-
Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.
David Blatt is a former NBA coach
- Thread starter wuck
- Start date
- Status
PriceFan14
Situational Stopper
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2014
- Messages
- 205
- Reaction score
- 347
- Points
- 63
I watched a lot of David Blatt's teams. Here's what i can say about him:
1-)He's one of the best strategists of the game. He doesn't have one style of play. He always have game plan for every game on the opponents weakness' and his team's strong sides. If plan doesn't work he'll change it immediately.
2-)He always have a good relationship with the players. Players who played for him always talk well about him. They understand and accept their roles for team. Most of the players improve under his command. I can say that he finds a way to use them effectively most of the time. He never destroys his players' confidence and always keeps encouring them do a little more. I expect he'll use this team very well. Tristian and Dion and respective ''Big Three'' of the Cavs will be used perfectly, i have no doubt about it.
3-)In USA Media he's known as an ''offensive genius'' but he's defensive side of the coaching is very underrated. He has a coaching fire that he can't even sit during games which we saw in the summer league. During defence he'll warn the players by telling almost everything that opponent team does. Players put their effort in the game under his influence. We may see a unexpected good defence from Irving and Love. Also, in most of the deciding games he's teams always holds the other team in a distruptive situation and keep them under their average score total.
4-)As a Princeton based coach; i think Cavaliers will look like the mixed version of Nash's Suns and last year of the Spurs. A high tempo, run-gun type outlet passed transition, a showlike offence which includes cutting - passing - finding the best shot and raining of three pointers. Man this team will be amazing to watch.
I believe he'll have a very good NBA carreer. He'll be the first person to win both Euroleague and NBA championship as a coach. With David Griffin who i believe the starting point of all this cuz he's the one who met Blatt alongside Kerr and offered him the job, they'll succeed. Cap is flexible and team has great trade chips.
I believe,
THE FUTURE IS GREAT FOR THE CAVALIERS.
1-)He's one of the best strategists of the game. He doesn't have one style of play. He always have game plan for every game on the opponents weakness' and his team's strong sides. If plan doesn't work he'll change it immediately.
2-)He always have a good relationship with the players. Players who played for him always talk well about him. They understand and accept their roles for team. Most of the players improve under his command. I can say that he finds a way to use them effectively most of the time. He never destroys his players' confidence and always keeps encouring them do a little more. I expect he'll use this team very well. Tristian and Dion and respective ''Big Three'' of the Cavs will be used perfectly, i have no doubt about it.
3-)In USA Media he's known as an ''offensive genius'' but he's defensive side of the coaching is very underrated. He has a coaching fire that he can't even sit during games which we saw in the summer league. During defence he'll warn the players by telling almost everything that opponent team does. Players put their effort in the game under his influence. We may see a unexpected good defence from Irving and Love. Also, in most of the deciding games he's teams always holds the other team in a distruptive situation and keep them under their average score total.
4-)As a Princeton based coach; i think Cavaliers will look like the mixed version of Nash's Suns and last year of the Spurs. A high tempo, run-gun type outlet passed transition, a showlike offence which includes cutting - passing - finding the best shot and raining of three pointers. Man this team will be amazing to watch.
I believe he'll have a very good NBA carreer. He'll be the first person to win both Euroleague and NBA championship as a coach. With David Griffin who i believe the starting point of all this cuz he's the one who met Blatt alongside Kerr and offered him the job, they'll succeed. Cap is flexible and team has great trade chips.
I believe,
THE FUTURE IS GREAT FOR THE CAVALIERS.
LBJordan23
Rookie
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2014
- Messages
- 46
- Reaction score
- 8
- Points
- 8
I watched a lot of David Blatt's teams. Here's what i can say about him:
1-)He's one of the best strategists of the game. He doesn't have one style of play. He always have game plan for every game on the opponents weakness' and his team's strong sides. If plan doesn't work he'll change it immediately.
2-)He always have a good relationship with the players. Players who played for him always talk well about him. They understand and accept their roles for team. Most of the players improve under his command. I can say that he finds a way to use them effectively most of the time. He never destroys his players' confidence and always keeps encouring them do a little more. I expect he'll use this team very well. Tristian and Dion and respective ''Big Three'' of the Cavs will be used perfectly, i have no doubt about it.
