Steve Kerr jokes about how Celtics fans will greet him

It's not often that a coach on the sidelines is booed by opposition crowds, but Steve Kerr walks into TD Garden on Wednesday night as Boston's enemy No. 1. 

As his Warriors (6-1) face the Celtics (7-1) in a marquee clash, Kerr expects a hostile reaction from Celtics fans due to his bizarre usage of Jayson Tatum at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

In an interview with KNBR, Kerr joked that he'd be welcomed with "open arms" for the manner in which he treated Tatum at the Games. 

"I'm excited. I think the fans are really going to cheer for me," Kerr said sarcastically. "Because you know what I did this past summer? I played Jrue Holiday and Derrick White a ton, and given that both guys are Celtics and the fact that Tatum also played a huge role in the proceedings — all three guys, major factors, and we won the gold medal. This is America. It's the day after Election Day. I think Celtics fans are going to welcome me with open arms, and maybe even like bouquets of roses. It's going to be heartfelt."

It's rather interesting that Kerr made it a point to mention how he gave Holiday and White, the other two Celtics on Team USA, considerable playing time, but couldn't find a role for Tatum. 

Kerr's treatment of Tatum in Paris was baffling, to say the least. The Celtics star received two DNPs and averaged only 17.7 minutes in the other four games, leading to Kerr being widely criticized by current and former players for not finding a role for a player who made three consecutive All-NBA First Teams heading into his second Olympiad.

Tatum didn't hide his disappointment, telling Tara Sullivan of the Boston Globe that he plans to use the Olympics snub as "fuel" to chase back-to-back NBA championships with the Celtics. His Boston co-star, Jaylen Brown, who was completely snubbed from the 12-man roster, said he was "mad" on behalf of Tatum and that both players had enough motivation to prove their naysayers wrong this season.

A few weeks into the season, they've stayed true to their word, guiding the Celtics to a dominant 7-1 start and the league's No. 1 offense. The Warriors, to the surprise of many, are off to a 6-1 start, showing flashes of their 2014-15 "strength in numbers" team. As such, Wednesday's game has all the makings of a tense affair.