David Blatt is a former NBA coach

[Gus Zing]

Blatt has done a great job managing LeBron's mins.

Just curious. If Kyrie wasnt hurt would it have been a good time to rest LeBron tonight?

Welp. Looks like Blatt saw this.

 

[Douglar]

What Blatt may not get credit for is that he doesn't seem to care if someone perceives him only as the guy who drives the bus to the bowling alley. He knows what he's contributing, and he knows that the coach isn't the star, and shouldn't try to be. The bottom line for the coach is wins, and nothing more..

That's all true as long as you don't call him a rookie coach. That's the one thing he can't seem to stomach, even if he was coaching like one back in December.

 

[Sebastian]

Was there a reason Mozgov played so few minutes?

 

[Tazoz]

I have a feeling that Blatt really did decide to give up on the Indiana game for the sake of testing certain players and challenging them. That's why he gave Miller, Delly and JJ so much time instead of playing Smith and Mozgov for 38 minutes each and Love only played 36. In the end, it is still likely that we finish second place despite the fact that we lost today and even third place is not that bad. What matters right now is for the team to reach peak conditioning towards the start of the playoffs and if we have to sacrifice a game to that end, so be it.

 

[Helium filament]

Would have liked to see Joe Harris get some play time. I'm still not happy with how Blatt manages rotations when any player is injured, but it is what it is at this point.

 

[Douglar]

Would have liked to see Joe Harris get some play time. I'm still not happy with how Blatt manages rotations when any player is injured, but it is what it is at this point.

I think right now as we get close to the playoffs, the team's desire to investigate the "state of the vets" and need to explore Shupert's "gamespeed" guard skills outweighed the need to get Harris more development time.

 

[Akron330]

I like Blatt, but had a real problem with some of his decisions today.

Why sit Love for so long?
Why does Moz play 18 minutes?
Why does Delly play over 40 fucking minutes?

Love was in a rhythm and then was pulled. Moz had a huge impact on the game and then we don't see him again? Shumpert isn't a better option than Delly?

 

[arielp100]

I like Blatt, but had a real problem with some of his decisions today.

Why sit Love for so long?
Why does Moz play 18 minutes?
Why does Delly play over 40 fucking minutes?

Love was in a rhythm and then was pulled. Moz had a huge impact on the game and then we don't see him again? Shumpert isn't a better option than Delly?

You were writing this if Lebron was hitting those 2 free throws and win the game ? I dont think so ..
I agree with you on Mozgov , but Tristan Thompsn did incredible job

 

[Sean King 87]

We forgot that our best run came with our second unit. Blatt gave credit to the players that showed him they can beat the Rockets today. The result of his decision: 2 FT from a win.

 

[The Red Viper]

People need to lay off him. The criticism earlier in the year regarding his rotations and later during that awful phase where the team was playing BAD basketball was justified but today? I don't think he deserves any criticism. Sure he made a couple of mistakes but everyone does that. We have to remember he is still a rookie coach in the NBA and this is a learning experience for him as well just like the rest of the time. What matters is, he has shown plenty of promise that he can be a very good coach in this league.

 

[kovanovich]

Well, Blatt countered Houston's small front court (often with Terrence Jones and Josh Smith) by going small.

I can't help but wonder what would have happened if Blatt had stuck with Mozgov, who had a size advantage even against D-Mo and was being effective early on. It would have forced Houston to react to the Cavs' lineup, rather than the Cavs react to the smallball.

Delly's obituary has been written many times already this year, but I have little doubt he will continue to play and see substantial minutes.

My thinking is the Cavs will need to devote substantial resources this summer on a backup PG. Quite possibly the taxpayers MLE. They need a guy who can handle the ball and at least credibly set up the offense.

 

[BimboColesHair]

I like Blatt, but had a real problem with some of his decisions today.

Why sit Love for so long?
Why does Moz play 18 minutes?
Why does Delly play over 40 fucking minutes?

Love was in a rhythm and then was pulled. Moz had a huge impact on the game and then we don't see him again? Shumpert isn't a better option than Delly?

Why does Love sit for so long? Foul trouble killed his minutes in the 1st and Blatt rolled with the small lineup that erased the 8 point deficit and had the Cavs in the lead for nearly half of the 4th.

Why does Moz play 18 minutes? He couldn't close out on the 3 point line on Motiejunas, and was getting owned by Motiejunas in the post...oh, and Tristan was grabbing every rebound in sight, so how can you sit him?

Why does Delly play over 40 minutes? Well, for one, Kyrie is hurt and we have no other legit PG on the team. Shumpert was getting a little turnover happy, was in foul trouble, and couldn't hit a shot all game. Plus the game went into OT and Delly played all 5 minutes.

 

[godfather]

I don't think it was his best day coaching, but I don't think he should be thrown into the flames either.

 

[davoor]

Well, Blatt countered Houston's small front court (often with Terrence Jones and Josh Smith) by going small.

I can't help but wonder what would have happened if Blatt had stuck with Mozgov, who had a size advantage even against D-Mo and was being effective early on. It would have forced Houston to react to the Cavs' lineup, rather than the Cavs react to the smallball.

Delly's obituary has been written many times already this year, but I have little doubt he will continue to play and see substantial minutes.

My thinking is the Cavs will need to devote substantial resources this summer on a backup PG. Quite possibly the taxpayers MLE. They need a guy who can handle the ball and at least credibly set up the offense.

I still hope we somehow get Mo... he is a free agent if I recall correctly. I know we didn't have the pieces to trade for him but he would've been fantastic these last two games. I mean he's surely better than Delly.

 

[gourimoko]

Well, Blatt countered Houston's small front court (often with Terrence Jones and Josh Smith) by going small.

I can't help but wonder what would have happened if Blatt had stuck with Mozgov, who had a size advantage even against D-Mo and was being effective early on. It would have forced Houston to react to the Cavs' lineup, rather than the Cavs react to the smallball.

Delly's obituary has been written many times already this year, but I have little doubt he will continue to play and see substantial minutes.

My thinking is the Cavs will need to devote substantial resources this summer on a backup PG. Quite possibly the taxpayers MLE. They need a guy who can handle the ball and at least credibly set up the offense.

Great post.

You nailed it. We fucked up going small.. No need to do it. He should've known Mozgov is the lynchpin of our interior defense.