3-)In USA Media he's known as an ''offensive genius'' but he's defensive side of the coaching is very underrated. He has a coaching fire that he can't even sit during games which we saw in the summer league. During defence he'll warn the players by telling almost everything that opponent team does. Players put their effort in the game under his influence. We may see a unexpected good defence from Irving and Love. Also, in most of the deciding games he's teams always holds the other team in a distruptive situation and keep them under their average score total.
4-)As a Princeton based coach; i think Cavaliers will look like the mixed version of Nash's Suns and last year of the Spurs. A high tempo, run-gun type outlet passed transition, a showlike offence which includes cutting - passing - finding the best shot and raining of three pointers. Man this team will be amazing to watch.
I believe he'll have a very good NBA carreer. He'll be the first person to win both Euroleague and NBA championship as a coach. With David Griffin who i believe the starting point of all this cuz he's the one who met Blatt alongside Kerr and offered him the job, they'll succeed. Cap is flexible and team has great trade chips.
I believe,
THE FUTURE IS GREAT FOR THE CAVALIERS.
Very nice write-up. I appreciate that. All I knew about his was that he got the Russian team to overachieve and that he employs the Princeton-like offense.
shoes22
Hall-of-Famer
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2012
- Messages
- 28,298
- Reaction score
- 38,600
- Points
- 148
To me, it seems like Blatt tends to do better when he has LESS talent on his roster, because he figures out how to get the most mileage out of them. I have no idea how he'll do when he has players on his roster that have over ten times more talent than anyone he's ever coached.
PriceFan14
Situational Stopper
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2014
- Messages
- 205
- Reaction score
- 347
- Points
- 63
thanks cuz in Europa people think it's a big steal and u should know about it
you may be right his teams was always have low budget and always be an underdog. But i think his experience in Europa will come in handy cuz all the time he had to make rotations very well on players' strenghts to succeed it's something that only a couple coaches in NBA can do in a good level (Pop, Carslile) like i said his game-to-game vision about basketball and flexibility will help the team, most coaches doesn't even make adjustments in season.
If he can do the same thing in Cleveland, i believe we're going to be just fine
besides he was the best avaliable and it may be the start of the European Coaches' time in NBA. The game is very different in Euroleague, strech 4s everywhere, ball had to move all the time otherwise offence sucks like Brown's system. Coaches always battle tacticly and it's very good for a coach
shoes22
Hall-of-Famer
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2012
- Messages
- 28,298
- Reaction score
- 38,600
- Points
- 148
I understand the European game and I'm as big a fan of Blatt as any, but there's also not as much prep time in the NBA. There's a lot of back to backs, and at most one to two off days in-between games. That will be an adjustment for Blatt as he won't have as much time to make those "game to game" adjustments, as you put it.
Now if Blatt really is as good of a tactician as everyone says he is, where he's really going to shine is the playoffs. That's when we'll really see the strength of Blatt's coaching and how good he really is.
Now if Blatt really is as good of a tactician as everyone says he is, where he's really going to shine is the playoffs. That's when we'll really see the strength of Blatt's coaching and how good he really is.
PriceFan14
Situational Stopper
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2014
- Messages
- 205
- Reaction score
- 347
- Points
- 63
Exactly. That's why i think Cavs will be in the Finals instead of Bulls.
gratefuldead
NBA Starter
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2009
- Messages
- 3,540
- Reaction score
- 3,271
- Points
- 113
http://www.haaretz.com/life/sports/.premium-1.613368
David Blatt talks LeBron, transition to NBA
The Cleveland Cavaliers have picked up both LeBron James and all-star Kevin Love in the offseason. The team’s new Israeli-American coach gives Haaretz his take.
By Irad Tsafrir | Sep. 1, 2014 | 2:30 AM
David Blatt, left, at a news conference, with Cavs general manager David Griffin, June 25, 2014. Photo by AP
I see that your son Tamir has signed on for four years with Hapoel Tel Aviv. Very nice.
“Yes, that is very nice.”
Did anything in particular lead to that choice?
“Tamir is starting a career at the higher levels. He played for Ramat Hasharon and will now be part of Hapoel Tel Aviv. But I don’t do newspaper interviews about my son. That's my son’s career. It has nothing to do with me.”
Yes, but he’s still your son. Surely you’re part of the decision-making process.
“We parents are part of everything, you know.”
Okay, so how long will you be in Israel?
