David Blatt is a former NBA coach

[LeShaq]

Here are the postgame videos. Love, TT, Blatt, LeBron.

Blatt
http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/video/.../1448510950299-151125-Coach-PostGM.mov-138299

LeBron
http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/video/...26/1448511127872-151125-LBJ-PostGM.mov-138313

Love
http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/video/.../1448511536839-151125-KLove-PostGM.mov-138323

Tristan
http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/video/.../26/1448511698920-151125-TT-PostGM.mov-138346

Blatt basically says that the team looked tired in the 4th, which they did. Tired from being short-handed, which is true.

LeBron is mad, still not happy from whatever he said in the players only meeting. But I think he makes great points and I like that he won't use the fatigue or injuries as excuses.

Love and Thompson say things that let you know what was said in the players only meeting. Like:

- We must play more physical
- We're better when we play physical
- We have to play harder on the road
- Physicality is a mindset
- We have to improve

The team will be fine, and we are hurt and short handed, but I actually like that James and Jones got on the team after the loss. I think that will help them down the line.

We probably won't catch the Warriors, so that means we will have to beat them in their house (if we meet them in the Finals) to win the title. Winning on the road and having the proper mindset for that will be key for this group to develop, I think.

 

[mhi]

I hate that Blatt is still using excuses (real or perceived). Again, a leader never does (see LJ).

Also we need more D in our rotation. Replace AV's minutes with Kaun, as it is, AV can barely get up and down the court.

 

[Frank Reynolds]

I think we get caught up on the record way too much.

The Cavaliers haven't looked that great all season long. Yes, we're winning; yes, we have a winning record. But, we are underperforming.

I think I'll go with James on this one. A player's only meeting does sound pretty ominous, but, there is likely something wrong with the team if such a meeting were necessary.

But if we had our entire squad together, would James still be calling these meetings and making those types of observations? Or would this all go by the wayside?

 

[Lee]

I think the injuries cannot be over looked at all. We are missing 3 starters right now, 2 all season, and now our best bench player is sitting (maybe 2nd best)

Our bench is thin because of this and our starters right now don't fit together correctly because it is a patch work starting lineup.

They seemed more tired than disinterested to me.

 

[All4One1ForAll]

That's our specialty. See: Lou Williams, Shelvin Mack, and Andrew Nicholson. Next up: Dion Waiters.

Don't forget Ryan Anderson, Michael Carter-Williams, Mike Dunleavy, and Monta Ellis. Certified Cavs killers.

 

[Chris Parker]

Don't forget Ryan Anderson, Michael Carter-Williams, Mike Dunleavy, and Monta Ellis. Certified Cavs killers.

Kent Bazemore and Justin Holiday also received the Benchwarmers Bonus from the Cavs in January last year.

 

[bobcat22]

Here's the money quote from JJ on why the meeting was called:

"We're not a team that's chasing mediocrity. Being 'solid' isn't good enough."

They are worried these are starting to become habits and LBJ and JJ know this attitude gets you knocked out early in the playoffs. LBJ isn't dumb, he knows the injuries are tough to overcome, so I'm sure he could live with a loss where they played hard but didn't have shots fall.

 

[Sean King 87]

Drives me crazy that GSW's supporters always defending them by explaining that they have no key injuries because they're managing minutes in a perfect way so no player would get too many minutes, "unlike the Cavs". actually I can't see any connection between the number of minutes our players playing to the injuries they have/had. The Love's injury in the playoffs has no any connection to the number of minutes he played. It was Olynyk. Kyrie's injury last years has no connection to the number of minutes he played, it was again a bad luck in a game situation. Shumpert- obviously not because of his minutes. Mozgov- actually last year people wanted to play him much more than he did. Delly- bench player, not playing much minutes. Mo- just started the season with us and still got injury.

