Jayson Tatum Erupts For Big 4th Quarter In Team USA's Win Over Spain
BOSTON (CBS) -- Jayson Tatum continues to be an important offensive force off the bench for Team USA. The Celtics star scored 10 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's win over Spain, helping Team USA advance to the semifinals and a shot at Olympic gold in Tokyo.
Tatum played limited minutes for Gregg Popovich over the first three quarters of the game, but erupted for 10 points over the tilt's final frame. That included a personal 7-0 run by Tatum, which took him just 57 seconds thanks to a pair of three pointers. Tatum scored or assisted on 11 straight points during the quarter, which helped balloon Team USA's lead to 15 points.
Tatum had a knack for putting up big numbers for Boston in the fourth during the 2021 season, and he's now continuing that trend for Team USA. Prior to Tuesday's win over Spain, Tatum dropped 17 points in the fourth quarter against the Czech Republic on Saturday during group play.
Kevin Durant led the way for Team USA in Tuesday's 95-81 win over Spain with 29 points. Tatum was the team's second-leading scorer with his 18 points, while also pulling down three rebounds and dishing out two assists over his 18 minutes off the bench.
Tatum and Team USA will now have a chance to clinch a medal with a win in Thursday's semifinal matchup against Australia.