not play star Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum?

For his part, Kerr had an answer. Maybe not a very good one, but an answer nonetheless. “It’s not what I’m not seeing from Jayson; it’s what I’ve seen from the other guys,” said Kerr via the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach.

“Like I’ve said many times during this tournament and the last six weeks, it’s just hard to play 11 people, even in an NBA game.”

Did he like what he saw from Devin Booker’s 6 points and 1 assist in 24 minutes of floor time? Anthony Edwards’ 2 points and 2 rebounds in 13 minutes? Or that Kevin Durant was the only player worth mentioning on the second unit in terms of production?

Or was this an easy excuse for some questionable decisions, beyond just the lack of floor time for Tatum? “Our second unit was not great last night, but that group has been one of the bright spots on this team, especially on the defensive end,” Kerr suggested postgame.

“So it’s not about what Jayson is doing or not doing. It’s just about combinations and the way that group has played together,” he said.

And we’re not buying it. It may not be a vendetta, but it’s clear this is not a good way to build — or run — a basketball team in international play.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=590969556]

Kevin Durant thrilled fans by responding to Olympics tweets absurdly early in the morning from Paris

KD deserves a gold medal for social media.

After one of the most exciting games in United States men’s basketball history, Kevin Durant was awake early in the morning.

The late Kobe Bryant, who was Durant’s teammate the 2012 London Olympics, used to discuss the importance of waking up early for early morning workouts. Durant obviously has his workout routine down to a science, but he also needed to be up early for other reasons.

Durant, who could potentially win MVP of the men’s basketball tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics and recently broke Lisa Leslie’s all-time scoring record for Team USA at the Olympics, had an agenda.

He has stayed active on Twitter during his time as an Olympian in Paris, sharing a particularly classy message after he became the points leader. But nothing came close to his social media behavior on Friday morning while in France.

Despite riding high following the victory over Serbia, the two-time NBA Finals MVP couldn’t help but respond to some folks on Twitter who were discussing the thrilling semifinals match.

RELATED: I hope Kevin Durant never logs off. His posting truly inspires me.

No one who follows Durant on Twitter was surprised to see that he responded to basketball fans. He obviously loves to do that, even if the posts come from one of his “burner” accounts occasionally.

Durant used his own account for these replies, questioning all of the NBA fans from the United States who rooted for Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic on Serbia.

It was fairly standard stuff from Durant, but the fact he was posting these quote tweets around 5:00 a.m. from Paris was particularly amazing.

Everyone thought this was hilarious

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1373 tag=733332]

The hottest Olympic celebration is Turkish pistol shooter Yusuf Dikec’s iconic one-arm pose

Yusuf Dikec’s one-arm pose is officially an Olympics celebration, and so many athletes are doing it.

Turkish pistol shooter Yusuf Dikec is officially an Olympic icon. His one-arm shooting stance is taking over the world stage.

To be an Olympic pistol shooter, you obviously need to be excellent at what you do. But, if you’re Yusuf Dikec, you’re so good that you don’t even need protective equipment.

That’s right. Yusuf didn’t use anything en route to a silver medal — just his glasses, a hand in his pocket and a whole lot of guts. Of course, people went wild over his performance — creating a ton of memes — because what kind of stone-cold human being do you have to be to pull THIS off?

Eventually, another Olympian, pole vaunter Mondo Duplantis, learned about the pistol shooter so many were talking about and paid tribute to Dikec after setting a world record.

But, at this point, the celebration has surpassed Yusuf and Mondo. It’s officially a thing, and it’s oozing into so many Olympic sports.

Naturally, Yusuf totally downplayed his celebration with an incredible one-liner. What a guy.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=421393228]

Dick Vitale, Jayson Tatum’s mother confused about his lack of playing time with Team USA

We know it is not due to injury, at least.

It is not just fans of the Boston Celtics and Jayson Tatum who have taken note of the St. Louis native’s lack of playing time for the US National Team in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Tatum rode the pine once again under Team USA head coach Steve Kerr as the US barely beat the Serbian National Team in the knockout round’s semifinals.

