2024 Olympics

Olympic Notes: Durant, Batum, Wembanyama, Awards

August 10th, 2024 at 9:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

After becoming the first men’s basketball player with four Olympic gold medals, could Kevin Durant stick around long enough to try for a fifth? He hinted at that possibility at Saturday’s post-game press conference when asked about the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, writes Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.

“Records are meant to be broken,” Durant said. “My goal was always to represent my country, my state, my street, my family name. And help to push the game forward. Since I’ve been there, I’ve done that. We’ve built on the 1992 Dream Team, and I’m glad we managed to carry it over. Regarding L.A., who knows, man? We’ll see.”

Durant is still playing at an All-Star level at age 35, and he’s under contract with the Suns for two more seasons. If he decides to extend his career beyond that, he’ll be the same age that LeBron James is now when the 2028 Olympics roll around.

Durant is one of the most accomplished players in Olympics history and is among eight men who have reached 500 career points. He passed Carmelo Anthony as the men’s all-time leading scorer for Team USA, and he recently eclipsed Lisa Leslie as well.

“For me, it’s about pushing the game forward on the biggest stage, helping USA Basketball,” Durant added. “I didn’t even think about who is the best player. You just try to contribute as much as you can to the big picture.”

There’s more from Paris:

Nicolas Batum‘s long career with the French national team ended with today’s loss in the gold medal game, according to BasketNews. Appearing on French television, Batum announced his retirement from international competition. “It was my last one with this jersey,” he said. “I spent 15 years playing four World Cups, four EuroBaskets and four Olympics. I did what I had to do: seven medals. I’m happy.”
Victor Wembanyama savored the chance to compete for a medal on his home soil, Urbonas tweets. The 20-year-old phenom was a crowd favorite throughout the tournament and was at his best in Saturday’s game, finishing with 26 points and seven rebounds. “It’s an incredible experience,” he said. “The anthem is one of my favorite parts. I know I’m only 20, but I don’t know when that will happen again. And it makes me want to cry again. It was just such a chance.”
Wembanyama was named to the All-Star Five, which recognizes the best players in the Olympics, along with Team USA’s James and Stephen Curry, Germany’s Dennis Schröder and Serbia’s Nikola Jokic, FIBA announced (via Twitter). Making up the second team are Canada’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Serbia’s Bogdan Bogdanovic, Germany’s Franz Wagner, France’s Guerschon Yabusele and Greece’s Giannis Antetokounmpo. James was selected as Olympics MVP, Wembanyama is the Rising Star, France’s Vincent Collet is the Best Coach and Serbia’s Aleksa Avramovic is the Best Defensive Player.

U.S. Wins Olympic Gold Medal In Paris

August 10th, 2024 at 4:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

Team USA closed out an unbeaten run through the Olympics by defeating France 98-87 in Saturday’s gold medal game.

In front of a thunderous home crowd, the French team was able to close within three points late in the contest, but Stephen Curry sealed the victory by sinking four dramatic three-pointers in the final three minutes. Playing in his first Olympics, Curry hit eight shots from beyond the arc Saturday and led the U.S. with 24 points.

“That was an unbelievable moment,” he told NBC’s Mike Tirico. “I’ve been blessed to play basketball at a high level for a very long time. This ranks very high in terms of the excitement and the sense of relief getting to the finish line.”

Kevin Durant reached a milestone by becoming the first men’s basketball player with four Olympic golds. He made his first start of this year’s Olympics in the gold medal game and contributed 15 points.

LeBron James, who picked up his third career gold, posted 14 points, 10 assists and six rebounds, while Lakers teammate Anthony Davis had eight points and nine boards. James earned Olympics MVP honors.

It’s the fifth straight gold for Team USA, which hasn’t lost in Olympic competition since 2004. With 11 All-Stars on the roster, this year’s squad has drawn comparisons to the 1992 Dream Team as one of the most talented groups ever assembled.

“I think we might be the only team in the world whose fans are ashamed of them if they get a silver medal,” U.S. coach Steve Kerr said, per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “That’s the pressure that we face. But our players, and you saw Steph, they love the pressure. They appreciate this atmosphere and they were fantastic.”

The French took home silver for the second straight Olympics after also losing to the Americans in the gold medal game at Tokyo. Victor Wembanyama had his best game of the tournament on Saturday with 26 points and seven rebounds, while Guerschon Yabusele added 20 points.

