Gregg Popovich Jokes About Message To Jayson Tatum Earlier than Spectacular Efficiency

You don’t grow to be a legendary coach like Gregg Popovich with out understanding the right way to give some sage recommendation. That’s exactly what he did for Jayson Tatum on Saturday evening.

Tatum hadn’t been overly impactful early on in the course of the Tokyo Olympics, which acquired him relegated to a bench function. He supplied a pleasant jolt Saturday although, dropping 27 factors off the bench in a Staff USA victory over the Czech Republic of their closing qualifying spherical recreation.

Seems, Popovich had a joking message for Tatum.

“I simply instructed Jayson to behave like he’s taking part in the Spurs,” Popovich mentioned, by way of The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn. “Each time he performs us he scores 90.”

Popovich isn’t solely incorrect, both. Of all of the groups within the NBA, Tatum averages his fourth-most factors (22.4) per contest towards the Spurs. That trails solely the New Orleans Pelicans (25.9), Portland Path Blazers (25.8) and Los Angeles Clippers (23.0)

Tatum’s subsequent alternative to play like he’s going through the Spurs can be within the knockout spherical.