As the Cleveland Cavaliers head into another “must win” game tonight against the Indiana Pacers, down 2-1 in the best of seven series, the heat is getting turned up on coach Tyronn Lue.
Many people, including us, have been critical of Lue’s substitution patterns and the wine and gold’s defensive scheme, which centers on having players who can defend multiple positions.
He has had problems incorporating the four players GM Koby Altman acquired at the trade deadline into the mix. Outside of Larry Nance Jr., and we are stretching it with that, none of the new guys appear to know what they are supposed to do on a night in, night out basis.
However, when Lue took over the head coaching reins midway through the 2015-16 campaign, he took over a pretty much a veteran unit.
The only younger guy he inherited was Matthew Dellavedova, who was in his third NBA season, and was a backup point guard and defensive specialist.
Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, and Iman Shumpert were in the fifth NBA seasons, and they all understood what their roles were. Irving was the second option offensively, capable of explosive performances.
Thompson and Shumpert were defensive players based on hustle and grit.
The primary bench options on that team were veterans like Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye, and Mo Williams.
Lue’s biggest move upon taking over the team was to get them to play at a faster pace. He famously said the Cavs were not in shape to play the up tempo game he wanted.
Now, switch to 2017-18, and the Cavaliers are a much different team.
Yes, there still is experience with James and Kyle Korver (15th season), JR Smith (14th), Jose Calderon (13th), and Jeff Green and George Hill (10th), but after the deadline moves, there are also a lot of younger players in the rotation.
Nance is in his third year, while Rodney Hood and Jordan Clarkson are both in their fourth seasons, and of that trio, only Hood has been on a winning team prior to coming to Cleveland.
Cedi Osman is a rookie, and although he has shown promise that he can contribute to this team, the coaching staff seemed bothered by his presence, giving him real minutes only after the trade, and many times that was due to necessity.
What we are trying to say is Lue didn’t have experience as a head coach in developing young players, and that’s what was needed after Altman turned over the roster.
The coaching staff appears to be throwing these young players out there and seeing if they can figure it out, that doesn’t always work.
At least one media member has pointed out that the four new guys played better before the coaching staff started giving them instructions and direction.
Remember the two games right after the deals? The road wins over Boston and Oklahoma City might have been the two best wins of the season for Cleveland. The newcomers just went out and played basketball.
Even the veterans who started the season, save for Dwyane Wade, looked lost at times, not sure of what they were supposed to do. Jae Crowder didn’t look remotely like the player he was in Boston, but he’s contributing for Utah right now.
NBA head coaches are used to change a team’s culture, which Lue was brought in to do in 2016. Other times, they are needed to coach, to develop younger talent. That’s wasn’t Tyronn Lue’s job when he took over.
But that’s what is needed now.
JK
Cleveland Sports Perspective 