The puzzling move got legendary coach and basketball commentator Dick Vitale to ask on social media for “someone (to please) let me know, is (Jayson Tatum) injured, as he hasn’t received the (playing time you) would expect an All-NBA player to get,” and Tatum’s biggest fan clapped back swiftly with a reply.

We are of course talking about his mother, Brandy Cole, who answers that he was not, and asked Vitale “if you find out what’s going on please let me know – unacceptable and makes NO SENSE.”

Hopefully there is a good reason, and that Tatum is okay with it, for Team USA’s sake in the future.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=590969556]

What does the narrow Team USA win tell us about international basketball?

And for that matter, the NBA, and the Celtics?

With star Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum’s absence in Team USA’s narrow win over Serbia raising eyebrows and the coaching strategies of Steve Kerr under scrutiny, what gives at the Olympics?  The summer hosts of the Garden Report podcast, Jack Simone and Noa Dalzell, discuss what this means for Team USA as they gear up for their next challenge against France.

Tune in as they dive deep into the standout performances from stars like Steph Curry, who scored an impressive 36 points in a win for the US, and LeBron James, while also addressing the concerns surrounding coaching decisions and team chemistry.

They also analyze the implications for the Boston Celtics and the broader landscape of international basketball, setting the stage for an exciting gold medal game ahead. Check it out below!

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” “Celtics Lab,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=590969556]

Tara Davis-Woodhall and her husband, Hunter, gleefully celebrating her Olympic gold medal is pure joy

“Tara, you’re the Olympic champion!”

Don’t mind me. I’m just currently in SHAMBLES over Olympian Tara Davis-Woodhall celebrating her gold medal win with her Paralympian husband, Hunter Woodhall.

As if Tara’s long jump was impressive enough, she immediately ran to her husband to celebrate afterward and wholesomely jumped into his arms like it was a scene from a movie.  The pair began screaming with glee before Hunter looked into Tara’s eyes and said, “Oh, my God, baby. You’re an Olympic champion!”

He then told her to go see her coach, dad and mom before saying again, “Tara, you’re the Olympic champion!” I MEAN, COME ON, HUNTER AND TARA. It’s suddenly so dusty in here that my eyes are sweating. This is just so precious. If your spouse doesn’t celebrate you like this, you just gotta throw the whole spouse away. I don’t make the rules.

But it didn’t stop there. Tara and Hunter made this awesome video on the track using a Kanye West soundbite, and this is 10/10 content.

With Team USA barely beating Serbia while Jayson Tatum rode the pine, should he be mad?

Tatum got a DNP for the second time in Paris so far.

Team USA defeated Serbia 95-91 in the knockout round semifinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics on Thursday, August 8. It was one of the most exciting basketball games of the year, but star Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum got a DNP for the second time in Paris so far.

Celtics reporter Noa Dalzell dives into what we can take away from this game (Steph Curry, Lebron James, and Kevin Durant are all-time greats). They also chat about what implication this Olympic run could have on the Celtics (and why all the drama around it could actually help the Celtics in their quest for a 19th NBA title).

Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what they had to say.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” “Celtics Lab,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=590969556]

U.S. gold medal-winning discus thrower began competing so she could get spaghetti

No, seriously.

Olympians: They’re just like us!

From U.S. gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik taking a nap at the arena to Chinese gymnast Zhou Yaqin trying to figure out how to bite her medal properly, the 2024 Olympic Games have been full of moments relatable to the average non-athlete. But perhaps the most relatable of all is the reason two-time gold medalist Valarie Allman began competing in discus throw:

In high school, the throwers had an annual spaghetti dinner. She wanted to go. So she became a thrower.

Now, more than a decade later, she added another gold medal to the count of the United States. For that, the nation can thank pasta.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C-TOOlDp96v/

Allman attended Silver Creek High School in Longmont, Colorado. According to her Team USA bio, she joined the track and field team as a freshman, jumping and sprinting.

Unfortunately for her, neither of those involved spaghetti. Fortunately for the nation, the throwers told her she could join the dinner if she switched to discus. She did.

