Thought I'd start a thread for the guy. I think we have officially tapped into a new strength of Mike Brown that he didn't get to show as much his first time around because of the amount of veterans he had to play, the way he had to cater to LeBron, and with the urgency of winning that was required of him. But, after watching Brown thus far throughout the off-season and during this game, you can tell that he was made for this type of situation. He is going to truly thrive in a situation where he home grows his own players and his own culture. Mike Brown's strengths not only include defense, but development as well. I've just been wowed by him thus far is all. This team is being built right.
Gotta love his new-found swag, too.
I've eluded to this as well. When Mike came here in his fIrst go-round as head coach, we never had the team makeup that most coaches like him have, when they receive their very first NBA head coaching gig. You usually get a poor performing younger team, that needs to develop and learn how to play the NBA game.
Mike Brown's strengths as a basketball coach, and how he became so well known and respected as an assistant while at San Antonio, and Indiana was built on his stellar abilities at developing younger talent, and building a defense first mentality with players looking to grow and develop their games from zone based college, to NBA styles.
The team he was handed here in Cleveland had a few young talents in Lebron and Varejao, whom he truly did develop into not only good defenders, but possibly the very best at their positions in the entire NBA. But, for the most part the team he got was an older mish/mash of narrow skill set vets. His preoccupation was finding ways to get them to play off each others limited skills, to form a decent team chemistry mix with Lebron James. As I look back at his job performance now, and really looking at the talent he had on-hand in an objective manner ...he did a much better job than I ever gave him credit for, at that time.
Then, you look at the job he was handed in LA, and you had much of the same as well..
Fast forward to this Cleveland club, and what we have..and where Mike Brown IS, as an NBA head coach... I honestly believe that a more perfect marriage could not possibly be found for each entity at this particular place and time. I truly think the stars could not be more perfectly aligned,...for development and success. This is one of those 2013-14 NBA Coach of the Year type deals that takes Mike Brown's industry reputation, and pushes him up to one of those top end guys within the NBA, imho...
I think he's got top end raw gifted talent, that is the perfect compliment for what he can take and mold into something very special.. As for Kyrie..he got a few key years with a guy like Byron who could lock him into what he does best, and round that offensive game to where it is, and that is great.. But, now ..we got the winning edge element coming in now that polishes the talent into what separates pure stats, into W's.
Mike Brown now has that perfect team element that can allow him to put on display for all to see, his greatest strengths as a basketball coach. I truly believe that by year's end we will be looked at as one of the very best rising young teams in all the NBA... and Mike Brown as one of the best head coaches in all the league as well. I'LL SAY IT NOW.. If not the NBA Coach of the Year ..he will be one of the top candidates.