The stoic Jayson Tatum showed maturity in handling the Olympic reunion with Steve Kerr

It almost worked. The Celtics responded to a poor offense in the first half by scoring 72 points in the second. Tatum scored 17 points in the third quarter. But he sat at his locker, feet dipped in a bucket of ice, disappointed that the Celtics couldn't complete what would have been an impressive victory.

Kerr is one of the best coaches in the game and he utilized a number of trap defenses that the Celtics didn't figure out until halfway through the game. Olympic hero Stephen Curry was brilliant as usual with 10 points in the fourth quarter as the Warriors beat the Celtics 118-112 at TD Garden.

The so-called “Tatum revenge game” turned into a solid Tatum performance after a difficult start. He finished the game with 32 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists in 37 minutes. His team lost. The Warriors made a statement and Tatum showed the same emotion as if they had lost to the Timberwolves, Hornets or Trail Blazers.

There were people around him who wanted him to yell at Kerr after every three-pointer or beat him in the chest and stare at the camera after a foul. That's not his style now and never will be. Tatum is not a demonstrative type, even in difficult situations like his experience with Team USA.

Celtics supporters booed Kerr heavily when he was introduced, and that would be the extent of the Boston commitment. Nothing from Tatum. He won't behave out of character, not even toward the loyal fan base, not even toward family members and friends who wanted to “piss off” Jayson on Wednesday.

“It’s part of this job, what I’ve dealt with my entire career,” he said. “People want me to be loud. People want me to be mean. One thing about Jayson: I'll always do what I (expletive) want to do. And approach things the way I want to approach them and what I feel is true to who I am as a person.”

Tatum is in his eighth season. His game has changed. His body has changed. His personality has refined. His disposition has not changed. He feels comfortable and has full control over his emotions, regardless of outside voices.

“Sometimes it comes from a good place,” he said. “People react differently or it’s easy to say what they would do if they were in my position. I appreciated it. It comes from a good place. But like I said, I will always react, respond and approach things the way I want.”

Such a belief usually develops over time. The 26-year-old Tatum, father of two, two-time Olympian, five-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA and NBA champion, is the man he wants to be. He has the same goals and ambitions as any top athlete. He chases greatness. But he won't sacrifice his character or adjust his personality to attract attention or admiration.

“I mean, excuse my language, you just learn not to say (expletive),” he said. “I feel comfortable in my skin. I am happy with the things I have achieved. I know who I am. And I feel comfortable making my own decisions the way I want to make them and doing things the way I want to.

“When you're younger, you're very demanding or worried about pleasing people you don't know. If I do things the way I want to do them, I can live with the outcome of any situation and that’s where I’m at in my life.”

The Olympic controversy between Steve Kerr and Jayson Tatum is officially over. Kerr defended his actions before the game, pointing out that the final result was a fifth consecutive gold medal. And Tatum decided to keep his feelings about the bench press and Kerr to himself.

We have to live with that. Kerr is trying to lead the Warriors back to prosperity. Tatum is excited about his second straight championship and perhaps his first MVP. The Olympic experience didn't turn out the way Tatum had imagined, especially since he was the second-best player at the Tokyo Games.

But it's over. Both have moved on. Tatum will use it as motivation, but not overtly. He and Deuce don't take turns throwing darts at a dartboard, with Kerr's face being the target. Tatum is bigger than the pettiness or emotion designed for social media clips.

This is a sign of maturity.

Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.