After graduating high school, Allman competed for the Stanford track and field team and won the Pac-12 discus championship twice. She has competed in the world championships four times, earning silver and bronze, and won a gold medal in Tokyo. On Monday, she became the first U.S. woman to win back-to-back gold medals in Olympic discus.

All of it started with a hankering for spaghetti.

[lawrence-related id=101526473,101526409]

3 things to know about breakdancing, or breaking, for its Olympic debut from Team USA’s Sunny Choi

What to know about the new Olympic sport from Team USA’s Sunny Choi.

Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. This is FTW Explains: The Olympics. During the Olympics, some of the sports can be intimidating, especially if you’re not super familiar with them. That’s OK because we’re here to help.

Breakdancing, or simply breaking, is set to make its Olympic debut at the 2024 Paris Games. It was added to the Olympic lineup following success at the Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2018 in Buenos Aires.

Each team at the Paris Olympics could qualify up to four athletes — two each for the men’s and women’s competitions — and Team USA has a full team of four breakers: Sunny Choi and Logan Edra for the women’s competition and Victor Montalvo and Jeffrey Louis for the men’s event.

How does breaking work as an Olympic event? As Olympics.com explains: “Athletes will use a combination of power moves—including windmills, the 6-step, and freezes—as they adapt their style and improvise to the beat of the DJ’s tracks in a bid to secure the judges’ votes and take home the first Olympic breaking medals.”

Ahead of the Games, For The Win spoke with Choi and asked her to explain her top-3 things Olympics fans should know when watching breaking.

1. Breakers have no control over what music is played

“One of the biggest misconceptions that I have gotten along the way is that we choose our music; we do not,” Choi told For The Win. “The DJ picks the track for us, and we don’t know what it’s going to be, and sometimes it’s a brand-new track.

“When we walk out there, it’s definitely possible that the DJ is going to have new music produced for the Games that we’ve never heard before. And it’s not like we get it in advance. They just play it and you go, so I think that adds an element of suspense and excitement.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/C9VSvJ3vtcw/

2. Breakers are improvising a ton when they’re competing

“A lot of us are freestyling a lot of our rounds,” Choi said. “Not everyone freestyles 100 percent, and there’s a wide variety. But you’re going to see, especially with the American breakers, freestyling a lot. So even we don’t know what we’re going to do.

“So not only doing not knowing music, but we also don’t really know exactly what we’re about to go throw because it’s dependent on the music. We really want to connect to the moment and to the music and then just go do what feels right. So I might kind of plan anywhere from like 20 to 40 percent of my round, but no more than that. Everything else is just what comes out in the moment.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/C3UAIPiIwsL/

3. Breaking competitions can seem like one big party

For athletes and fans watching, Choi said to just enjoy it and be present in the moment because breaking is a good time.

“Breaking has this energy that I feel like you don’t get in so many other sports,” she said. “It’s like a party. You have an emcee who’s hyping up the crowd. You’ve got a DJ, and then we’re dancing, you know? And so there’s an energy about it that’s so different from so much else that you’re going to see at the Games. And so I’m just like, go out there, be in the moment. Go scream for your favorite people, and have fun because I think it’s going to be a really great event.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=421393228]

Grant Williams grills former teammate Derrick White at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Williams tried out being a member of the media, but it did not go as planned.

Recently, when he is not suiting up for his new team, the Charlotte Hornets, former Boston Celtics big man Grant Williams has been putting on his reporter hat to provide a unique angle on the 2024 Paris Olympics. And of course, Williams made a point of showing up for a recent Team USA press conference to give some of his former Boston teammates a hard time.

He singled out Derrick White in particular to harass in a good-natured way, asking the Team USA glue guy a rather pointed question. “I heard a rumor that you were considering naming your son after a former teammate, is that true?,” he asked via the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach.

“Who was that teammate? And did he end up being the godfather of your children?”

“You know, in this game of basketball you learn a lot of things, and every locker room is a little different,” answered White, whose son’s names are Hendrix and Daxton. “But Grant Williams was never in consideration for my child’s name.”

“My kid will give you a high-five, though, so you’ve got that going for you. Maybe just be around more. You’re an absentee, self-proclaimed godfather.”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=590969556]