David Blatt is a former NBA coach

[JSS2306]

Yes, James has been a mess -- but unlike a lot of Cavs fans, I watched the Heat, maybe just as a self-inflicted sort of torture. But, James has these moments where he plays like shit. I'm not surprised or worried about LeBron at all.. Not a bit.

He's never played three awful games in a row in his career. I'm a little concerned because the way I felt watching the Heat lose in spectacular fashion in the finals to the Spurs is a very similar feeling I have watching this Cavs team struggle right now.

He was not the same LeBron last year in those finals. He put up some numbers but that's about it. He was pretty pedestrian in all other facets and seemed a step or two behind.

That's besides the point, my biggest fear is that we would turn Kevin Love into LeBron's Chris Bosh and it's becoming reality. Now I don't believe that was Blatt's intentions and I don't believe that was Kevin's intentions when he decided to come here and he's said as much.

There is one common denominator in this equation and that is LeBron James. This is my one criticism of the guy. For whatever reasons, LeBron would rather drive into the paint and go up against 3 defenders than to defer to his wide open knockdown shooter powerforwards. Kevin Love has a mid range game and post up game. Utilizing them benefits everybody on the floor.

I just don't believe that our main issue right now is with the coaching staff which not only consist of Blatt but also coach Lue. These players have the best of all worlds as far as coaching is concerned. There's no excuse.

 

[gourimoko]

It is the coach's job to ensure Love get's the ball.. If James isn't listening, what is the point of having Blatt coach the team?

 

[shoes22]

It is the coach's job to ensure Love get's the ball.. If James isn't listening, what is the point of having Blatt coach the team?

Because when it comes to on the court decision making, when LeBron has the ball in his hands he will ALWAYS rely on his own intuition over any set play or direction from the coach. What don't you get about that?

 

[D10S]

Some late night fun on the rotations/minutes

For the visually inclined. Highlighted periods where only one of the big three are on the floor. Irving and LeBron both have a single two-minute stretch. Love has two and both are a bit longer.

 

[gourimoko]

Because when it comes to on the court decision making, when LeBron has the ball in his hands he will ALWAYS rely on his own intuition over any set play or direction from the coach. What don't you get about that?

I love it when people are condescending over the internet when they disagree with you.. Well, in turn, let me put it in simpler terms for you...

I am not referencing a single play. Who cares about a single play?

I'm talking about the past 11 games.. Blatt's job is not to control the course of a single possession, but to dictate the system on a larger scale, both offensively and defensively.

Are you saying that it's LeBron's fault that Love is averaging record low FGA? It's LeBron who is placing Kevin in the various positions he finds himself on the floor -- or is Kevin, according to his own words, simply trying to find himself within the system? Did LeBron design this "system" or was it Blatt?

Are you honestly going to tell me it was LeBron who had Harris in over Waiters? Or overuses and abuses timeouts? Or doesn't understand defensive assignments on hot players like Diaw or Wall or whomever it might be on a given night?

Who are you trying to kid by placing this type of blame on the best player in the world?

What don't you get about the fact that no one is above criticism? Why are we deflecting that criticism, yes only so few games in but still, from Blatt? What is gained but stifling the conversation?

What don't you get about what I've just said? I'm not talking about LeBron James. I'm talking about David Blatt.

I find it funny how people are so willing to heap on criticism on the backs of the Big 3 but not on the coach directing them.

 

[Kizzle]

Seeing Love and 8FGA In the same box score hurts my soul as a basketball fan.

It seems to me that Blatt is coaching in a way that all players are equal. And simply put they arent. His job is to make sure our best players get the most touches. Selflessness is great and being unpredictable is cool but we have 3 guys that ball out. Why in the hell does Andy get more touches than him

 

[gourimoko]

Seeing Love and 8FGA In the same box score hurts my soul as a basketball fan.

It seems to me that Blatt is coaching in a way that all players are equal. And simply put they arent. His job is to make sure our best players get the most touches. Selflessness is great and being unpredictable is cool but we have 3 guys that ball out. Why in the hell does Andy get more touches than him

Agreed 100%.

 

[JSS2306]

I think at this particular time the coach has very little to do with soft defense and sloppy offense. I've seen a lot of the sets and they work great when we are playing on all cylinders.

The players were calling it genius before the season started and I believe it's just a matter of sloppy ball by a few on any given night by any given players that are ruining it for everybody else. The coach can't turn your turnovers into points with a magic wand. Once we clear some of these issues and move the ball with some confidence we'll be fine assuming we are going to get some help with rim protection.

 

[MoFlo]

The bench isn't being put in a good position to succeed in the least bit.