France became the first nation to win a medal while hosting the Games since Team USA did it in 1996.

“For sure, it’s a disappointment because we expected we could do it,” French coach Vincent Collet said. “But we have to recognize at the end that they are better. We are very close … When they make fantastic shots, that’s the difference.”

Serbia claimed the bronze medal by defeating Germany earlier today.

Olympic Notes: Curry, Gobert, Fournier, Wembanyama

August 10th, 2024 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

While no Team USA player wants to be remembered for missing out on a gold medal, the experience would be worse for Stephen Curry, who is likely involved in his only Olympics at age 36, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. The reputation of the 2004 bronze medal team was among the thoughts going through Curry’s head when the U.S. faced a double-digit deficit against Serbia in the semifinals. The Americans were able to rally for a 95-91 victory, but the same pressure will return today in the gold medal game against France.

“I came into this experience thinking that this would be my one and only time to play in the Olympics and experience this stage,” Curry said. “So that was part of my sense of relief and joy (in the game). I didn’t want to be on the team that, (like) ’04, didn’t make it to the gold-medal game and get a gold medal in my one opportunity here. So you’re thinking about (all that) while you’re still just trying to have fun playing the game that you know. It’s an interesting dynamic, because we all signed up for this, to accomplish a mission, and we’re one game away from doing it.”

Today’s matchup will be the first actual road game for Team USA, which will try to capture the gold in front of a hostile crowd in Paris. France has benefited from the rabid fan support, Amick adds, along with a lineup change that sparked upsets over Canada and Germany on the way to the gold medal contest.

Coach Vincent Collet decided to bench Rudy Gobert and play Victor Wembanyama at center, while inserting Guerschon Yabusele and Isaia Cordinier into the starting lineup. France has looked much better over the past two games, and that’s without a dominant performance from Wembanyama, who’s shooting just 6-of-27 since knockout play began.

“You expect them to play the game of their life, because they’re gonna have the home court adrenaline (and) they’re riding big momentum after these last two games,” Curry said. “You’ve got to expect them to play great, but we expect that from ourselves as well.”

There’s more from Paris:

Gobert logged nine total minutes in the past two games, but Collet indicated that his role might increase against the taller U.S. team, per Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. “Obviously, Rudy would prefer to play more,” Collet said. “But clearly, for the moment, this adjustment allowed us to play better in these two games. But on the other hand, the cards can be very redistributed on Saturday. Different matchups, with teams with different profiles.”
Evan Fournier is among the French players with experience in facing Team USA, beating them in the 2019 FIBA World Cup and losing a tight game for the Olympic gold medal three years ago in Tokyo, notes Aris Barkis of Eurohoops. He’s looking forward to today’s gold medal rematch. “I think we know that France has a lot of potential, but the potential has got to go on the court,” Fournier said. “We have to be able to play team basketball.”
Wembanyama has been among the most visible athletes at the Olympics, with Nike ads in the Paris subways and a giant image of him placed on scaffolding in the city, per Jeff Zillgitt and Kim Hjelmgaard of USA Today. It’s an extreme amount of pressure for a 20-year-old who’s expected to be the future of both French and NBA basketball. Wembanyama talked this week about having a “feeling of responsibility” as he tries to deliver the nation’s first-ever gold in Olympic basketball.

Brad Stevens Provides Update On Kristaps Porzingis

August 10th, 2024 at 10:30am CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis is working out in Latvia, but the team still doesn’t expect him back on the court for several months, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said in an interview with Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.

Porzingis missed most of the playoffs after suffering a strained right calf in Boston’s first-round series against Miami. He underwent surgery in late June for a torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg and was given a five- to six-month recovery timeline that could delay his return until sometime in 2025.

“He’s starting to do more and more and more,” Stevens said of Porzingis, who recently posted an online photo of himself during a workout. “He was in a boot for a while there, but every indication is he’s progressing well and he’s on the right timeline. But it’s going to be a while.”

Surgery had already been planned for Porzingis when he was given permission to return for Game 5 of the NBA Finals. He played 16 minutes as the Celtics wrapped up their 18th championship, saying he was willing to risk further injury to be part of the experience. Stevens explained the process that led to the decision to have Porzingis play.