“I’ll be going back to the United States very soon.”
When you signed with Cleveland, were you aware that the team was going to be built with players likeLeBron James and Kevin Love?
“We wanted to build a team that would be good for the present and the future, and I think we’ve succeeded. About whether we could be sure when I signed that it was going to come out the way it did — I couldn’t tell you that.”
Did you have the slightest idea you were going to get LeBron?
“LeBron was a free agent. We were among the teams that were capable of bringing him in, but to say that it was 80 to 90 percent? No, that’s not true.”
But you knew it was on the agenda.
“The possibility was there.”
It’s a big deal to get players like that, plus Shawn Marion, and Kyrie Irving is already there. How do you deal with the expectations that creates? You’re the number-one contender for the championship.
“Now you’re sounding like a reporter who isn’t serious.”
Why?
“Do you know how many times I hear things like that? There are always expectations of one kind or another in professional sports, and they’re nothing to be afraid of. The main thing is to work well and right, and with the belief that you can fulfill the potential of the team you have. Sometimes it takes longer, but you have to stick with the team’s principles, values and path. I think we’ve gotten off to a good start.”
Yes. You know how it works in the NBA. Some teams are built to be a championship contender. In some cases, as has happened with you, a team that was one of the weakest in the league becomes a championship contender over one summer.
“There’s no doubt that when you bring in players of the caliber of LeBron and Kevin Love and Shawn Marion and Mike Miller, you upgrade yourself in quite a few ways. David Griffin, our general manager, deserves a lot of credit, as do the Cleveland Cavaliers’ owners, who show the whole state of Ohio how committed they are to the team’s success — present and future.”
When they sat with you, did they say: “David, we want to build a team this year that’s going to go all the way?”
“I think that sooner or later every professional team wants to accomplish that goal.”
But in the NBA, there are seasons where you don’t think about the championship at all, but only about future drafts.
“True, that’s also part of the plan. They told me this year that they wanted to build a team for the present and the future.”
It’s well known that in the NBA the general manager and management set the signing policy. How much of a role do you play in deciding who the incoming players will be?
“I’m involved in decisions about building the team, but in the end the decisions are made by the general manager.”
How exciting is it for you to make such a sharp transition to the biggest stage, with the best players? After all, LeBron and Love are superstars.
“Don’t forget that last year I worked with a team that’s the European champion. I had a great time, and I’m going to have a great time coaching players at the highest level in the world.”
One last thing: How is the playing style hat you will be teaching different from the style that you taught your previous teams? We know how different NBA basketball is; there’s more isolation, more decision-making by the stars.
“First of all, I’ve used various styles with all my teams because there were different players, and you need to know how to adapt the team’s style and method to the talents and skills on the team. I’m glad to say that Cleveland is going to have a great deal of talent in the coming season.”
David Blatt talks LeBron, transition to NBA
The Cleveland Cavaliers have picked up both LeBron James and all-star Kevin Love in the offseason. The team’s new Israeli-American coach gives Haaretz his take.
By Irad Tsafrir | Sep. 1, 2014 | 2:30 AM
David Blatt, left, at a news conference, with Cavs general manager David Griffin, June 25, 2014. Photo by AP
I see that your son Tamir has signed on for four years with Hapoel Tel Aviv. Very nice.
“Yes, that is very nice.”
Did anything in particular lead to that choice?
“Tamir is starting a career at the higher levels. He played for Ramat Hasharon and will now be part of Hapoel Tel Aviv. But I don’t do newspaper interviews about my son. That's my son’s career. It has nothing to do with me.”
Yes, but he’s still your son. Surely you’re part of the decision-making process.
“We parents are part of everything, you know.”
Okay, so how long will you be in Israel?
“I’ll be going back to the United States very soon.”
When you signed with Cleveland, were you aware that the team was going to be built with players likeLeBron James and Kevin Love?
“We wanted to build a team that would be good for the present and the future, and I think we’ve succeeded. About whether we could be sure when I signed that it was going to come out the way it did — I couldn’t tell you that.”
Did you have the slightest idea you were going to get LeBron?
“LeBron was a free agent. We were among the teams that were capable of bringing him in, but to say that it was 80 to 90 percent? No, that’s not true.”
But you knew it was on the agenda.
“The possibility was there.”
It’s a big deal to get players like that, plus Shawn Marion, and Kyrie Irving is already there. How do you deal with the expectations that creates? You’re the number-one contender for the championship.
