Thu Jan 23 05:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Stephen A. Smith Celebrates Tatum’s Revenge Against Warriors After Olympic Benching

**San Francisco, CA** – ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith is reveling in Jayson Tatum’s strong performance against the Golden State Warriors, viewing it as a deserved payback for coach Steve Kerr’s controversial decision to bench Tatum during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Tatum scored 22 points in Boston’s decisive victory over a depleted Warriors team on Monday. This follows a previous game where Tatum scored 32 points in a Celtics loss, a game many considered a “revenge game” due to his limited playing time in the Olympics. While Tatum himself downplayed any notion of revenge, Smith emphatically disagreed.

“I’m never sad, and I’m never going to be sad to see Jayson Tatum give it to the Golden State Warriors,” Smith declared on Tuesday’s “First Take.” He called Kerr’s decision to bench the three-time First-Team All-NBA player an “egregious mistake,” highlighting the incongruity of benching Tatum while playing teammates who defer to him during the regular season.

Smith acknowledged Kerr’s coaching prowess but maintained that the Olympic benching was unjustified. He stated that his enjoyment of Tatum’s success against the Warriors is directly linked to this perceived injustice. The win pushed the Warriors to a 21-21 record, further emphasizing the significance of the Celtics’ victory in Smith’s eyes. While the Warriors won their first meeting against Boston this season, Smith’s comments highlight the lingering impact of the Olympic controversy and the continued narrative surrounding Tatum’s perceived slight.

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