“He was going to have to have surgery regardless,” Stevens said. “He was moving better than he was before Games 3 and 4 and had probably gotten more used to it. And the outcome wasn’t going to change whether he played or not after that moment. It was just, really, could he do it? I was pretty impressed that he did. I don’t know exactly what he felt like, but I know he wasn’t 100 percent. But the toughness to get out there and do it was awesome. But that didn’t make it worse, and it wasn’t going to.”

Stevens touches on several more topics in the lengthy interview:

The Celtics have a strong Olympic presence with Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White all playing for Team USA, but Jaylen Brown was upset with the process that led to his exclusion. Stevens said he talked with USA Basketball director Grant Hill, who expressed interest in having Brown as part of the 2028 team. “I think Jaylen is one of the best players in the world,” Stevens added. “And one of the best things about Jaylen is whether he gets the call and makes the team or doesn’t get the call, he’s going to use it as motivation to get better. So I know he’s working and he’s excited about improving. I think he’ll truly embrace the challenges that come with winning last year. That’s who he’s always been. And this will probably add more fuel to his fire. But he doesn’t need much fuel added. He finds it.”
It’s been a frustrating Olympics for Tatum, who has seen limited playing time so far. Stevens said Tatum hasn’t complained about the experience and suggested he could still be a factor in Saturday’s gold medal game against France. “When we’ve talked, he’s been all about the team,” Stevens said. “This is such a unique opportunity to win a gold medal in the Olympics. He’s always ready. The championship game will be a great road environment, and he shines in those situations.”
Stevens reiterated his support for head coach Joe Mazzulla, who was under fire last summer after losing to Miami in the conference finals. “[The criticism] was more intense than it should have been on him the year before, and that’s one of the reasons I am happy for him, because he didn’t deserve that the year before,” Stevens said. “And to his credit, I think he’s been super humble about this achievement, because that’s necessary, too. He has to handle this right, because people are going to follow his lead.”

Serbia Captures Bronze Medal At Olympics

August 10th, 2024 at 8:57am CST by Arthur Hill

Nikola Jokic posted the fifth triple-double in men’s Olympic basketball history on Saturday as Serbia defeated Germany in the bronze medal game, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. The Nuggets star had 19 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists and led Serbia to a 93-83 victory in a battle of teams coming off heartbreaking losses in the semifinal round.

Two other NBA players had prominent roles in Serbia’s victory, which brought the nation its second Olympic men’s basketball medal. Hornets guard Vasilije Micic also scored 19 points, while the Hawks’ Bogdan Bogdanovic, Serbia’s captain and career leading scorer in Olympic competition, added 16.

“It was difficult to sleep (after the Team USA loss),” Bogdanovic admitted. “We didn’t sleep that day, that night at all. It was a late game, but the next day, we all wake up and (Serbian coach Svetislav Pesic) was ready with the (team) meeting. He was ready with the same meeting that he did the whole year — a little bit longer, of course. But that was his way. We believed. We didn’t complain. We weren’t late. Yeah, we play together. We win together. We lose together. We are together. We celebrate together.”

Serbia took advantage of hot shooting to build an early lead, making 12 of its first 17 shots. They were up 46-38 at halftime and broke open the game with an 18-7 run in the third quarter that pushed the lead to 19 points. With Dennis Schröder, Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner all struggling to make shots, the Germans weren’t able to make a serious run after that.

“We weren’t going home without a medal, especially after what happened two days ago,” Serbian big man Filip Petrusev said. “We owed it to ourselves. We owed it to the country, to the people that supported us. Two days ago, the whole country was so proud of us, so we had to bring something home. That was the mentality. You all saw it two days ago against the best team ever (in Team USA), maybe, that needed all kinds of help, and maybe luck a little bit (to win). … But I just hope this is not our last time altogether. I think this team can … in the future, be even better. This might be one of the best teams Serbia ever had.”

It was a disappointing outcome for Germany, whose men’s basketball team has still never medaled in Olympic competition. After going unbeaten in last year’s FIBA World Cup, the Germans looked like the most serious challenger to the U.S. through group play, but back-to-back losses mean they’re going home empty-handed.

Despite the outcome, the 30-year-old Schröder told reporters that he’s far from finished with international competition, tweets Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.

“Coach, I said I’m going to play until 40,” he said to Gordon Herbert at the post-game press conference. “I don’t know why they’re asking me this. I’m playing until I’m 40. That’s my goal. Hopefully, if I play until 40, my teammates can play until 36-37 and make it special.”