“Now you’re sounding like a reporter who isn’t serious.”
Why?
“Do you know how many times I hear things like that? There are always expectations of one kind or another in professional sports, and they’re nothing to be afraid of. The main thing is to work well and right, and with the belief that you can fulfill the potential of the team you have. Sometimes it takes longer, but you have to stick with the team’s principles, values and path. I think we’ve gotten off to a good start.”
Yes. You know how it works in the NBA. Some teams are built to be a championship contender. In some cases, as has happened with you, a team that was one of the weakest in the league becomes a championship contender over one summer.
“There’s no doubt that when you bring in players of the caliber of LeBron and Kevin Love and Shawn Marion and Mike Miller, you upgrade yourself in quite a few ways. David Griffin, our general manager, deserves a lot of credit, as do the Cleveland Cavaliers’ owners, who show the whole state of Ohio how committed they are to the team’s success — present and future.”
When they sat with you, did they say: “David, we want to build a team this year that’s going to go all the way?”
“I think that sooner or later every professional team wants to accomplish that goal.”
But in the NBA, there are seasons where you don’t think about the championship at all, but only about future drafts.
“True, that’s also part of the plan. They told me this year that they wanted to build a team for the present and the future.”
It’s well known that in the NBA the general manager and management set the signing policy. How much of a role do you play in deciding who the incoming players will be?
“I’m involved in decisions about building the team, but in the end the decisions are made by the general manager.”
How exciting is it for you to make such a sharp transition to the biggest stage, with the best players? After all, LeBron and Love are superstars.
“Don’t forget that last year I worked with a team that’s the European champion. I had a great time, and I’m going to have a great time coaching players at the highest level in the world.”
One last thing: How is the playing style hat you will be teaching different from the style that you taught your previous teams? We know how different NBA basketball is; there’s more isolation, more decision-making by the stars.
“First of all, I’ve used various styles with all my teams because there were different players, and you need to know how to adapt the team’s style and method to the talents and skills on the team. I’m glad to say that Cleveland is going to have a great deal of talent in the coming season.”
Tornicade
2018 RBF League Champion
- Joined
- May 11, 2011
- Messages
- 17,542
- Reaction score
- 10,441
- Points
- 123
David Blatt is the king of saying nothing. I think his talking will be done on the court. the again . what does he really have to say at this point. When the team starts practicing is when he will start working on how to play them
bony
Rookie
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2014
- Messages
- 15
- Reaction score
- 47
- Points
- 13
This latest news about David Blatt from Israel:
david blatt Spoke to reporters before the flight to clevland, and said:
"I get a month of preparation, before the players enter the official training camp, on 28 September," "this month where players can come and work on a personal level, but not at the level of the team. Mostly a chance for me to unite the professional staff and work on programs with which run plan to all year., I look forward to the challenge, and as usual I will give everything I have to help my team succeed and reach as far as possible. sure I'll miss everyone, but everyone always will be part of I am. ".
------ I am constantly updating the Facebook page of David Blatt full news before anyone else, in United States... https://www.facebook.com/pages/David-blatt/283629431823607
Source: http://nba.sport5.co.il/articles.aspx?FolderID=403&docID=175029&lang=HE
david blatt Spoke to reporters before the flight to clevland, and said:
"I get a month of preparation, before the players enter the official training camp, on 28 September," "this month where players can come and work on a personal level, but not at the level of the team. Mostly a chance for me to unite the professional staff and work on programs with which run plan to all year., I look forward to the challenge, and as usual I will give everything I have to help my team succeed and reach as far as possible. sure I'll miss everyone, but everyone always will be part of I am. ".
------ I am constantly updating the Facebook page of David Blatt full news before anyone else, in United States... https://www.facebook.com/pages/David-blatt/283629431823607
Source: http://nba.sport5.co.il/articles.aspx?FolderID=403&docID=175029&lang=HE
kovanovich
Sixth Man
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2009
- Messages
- 2,192
- Reaction score
- 2,101
- Points
- 113
Interesting article on Ettore Messina, especially for the bits on David Blatt....
http://www.expressnews.com/sports/c...hp?cmpid=twitter-premium&t=5fe8ecdf44ebaa2aab
http://www.expressnews.com/sports/c...hp?cmpid=twitter-premium&t=5fe8ecdf44ebaa2aab
PriceFan14
Situational Stopper
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2014
- Messages
- 205
- Reaction score
- 347
- Points
- 63
Since Mark Jackson got a deal from Rich Paul; I hate when media members who don't know Blatt in general comes and say ''Ohhh that's the one who's coming ha'' Just hate it.
