Yesterday’s Cavaliers loss to the Phoenix Suns means the wine and gold have now lost three home games in a row, and have dropped six of eight overall. What is very interesting is the players starting to make little comments showing they don’t have the utmost faith in Head Coach Mike Brown, which can’t be very comforting for him. Larry Hughes talked about how the team needs to run more, and LeBron James discussed how Suns Coach Mike D’Antoni is an offensive genius. Is there a coaching change on the horizon? Should there be?
The fact that the team’s star player doesn’t appear to be on the same page as the coach, doesn’t bode well for Mike Brown. However, LBJ is very conscious of his image, so he’s not going to pull a Magic Johnson and call for Brown’s dismissal. But, if things don’t improve soon and the Cavs are dumped in the opening round of this year’s playoffs, it would not be surprising at all if a new guy is guiding the team at the beginning of the 2007-08 season.
That Brown has made the Cavs a better defensive team is without question. When he came here, this team had serious defensive weaknesses. Now, the wine and gold are among the better teams in the NBA at stopping their opponents. They rank 8th in the league in points allowed, and are in the top half (13th) in the NBA is field goal percentage against. They are holding teams to 45% shooting. However, his offense strategy and philosophy is terrible.
The thought of playing defense and not running is insane. The Cavs should be using their defense to initiate a running game. Instead, they are content to walk the ball up the floor. The Bill Russell led Celtic teams all used defense to fuel a running game. In fact, the best way to run a fast break is to play good D, get the rebound, and kick the ball out and go. Brown’s defensive philosophy is to play solid defense, and then walk the ball up the floor. Perhaps that’s because Eric Snow cannot push the ball, but Larry Hughes can and so can James. Hughes’ comments yesterday seem to show that the coach doesn’t want them to run.
With players who can run the floor like LeBron, Hughes, Drew Gooden, Anderson Varajao, Daniel Gibson, and even Sasha Pavlovic, there is no reason the team should play up and down. By the way, Zydrunas Ilgauskas doesn’t impede the team from running. Most centers are not flying up the floor on the fast break. Also, this team is not a great shooting team. Therefore, the best way to get easy points is to get out and run. I think everyone would agree that the Dallas Mavericks are an uptempo offensive team, yet they are in the top five in the league in points allowed. They play good defense.
Offensively, the Cavs are better suited to an up and down game. They should be looking to run at all opportunities, especially early in the game. If the fast break isn’t there, then wait for Z to get down the floor and work your half court offense. It’s the same formula the Lakers used in the 1980’s, and there is no reason it can’t work now. Of course, it has to be a philsophy and a commitment must be made to running. There is no reason the team can’t run with Eric Snow as the point guard. You don’t have to have blazing speed, you just have to make a effort to run. The team needs to look to push the ball.
As a coach, Brown gets all the credit in the world for improving the team’s defense. Now, the offense appears stagnant. Too many threes in the half court set, not utilizing Ilgauskas, no one who can penetrate and kick it out. If Brown doesn’t know how to fix it, he better bring someone who can as a coach. His future employment may depend on it.
JK
Cleveland Sports Perspective 