Remember Curry at the playoffs last year when he falls on his head and only luck saved him from being out for the next of the playoffs? this is luck. So don't get me wrong, I want nothing more than meeting GSW in the finals again whey they are fully healthy, but so we are.

 

[mhi]

I mean take a look at this play and tell me what it has to do with injuries.

 

[SteelSmack]

I mean take a look at this play and tell me what it has to do with injuries.

Mo Williams let his man drive right to the basket so help defense had to come from the weakside. If that's Delly, that play isn't made so easily.

 

[Zeus69]

But if we had our entire squad together, would James still be calling these meetings and making those types of observations? Or would this all go by the wayside?

I think Lebron is irritated as shit that GS is 16-0. He'd still be calling meetings if we had our full squad and somehow had same 11-4 record.

 

[Joe Henderson]

I hate that Blatt is still using excuses (real or perceived). Again, a leader never does (see LJ).

Also we need more D in our rotation. Replace AV's minutes with Kaun, as it is, AV can barely get up and down the court.

my bad. delete

 

[buzzdog]

LeBron needs to look in the mirror. He made his share of losing plays.

 

[AmirT0]

I agree.

In a vacuum, we're not in bad shape. But we have to measure up to Golden State, who is clearly playing with a chip on its shoulder and seems fully dialed in for a repeat. The Spurs are still out there as well. As are the Thunder.

LeBron said from the start of the year, I believe, that the team was lacking in purpose and focus. This isn't a new issue. And it's not about the record, it's about habits. The way we looked in Toronto in the 4th was really tough to watch.

Sure we'll be better when we're healthy. But what if we have more injuries in the playoffs? What if "the cavalry" never fully arrives?

We're complacent right now it seems like to me. LeBron doesn't have time for that. Last year was kind of a "gimmie" year but this season is not. LeBron wants to win now and I'm glad he and Jones are trying to get that across to the team.

We need more urgency. That doesn't mean we have to peak now, but we have to play with more force.

Hopefully this players only meeting will help achieve that purpose. We're better than what we've showed, even with the injuries.

I agree. I think LBJ just looking at the 4th Q collapse from 2 point deficit at end of 3rd.That effort is just not acceptable to him. I think if the Raptors win because they play at a high level and Lowry/Derozen kill us and make one more play, while you play solid defense without stupid and 1s and blown assignments,we just take the loss and move on. You get fucking Biyambo dance in the paint and our bigs get abused in the crunch by him and Lowry - you call a players only meeting. The final 6 minutes were played ,even with the guys we have, the way a middle of the pack team would play it out not championship caliber team. I understands we are missing guys, and Blatt is right,they were tired.But Lebron can't accept implosion like that when we still closed with Mo,RJ(JR),Love,TT,and Bron. These 5 dudes can't have the Raptors just run away with the game like that.
We are measuring ourselves against the top 3 teams in the west. We drop road games to Bucks,Detroit and Raps and can't close the deal in close games. It's not good enough. The Kings won in Milwaukee without Cousins last night.
I was harsh on Cunningham but he is really inconsequential. JR is way more important and defensively he was terrible in this game. No Kyrie,Shump,Delly that's a game when he can make win/lose difference and all I've seen from him was fouls(including real bad ones) and whining to the refs.


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[6kiss]

Blatts lineups are a complete and utter joke. Biambo looks like an allstar out there because Blatt is for some reason using a line up that consists of only one big man, and that was Love. Love has to switch to double which leads for wide open dunks. I have no idea why James Jones is playing so much, let alone playing at all. The dude is 100% awful. Unless his shot in on, hes literally a useless body out there. He cant defend, he cant rebound. Wouldnt this be a good time to see what Sasha Kaun has? Is he not the one that would outplay Mozgov in international play? Our depth is useless because Blatt doesnt utilize it. Andy for some reason is barely seeing playing time.

I seriously hate Blatt. Hes a good character but his coaching skills are highly questionable. Not only that, the guy has excuses for days when we lose.