I saw only David Thorpe, Kevin Pelton, Zack Lowe know Blatt well which all are great writers.
I saw only David Thorpe, Kevin Pelton, Zack Lowe know Blatt well which all are great writers.
PriceFan14
Situational Stopper
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2014
- Messages
- 205
- Reaction score
- 347
- Points
- 63
Cleveland Cavaliers: Get To Know David Blatt
http://hoopshabit.com/2014/09/08/cleveland-cavaliers-get-know-david-blatt/
In a summer full of wild signings, big trades and furious flurries of duct taping burnt jerseys back together, those in Cleveland are left smiling ear-to-ear with less than two months to go before the 2014-15 NBA season tips off.
But one of the more underrated stories of this Cleveland Cavaliers offseason has been the hiring of new head coach David Blatt. It’s easy to get distracted by the rest of what’s happening with the team (“MOM, WHERE’S THE DUCT TAPE?!”), but the fact remains that this is the guy who is going to be leading the Cavs along with golden boyLeBron James.
So for those who don’t know much about Blatt, or what he’s all about, get ready to buckle up.
Blatt is 55 years old and has coached for 21 of those years. He’s from Framingham, Massachusetts and went to school at Princeton, where he played point guard for Pete Carril, the creator of the so-called “Princeton Offense.” Thus, Blatt’s coaching style revolves around the Princeton Offense with slight tweaks here and there that he’s made over the years.
He’s managed to adapt his system to different players many times during his coaching career, which is probably how he was able to win 17 championships in different leagues and tournaments. According to Danny Chau of Grantland, he’s also one of five coaches ever that has won a EuroBasket title (2007), a Euroleague title (2014) and a medal at the Olympics (2012; he coached Russia). Most recently, Blatt coached the Euroleague team, Maccabi Tel Aviv, to a 54-18 record this past season and eventually ended up winning the Euroleague Championship.
Whew, not a bad resumé, huh?
And not only that, but the players he’s coached in the past have said that they really enjoyed having him as their leader. In fact, back in the 2012 Olympics, Dave D’Alessandro of The Star-Ledger newspaper wrote that Andrei Kirilenko said he believed Blatt to be a better coach than legendary former Lakers head honcho Phil Jackson. In that same article, Steve Mills (former Madison Square Garden president) was quoted as saying, “The record he’s had in Europe, where he’s dealing with NBA-caliber players all the time, shows that he’s as good as anyone”.
So people believe in him. He’s got the coaching records. He’s got a great pedigree coming from Princeton. How about making that work with these new Cleveland Cavaliers?
Well, Blatt’s system is something similar to what the San Antonio Spurs like to do, which isn’t surprising since the Spurs have been said to look like a European-esque team in their offensive attack. There is lots of movement in Blatt’s system, with backdoor cuts and swinging passes that open up various options to inflict damage on the opposing defense.
If played to perfection, some players might see a bit of a drop in their personal stats, since the system is more team-oriented. But then the question comes up: what’s more important, stats or wins? Obviously, most would take the latter and that includes the likes of LeBron, who knows he needs a good team around him to make such a thing happen and so that he doesn’t have to carry the offensive load anymore.
One of the key elements to the way Blatt’s system already is will be the opening of lanes to the basket. With such proposed ball movement, players like LeBron and Kyrie Irving should have less of a problem driving to the rim as the area won’t be clogged with defenders. Isolation ball should almost never be seen unless there’s a final shot that needs to be taken or something.
This will be pleasantly different for James, who dealt with a lot of standing around during his tenure with the Miami Heat:
Another key cog in Blatt’s system is the stretch-four, which (oh my goodness!) the Cavs just happen to have the NBA’s best in Kevin Love. Having a big who can shoot consistently from beyond the arc will be a huge benefit to the club, as he can pull opposing big men out of the paint and give even more space to slashers. The fact that Love can also dominate on the boards like he can is almost an extremely good bonus. Like going to the movies and discovering that if you buy a ticket, you also get free popcorn.