The game may have been the last Olympics appearance for Pesic, whose contract as coach of the Serbian national team has expired. He talked about his future following the game, relays Kevin Martorano of Sportando, saying he’s unsure what he’ll do next, but he hopes to have a role in continuing to build Serbian basketball in advance of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Poll: Who Will Win Saturday’s Gold, Bronze Medal Games?

August 9th, 2024 at 7:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Saturday’s gold and bronze medal matchups at the Paris Olympics may look awfully familiar to fans of international basketball.

In the battle for gold, the United States and France will meet in a rematch of the 2020 Olympic final, when Team USA beat the French team by a score of 87-82 in Tokyo.

The U.S. squad is currently a 16-point favorite in Saturday’s rematch, according to BetOnline.ag. That’s no real surprise. Team USA, with a more loaded roster than the one it took to Tokyo, dominated the group stage with a 3-0 record and a +64 point differential, while France had just a +2 point differential and needed an overtime victory over Japan to secure a 2-1 record.

But France has the home crowd on its side and has pulled off an impressive pair of upsets in the knockout round, defeating Canada and Germany in consecutive contests to get back to the gold medal game. The U.S., meanwhile, looked beatable for the first time this tournament in its semifinal vs. Serbia and needed to erase a 17-point deficit to advance to the final.

Team USA has won men’s basketball gold in every Olympics since 2004 and it would be a major surprise if it didn’t happen again, but if the French team – led by rising star Victor Wembanyama – plays like it did against Canada and Germany, it should at least be a competitive game.

As for the bronze medal matchup, it’s another rematch of a recent international showdown — Germany defeated Serbia at the 2023 FIBA World Cup last September for gold. On Saturday, the two nations will square off in the hopes of earning an Olympic medal. It would be the first Olympic men’s basketball medal for Germany or the second for Serbia, which won silver in Rio in 2016.

While Germany took last year’s gold medal game, the Serbians didn’t have star center Nikola Jokic on their World Cup roster. Having the three-time NBA MVP available for this game makes Serbia the favorite, but oddsmakers are expecting a close one — BetOnline.ag has the Germans listed as just two-point underdogs.

While Jokic has led the way for Serbia with 18.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game, Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic has been a reliable sidekick, matching Jokic’s scoring average (18.8 PPG) while also chipping in 4.4 RPG and 4.0 APG and making 42.9% of his three-point attempts. Vasilije Micic (12.2 PPG, 5.0 APG), Filip Petrusev (9.4 PPG, 5.0 RPG), and Aleksa Avramovic (10.0 PPG) are among the team’s other key contributors.

On the other side, the Germans have been led by Dennis Schröder (18.0 PPG, 7.8 APG) and Franz Wagner (18.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG), with Daniel Theis (9.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG), Isaac Bonga (9.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG), and Moritz Wagner (8.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG) also playing significant roles.

Prior to their semifinal loss to France, Germany looked like perhaps the second-best team in the tournament, with a 4-0 record and a +60 point differential. But Serbia has been awfully good too — they’ve lose twice to the U.S., but have gone 3-0 with a +57 point differential against everyone else.

We want to know what you think. Who will win the gold and bronze medal games in Paris on Saturday?

Vote in our poll below, then head to the comment section below to share your predictions!

Team USA Notes: Durant, Holiday, Brown, Tatum, Embiid

August 9th, 2024 at 6:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Team USA will make a lineup change for its gold medal game on Saturday vs. France, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who says that Suns forward Kevin Durant will be inserted into the starting five, with Celtics guard Jrue Holiday expected to make the move to the bench.

Durant missed all of Team USA’s exhibition contests leading up to the Olympics due to a calf strain, or else he might have been a starter from day one. Despite not getting any game reps in before the Olympics, Durant has been one of the team’s most-used players and top scorers in France, averaging 13.6 points in 20.5 minutes per contest and posting a white-hot shooting line of .579/.611/.929.

The French team’s frontcourt is its biggest strength, with Victor Wembanyama, Guerschon Yabusele, and Mathias Lessort playing key roles in the quarterfinals and semifinals. Rudy Gobert is also in that mix, though he’s banged up and has played a limited role in the knockout round. Adding Durant to the starting five will put the U.S. squad in a better position to match up with France’s size.