1.) You take Dion out of the lineup because he's not a good fit with the lineup. Yet when he comes in, he subs Marion? Doesn't make much sense.

2.) Harris has been productive in spots, but he's getting way too many minutes way too quickly.

3.) Will Cherry should not even look at the court, let alone step foot on it, unless it's the end of a blowout game.

4.) You cannot put Kyrie on the floor with a rookie (Harris), a guy with little offensive skill (TT), a guy mostly known for his off the ball offense (Marion), and a guy who's best off the ball who's struggling with his shot so far (Miller). To expand, Kyrie should not be on the floor with 4 bench guys. It just causes him to get his tunnel vision back.

5.) The rotations seem to change game by game. Miller went from playing 8 minutes to upwards of 20 to not at all, now to playing again. For some odd reason, Will Cherry found his way into the rotation. Dion's gone from starter to 6th man to not coming in til the 2nd quarter back to 6th man.

Other notes:

6.) Why do we not run our offense through the post? It seems like our go to play is the pick n roll/pop, but LeBron, Kyrie, and Love are all very capable post up players that we can run our offense through. They can all score in the post & are great passers. If we're not running, we should be running our offense through the post with one of them.

7.) I don't think many guys on this team knows their roles. It seems like they all think they can take their guys off the dribble, go one on one, and do what they want with the ball. Why is TT attacking the basket and getting plays ran through him? Is Miller in or out of the rotation? Why does our offense go through Andy when we have our starters in? Is Dion expected to be more of a facilitator or a scorer? What exactly is Love's role & why do we forget about him for LONG stretches? I can go on..

8.) There are way too many long stretches where this team has zero energy and not an ounce of a sense of urgency.

9.) As kizzle stated, everyone seems to think they're on the same level & have the same roles. Love, Kyrie, & LeBron should have the offense ran through them, whether it's through the post or the pick n roll/pop. Everyone needs to know & understand their roles.

I think I'm done with my rant..

 

[col63onel]

So, we're about to lose to lose our 4th in a row, 4th at home. I didn't think that would happen all year. It's happened before November was over.

It's one thing to "have issues" but this team is atrocious. I don't understand how the most talented team looks so bad for a month now.

 

[JSS2306]

There is literally no rotation I've seen so far that has worked. Nothing is working. Our BEST lineups aren't working.

It's deeper than any coaching issue. Much, much deeper.

 

[Simmy]

Just want to re-post this from the game thread:

View: https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/536350517283524608


View: https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/536350866694213632


View: https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/536351342403788800


View: https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/536352092890611712

 

[MoFlo]

There is literally no rotation I've seen so far that has worked. Nothing is working. Our BEST lineups aren't working.

It's deeper than any coaching issue. Much, much deeper.

The rotations keep changing. We're 12 games in and we've already seen:

1.) Dion going from starter to 6th man to being on the bench til the 2nd quarter back to 6th man.

2.) Miller be in the rotation, out of the rotation, then back in the rotation.

3.) A rookie go from not playing at all to playing significant minutes late in close games.

4.) Marion go from playing 10 minutes to starter.

5.) Will Cherry get minutes in close games.

And it's not just about the rotations themselves, but the fact that nobody seems to know their role (not even Love), and guys aren't being put in positions where they can be successful.

 

[JSS2306]

The rotations keep changing. We're 12 games in and we've already seen:

1.) Dion going from starter to 6th man to being on the bench til the 2nd quarter back to 6th man.

2.) Miller be in the rotation, out of the rotation, then back in the rotation.

3.) A rookie go from not playing at all to playing significant minutes late in close games.

4.) Marion go from playing 10 minutes to starter.

5.) Will Cherry get minutes in close games.

And it's not just about the rotations themselves, but the fact that nobody seems to know their role (not even Love), and guys aren't being put in positions where they can be successful.

Literally no line up has properly worked. Blatt is throwing shit at the wall at this point because we can't contain the turnovers, move without ball with some consistency, we make sloppy football plays in the paint (lookin at you Bron Bron) and overall play deficient defense.

We don't have the roster to compete on a night in and night out basis against tough (physically) teams.

Go ahead, hire Marc Jackson but you better tell him to bring his Jesus juice because we're still going to need magic to turn this ship around without any roster changes.

 

[brownsbuck6]

The Cavs have essentially 3 men that are capable of being a head coach on this staff.. it's tough to believe between the three of them they can't figure out a set rotation so these players settle into a role. Either that or Blatt isn't listening to advice. How the hell would we know. But MoFlo is so right.. the rotations are baffling and this shit needs to stop. There will be a damn mutiny if it doesn't. I can only imagine how frustrating it is for the guys.