Boris Diaw (who plays power forward) was able to do this sort of thing for the Spurs to a lesser extent. During San Antonio’s playoff run last season, he shot 40 percent from deep on two three-point field goal attempts per game.
As it is, there is every reason to be excited about David Blatt if you’re a Cavs fan. Sure this is his first year in the NBA, but if history has anything to say about it, it’ll be a good one.
http://hoopshabit.com/2014/09/08/cleveland-cavaliers-get-know-david-blatt/
In a summer full of wild signings, big trades and furious flurries of duct taping burnt jerseys back together, those in Cleveland are left smiling ear-to-ear with less than two months to go before the 2014-15 NBA season tips off.
But one of the more underrated stories of this Cleveland Cavaliers offseason has been the hiring of new head coach David Blatt. It’s easy to get distracted by the rest of what’s happening with the team (“MOM, WHERE’S THE DUCT TAPE?!”), but the fact remains that this is the guy who is going to be leading the Cavs along with golden boyLeBron James.
So for those who don’t know much about Blatt, or what he’s all about, get ready to buckle up.
Blatt is 55 years old and has coached for 21 of those years. He’s from Framingham, Massachusetts and went to school at Princeton, where he played point guard for Pete Carril, the creator of the so-called “Princeton Offense.” Thus, Blatt’s coaching style revolves around the Princeton Offense with slight tweaks here and there that he’s made over the years.
He’s managed to adapt his system to different players many times during his coaching career, which is probably how he was able to win 17 championships in different leagues and tournaments. According to Danny Chau of Grantland, he’s also one of five coaches ever that has won a EuroBasket title (2007), a Euroleague title (2014) and a medal at the Olympics (2012; he coached Russia). Most recently, Blatt coached the Euroleague team, Maccabi Tel Aviv, to a 54-18 record this past season and eventually ended up winning the Euroleague Championship.
Whew, not a bad resumé, huh?
And not only that, but the players he’s coached in the past have said that they really enjoyed having him as their leader. In fact, back in the 2012 Olympics, Dave D’Alessandro of The Star-Ledger newspaper wrote that Andrei Kirilenko said he believed Blatt to be a better coach than legendary former Lakers head honcho Phil Jackson. In that same article, Steve Mills (former Madison Square Garden president) was quoted as saying, “The record he’s had in Europe, where he’s dealing with NBA-caliber players all the time, shows that he’s as good as anyone”.
So people believe in him. He’s got the coaching records. He’s got a great pedigree coming from Princeton. How about making that work with these new Cleveland Cavaliers?
Well, Blatt’s system is something similar to what the San Antonio Spurs like to do, which isn’t surprising since the Spurs have been said to look like a European-esque team in their offensive attack. There is lots of movement in Blatt’s system, with backdoor cuts and swinging passes that open up various options to inflict damage on the opposing defense.
If played to perfection, some players might see a bit of a drop in their personal stats, since the system is more team-oriented. But then the question comes up: what’s more important, stats or wins? Obviously, most would take the latter and that includes the likes of LeBron, who knows he needs a good team around him to make such a thing happen and so that he doesn’t have to carry the offensive load anymore.
One of the key elements to the way Blatt’s system already is will be the opening of lanes to the basket. With such proposed ball movement, players like LeBron and Kyrie Irving should have less of a problem driving to the rim as the area won’t be clogged with defenders. Isolation ball should almost never be seen unless there’s a final shot that needs to be taken or something.
This will be pleasantly different for James, who dealt with a lot of standing around during his tenure with the Miami Heat:
Another key cog in Blatt’s system is the stretch-four, which (oh my goodness!) the Cavs just happen to have the NBA’s best in Kevin Love. Having a big who can shoot consistently from beyond the arc will be a huge benefit to the club, as he can pull opposing big men out of the paint and give even more space to slashers. The fact that Love can also dominate on the boards like he can is almost an extremely good bonus. Like going to the movies and discovering that if you buy a ticket, you also get free popcorn.
Boris Diaw (who plays power forward) was able to do this sort of thing for the Spurs to a lesser extent. During San Antonio’s playoff run last season, he shot 40 percent from deep on two three-point field goal attempts per game.
As it is, there is every reason to be excited about David Blatt if you’re a Cavs fan. Sure this is his first year in the NBA, but if history has anything to say about it, it’ll be a good one.
- Status