Here’s more on Team USA ahead of Saturday’s gold medal game:

USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill spoke to Joe Vardon of The Athletic and Rachel Nichols on the All The Smoke podcast (YouTube link) about the process of building the U.S. roster and his areas of concern entering the tournament. In his conversation with Nichols, Hill discussed the omission of Jaylen Brown from the 12-man squad, indicating that the Celtics wing will receive consideration for the 2028 team in Los Angeles despite the public criticism Brown offered last month. “He’ll be a candidate if he wants in ’28,” Hill said (Twitter video link). “One thing I’ve learned is you can’t take anything personal. My objective is to win.”
After Celtics forward Jayson Tatum was a DNP-CD for the second time in the Olympics in Thursday’s comeback win over Serbia, head coach Steve Kerr explained that it’s hard to find playing time for 11 players in a 40-minute game, per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “It’s not about anything Jayson is doing or not doing,” Kerr said. “It’s just about combinations and the way that group has played together, the way Kevin has filled in since he came back from his injury. It’s just a math problem more than anything.” While it’s a small sample size, Tatum’s .389 FG% in Olympic play is the worst among U.S. players.
Sam Amick and Joe Vardon of The Athletic take a look at the Joel Embiid subplot that will play a part in Saturday’s final, given that the former NBA MVP chose to play for United States over France in these Olympics. Embiid fully anticipates a cool reception from the home crowd in Paris. “They’re going to boo me,” he said with a smile. “I’m going to go back at them and tell ’em to suck it. And so it’s going to be fun.”

France To Face Team USA For Olympic Gold

August 8th, 2024 at 4:03pm CST by Rory Maher

Host nation France pulled off its second consecutive upset by defeating 2023 World Cup champion Germany in the semifinals of men’s basketball at the 2024 Olympics, writes Kyle Hightower of The Associated Press.

Led by Guerschon Yabusele (17 points, seven rebounds, two assists), Isaia Cordinier (16 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals), and a stifling defense anchored by Victor Wembanyama (11 points, seven rebounds, three blocks), France edged Germany, 73-69.

While reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Wembanyama struggled with his shot (4-of-17) for the second consecutive game, his impact was felt all over the court, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.

“Of course, it’s part of a dream come true,” Wembanyama said, per ESPN. “We can be part of a goal that we set for ourselves months back. We can write history, even more. A once-in-a-lifetime dream.”

The French national team will advance to its second consecutive Olympic final after finishing with the silver medal in Tokyo three years ago.

In fact, Saturday’s Olympic final will be rematch, with France set to face the United States, which won gold in Tokyo. Team USA trailed by as many as 17 points in its semifinal matchup with Serbia and was down 13 entering the final frame, but mounted a furious fourth-quarter comeback to secure a 95-91 victory.

Stephen Curry (a game-high 36 points, eight rebounds, two assists), Joel Embiid (19 points, four rebounds, two assists), and LeBron James (16 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists) were instrumental down the stretch for the Americans, while Serbia was led by Bogdan Bogdanovic (20 points, four rebounds, three assists), Nikola Jokic (17 points, five rebounds, 11 assists), and Aleksa Avramovic (15 points, four rebounds, three assists).

In a rematch of the 2023 World Cup final, Germany will face Serbia for the bronze medal on Saturday at 5:00 am ET. France will face the U.S. for gold at 3:30 pm ET.

Olympic Notes: Jokic, Lessort, SGA, Australia

August 7th, 2024 at 11:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

League rules require Nikola Jokic to speak to the media after NBA games, but in the Olympics he’s making all his statements on the court, writes Kyle Hightower of The Denver Post. Even after leading Serbia to the largest comeback in Olympic history on Tuesday, Jokic didn’t have anything to say to reporters.

“He’s great. But he doesn’t like to talk to media — you know that,” teammate Bogdan Bogdanovic said. “In the NBA, if he doesn’t talk to media, he’ll get fined. But here, there are no fines. Here, it’s voluntary. He says, ‘I don’t need to.’ No offense to you guys.”

That means the public won’t know what Jokic is thinking as he prepares for Thursday’s semifinal rematch with Team USA. During their meeting in pool play last week, the teams were even during the 30-plus minutes that Jokic was in the game, but the Americans outscored Serbia 29-3 while he was resting.

