Erik Spoelstra Should Replace Steve Kerr As Team USA Olympic Basketball Head Coach

Throughout his second summer time on the helm of Staff USA (and his first Olympics), Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr had an embattled whereas run guiding the People to their fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal in Paris.

On Saturday, the U.S. survived a valiant push from Staff France — within the nations’ second straight gold medal sport pairing on the Olympics — to win by double digits late, 98-87. Kerr’s All-NBA Warriors level guard, Stephen Curry, led the way in which for the USA, with 24 factors on 8-of-14 taking pictures from the sector (8-of-13 from lengthy vary), 5 assists, two steals, and one rebound.

Learn Extra: Stephen Curry, USA Basketball Survive Staff France to Win fifth Straight Olympic Gold Medal

Curry, 36, was showing in his first Olympic video games.

All-NBA Phoenix Suns combo ahead Kevin Durant made Olympic historical past by claiming his fourth males’s basketball gold medal. He scored 15 factors on 5-of-12 taking pictures from the ground (3-of-9 from past the 3-point arc) and 2-of-2 foul taking pictures, whereas additionally grabbing 4 rebounds, passing for 4 assists, nabbing a steal, and blocking one shot.

Learn Extra: Kevin Durant Creates Insane Staff USA Historical past With Win Over France

Kerr was by no means going to be notably widespread navigating probably the most loaded Olympic rosters since not less than the 2008 “Redeem Staff” squad, and even perhaps because the 1996 or ’92 gold medal-winning golf equipment.

However in maybe his most questionable choice, Kerr sat Boston Celtics All-NBA combo ahead Jayson Tatum for 2 full video games, each in opposition to Staff Serbia (the eventual bronze medalists).

“I went with the combos that made sense,” Kerr stated after the primary incident. “I felt like an fool not enjoying him… [In] a 40-minute sport, you’ll be able to’t play greater than 10 [players].”

Learn Extra: Will Jayson Tatum Get Enjoying Time For Staff USA in Gold Medal Sport In opposition to France?

Tatum did play in spite of everything for the U.S. right this moment, however completed with simply two factors on 1-of-3 taking pictures from the ground, three rebounds, and a steal in 11 minutes.

The 2 gamers to obtain Kerr’s ire in opposition to a jumbo-sized Staff France (its greatest gamers are a pair of All-Defensive First Staff facilities, San Antonio Spurs large man Victor Wembanyama and Minnesota Timberwolves Defensive Participant of the 12 months Rudy Gobert) within the gold medal sport have been Indiana Pacers All-NBA level guard Tyrese Haliburton and Boston Celtics All-Defensive Second Staff guard Derrick White.

Kerr coached Staff USA to a fourth-place end on the 2023 FIBA World Cup. That 12 months’s membership was far much less star-studded than this season’s iteration.

It is unclear how lengthy Kerr, 58, will wish to keep on as Staff USA’s head coach. However his substitute could already be on the bench.

Miami Warmth head coach Erik Spoelstra, who has guided quite a lot of very totally different Warmth golf equipment to 5 NBA Finals and received two, possesses the sort of in-game creativity and positional flexibility wanted on the worldwide stage. Like Kerr, he’ll make tough rotation decisions.

However in contrast to Kerr, there is a good probability Spoelstra would not essentially kowtow to ceremonial begins for veterans. It was fairly clear that Philadelphia 76ers middle Joel Embiid was a poor match as Staff USA’s beginning 5, but Kerr began him for many of the membership’s video games.

Outdoors of 1 terrific 19-point outburst in opposition to Staff Serbia within the semifinals, Embiid was roundly outplayed by Los Angeles Lakers All-NBA middle Anthony Davis and Miami Warmth All-Star 5 Bam Adebayo.