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 Individuals 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 recreation 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 capturing 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 capturing from the ground (3-of-9 from past the 3-point arc) and 2-of-2 foul capturing, 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 significantly standard navigating one of the crucial loaded Olympic rosters since a minimum of the 2008 “Redeem Staff” squad, and maybe even because the 1996 or ’92 gold medal-winning golf equipment.

However in maybe his most questionable resolution, Kerr sat Boston Celtics All-NBA combo ahead Jayson Tatum for 2 full video games, each towards 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 recreation, you may’t play greater than 10 [players].”

Learn Extra: Will Jayson Tatum Get Taking part in Time For Staff USA in Gold Medal Recreation In opposition to France?

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

The 2 gamers to obtain Kerr’s ire towards 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 recreation 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 need to keep on as Staff USA’s head coach. However his alternative might already be on the bench.

Miami Warmth head coach Erik Spoelstra, who has guided a wide range of very totally different Warmth golf equipment to 5 NBA Finals and gained 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 not like Kerr, there is a good probability Spoelstra would not essentially kowtow to ceremonial begins for veterans. It was fairly clear that Philadelphia 76ers heart Joel Embiid was a poor match as Staff USA’s beginning 5, but Kerr began him for a lot of the membership’s video games.

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