“He stays focused for all minutes on the court,” Vasilije Micic said. “If he can do that, we all can do that.”

There’s more from Paris:

French coach Vincent Collet was touting Mathias Lessort‘s NBA prospects after he had 13 points and five rebounds in Tuesday’s win over Canada, per Donatas Urbonas of Basket News. Lessort was selected by Philadelphia with the 50th pick in the 2017 draft, but he has never played in the NBA. The Panathinaikos center has become a star in Europe and was named to the All EuroLeague team last season. “Mathias was probably the best player in the EuroLeague this year. They won the championship with Panathinaikos, and he was not far from winning the MVP. So for me, it’s not a surprise,” Collet said. “What is a surprise? I don’t understand why he is not playing in the NBA. I don’t know why no team in the NBA takes this guy.”
Canadian players were disappointed by their slow start in the quarterfinals loss, states Josh Lewenberg of TSN. Canada was viewed as a gold medal contender after beating three tough opponents in pool play, but France raced to an early 19-point lead. “They were better than us, played harder than us, and we saw it from the jump,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We obviously tried to make our run in the second half. It wasn’t enough, but that’s what happens when you let teams get off to a good start. They came out the aggressors, they punched us in the mouth.”
With Australia also suffering an early exit, Olgun Uluc of ESPN tries to forecast the Boomers’ roster for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. The core of Uluc’s squad is made of players from this year’s team, with Pacers second-round pick Johnny Furphy as a potential addition.

Celtics Notes: Brissett, Tatum, Kerr, Yabusele

August 7th, 2024 at 5:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

Free agent forward Oshae Brissett provided an update on his status during his “Brissy TV” YouTube show, relays Lauren Campbell of MassLive. Brissett, who remains unsigned nearly six weeks into free agency, said he’s still exploring his options and a return to Boston remains a possibility.

“I’m still a free agent now, talking to some teams. You guys will all see obviously when it happens, where I end up. That’s full transparency, man,” Brissett said. “At the end of the day, that’s what it comes down to. I love every single part about being a Boston Celtic. And I could go back, who freakin’ knows? Hey, the door’s not closed fully. There’s still a spot on the team. Who knows?”

The 26-year-old appeared in 55 games after signing with the Celtics last summer, but he played a career-low 11.5 minutes per night while averaging 3.7 points and 2.9 rebounds. His playing time dipped to 5.5 minutes per game in the postseason, and he wasn’t used at all in nine games.

Brissett declined a $2.5MM player option for next season to test the free agent market. He stated that he enjoyed his year in Boston even though he didn’t play as much as he’d hoped.

“Watching literal Hall of Famers all day, practicing with Hall of Famers, you grow. I’m a sponge, a basketball sponge. I like to learn things,” Brissett said. “That, to me, was the reason I would say that was the best season of my career.”

The Celtics are already facing a huge tax bill, so there’s no guarantee they’ll fill their open roster spot. Brissett and Svi Mykhailiuk are the only free agents for the defending champs.

There’s more on the Celtics:

Jayson Tatum‘s playing time in the Olympics continues to be inconsistent, observes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. After sitting out Team USA’s opener against Serbia, the Celtics star was used as the 11th man against Brazil on Tuesday. He didn’t get off the bench until two minutes had elapsed in the second quarter, but he played nearly 20 minutes in the blowout, the third-highest total on the team. “Each game is extremely different, but the main thing is that we win,” Tatum said, “so whatever we’ve got to do or I’ve got to do from game to game to be a part of that and contribute when I can, I’m going to do that.”
U.S. coach Steve Kerr, who has led Golden State to four NBA titles, offered some advice for the Celtics as they try to repeat, Himmelsbach writes in a separate story. “When you first win it, I think you have a deeper level of confidence,” Kerr said. “To me, that first time that you try to repeat is actually a little easier. You do it a couple of times and you’re actually exhausted. You try to do it a third time, a fourth time, you go to the Finals three, four, five times in a row, it’s utterly exhausting. But if you win one, you’ve got a deeper level of confidence than you had before and I think that really matters to teams.”
Former Celtic Guerschon Yabusele was one of the stars of France’s win over Canada, scoring a team-high 22 points to spark the upset. Himmelsbach points out that Yabusele is just 28 and suggests that his Olympics performance might get him some looks from NBA teams. He has spent the last three years with Real Madrid.

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