2015-16 NBA Eastern Conference OFFICIAL THREAD

[bksballer89]

Might have to listen to that. Did he go into more detail at all... or did he basically just say that?

Honestly I was leaving for work as he was getting into it so wasn't able to listen further.

 

[gordontrue]

I know a lot of people are having a hayday over this tweet by some Cleveland media hack...



... but this is just horrible journalism. Lue didn't say anything remotely close to that. He said in the Raptors game he wanted to pull LeBron out for a couple minutes but LeBron didn't want to and asked to stay in. He let him stay in. He said he should've taken him out anyway... then he benched him for an entire game despite LeBron not wanting to sit out. Lue is in control... he's just willing to acquiesce sometimes. This time he thinks it was a mistake.

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

LUE and Irving butting heads already???
Does LEBRON stick around if this is the nonstop dysfunctional shit-storm that always happens in Cleveland??

They win because LEBRON is talented beyond comparison. He is a once in a lifetime transcendent player.
They don't win because of some great organization that some Cavs fans suggest.

Everything about this organization suggests they are picking in the lottery every year without Lebron carrying them.

 

[bksballer89]

Just did a quick google search and probably has a lot to do with this.

Tyronn Lue wants Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love to focus less on 'their brand' and defer to LeBron James

 

[trojanfan12]

Just did a quick google search and probably has a lot to do with this.

Tyronn Lue wants Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love to focus less on 'their brand' and defer to LeBron James

Yeah, to the Heat's credit (especially Bosh and D-Wade) they did a good job of figuring it out after that first season. Bosh willingly accepted a lesser role than he had ever had which hurt his overall reputation at the time, but helped him get 2 rings.

Going into that first season, the Heat still D-Wade's team, but he and Lebron tried to play too nice and kept deferring to each other. D-Wade figured out that, while he was still pretty darn good, Lebron was the best player in the world and took a step back.

Had they not figured that out, I doubt they get more than 1 title, if that. The Cavs are at the same point except they don't seem to be figuring it out like the Heat did.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Yeah, to the Heat's credit (especially Bosh and D-Wade) they did a good job of figuring it out after that first season. Bosh willingly accepted a lesser role than he had ever had which hurt his overall reputation at the time, but helped him get 2 rings.

Going into that first season, the Heat still D-Wade's team, but he and Lebron tried to play too nice and kept deferring to each other. D-Wade figured out that, while he was still pretty darn good, Lebron was the best player in the world and took a step back.

Had they not figured that out, I doubt they get more than 1 title, if that. The Cavs are at the same point except they don't seem to be figuring it out like the Heat did.

I feel like this LeBron/Cavs story is going to end exceptionally well except for LeBron and the Cavs/Cavs fans.

 

[Bolts]

Who is fired first, George Karl or Tyronn Lue?

 

[trojanfan12]

Who is fired first, George Karl or Tyronn Lue?

The Cavs and Kings trade coaches?

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Beasley 1 league MVP this season.
LeBron 0.

 

[Bolts]

The Cavs and Kings trade coaches?

Fuck that I'd rather have Blatt.

 

[LAD]

Yeah, to the Heat's credit (especially Bosh and D-Wade) they did a good job of figuring it out after that first season. Bosh willingly accepted a lesser role than he had ever had which hurt his overall reputation at the time, but helped him get 2 rings.

Going into that first season, the Heat still D-Wade's team, but he and Lebron tried to play too nice and kept deferring to each other. D-Wade figured out that, while he was still pretty darn good, Lebron was the best player in the world and took a step back.

Had they not figured that out, I doubt they get more than 1 title, if that. The Cavs are at the same point except they don't seem to be figuring it out like the Heat did.

Which is surprising when you consider that Kyrie has proven to not be a good leader- in terms of leading his team to success when he was the #1 option.

 

[CitySushi]

Cleveland used their ace in the hole too early. Firing Blatt should have been an end of season move to ensure Lebron sticks around for at least another year. Now there's really no where to go to alleviate concerns over dysfunction.

The next step is the inevitable roster overhaul.

 

[bksballer89]

Just saw this on ESPN instagram page.

"With Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love + NO Lebron James on the floor, Cavs have a net efficiency of -14.9 ( Would rank last in the NBA)

 

[gordontrue]

Which is surprising when you consider that Kyrie has proven to not be a good leader- in terms of leading his team to success when he was the #1 option.

He proved himself not to be a good leader in 3 years with a bad roster?

Durant averaged like 21 wins a year his first few years in the league... and OKC was actually doing a good job drafting.

 

[gordontrue]

Cleveland used their ace in the hole too early. Firing Blatt should have been an end of season move to ensure Lebron sticks around for at least another year. Now there's really no where to go to alleviate concerns over dysfunction.

The next step is the inevitable roster overhaul.

What concerns over dysfunction? Media is making a very big deal of very little, imo.

 

[CitySushi]

What concerns over dysfunction? Media is making a very big deal of very little, imo.

Dysfunction in terms of team continuity. For a team that has the record that the Cavs do, the star power and championship aspirations, almost 60 games into the season and they're still looking for an identity. Maybe that has to do with the coaching turnover, but the alarming thing is that they're experiencing the same exact problems under Lue that they were under Blatt.

Maybe the media has blown out of proportion the nature of particular incidents, but it's easy to see that the Cavs are not anywhere near their peak potential. The fear, from a basketball fan perspective, is that the Cavs as assembled may just not be able to do this. They don't seem to have the personnel that meshes well together.

 

[trojanfan12]

Which is surprising when you consider that Kyrie has proven to not be a good leader- in terms of leading his team to success when he was the #1 option.

To be completely fair to Kyrie, he found himself in a similar situation to Blatt when Lebron decided to return to Cleveland. He had been in the league for 3 years on a team that was rebuilding and had improved each year. The idea was they had a very young team with a coach who was new to the league and the coach and players were all going to grow together with Kyrie as team leader.

While I do agree that Kyrie hasn't shown much during games when Lebron is out, we also don't really know how Kyrie would be as a leader because he hasn't really had a chance to be the undisputed leader.

Then Lebron decided to return to Cleveland and fucked everything up for everybody.

And damn you for making me stick up for the #1 person in Wiggy's spank bank.

 

[trojanfan12]

What concerns over dysfunction? Media is making a very big deal of very little, imo.

It's Stephen A., so take it for what it's worth, but this seems to speak to some level of dysfuntion:

Stephen A. Smith: Kyrie Irving would ‘prefer to be somewhere other than Cleveland’

 

[trojanfan12]

Fucking Lebron!! That asshole is fucking everything up for everyone. It's his fault that @bksballer89 had to dislike my post.

 

[gordontrue]

Dysfunction in terms of team continuity. For a team that has the record that the Cavs do, the star power and championship aspirations, almost 60 games into the season and they're still looking for an identity. Maybe that has to do with the coaching turnover, but the alarming thing is that they're experiencing the same exact problems under Lue that they were under Blatt.

Maybe the media has blown out of proportion the nature of particular incidents, but it's easy to see that the Cavs are not anywhere near their peak potential. The fear, from a basketball fan perspective, is that the Cavs as assembled may just not be able to do this. They don't seem to have the personnel that meshes well together.

I just don't see that at all. Might be due to my bias... but I've also seen more Cavs basketball this season than anyone else on this forum.... probably by a lot.

Over the last few weeks Love has fit in very well. Much better than last season and early this season. Irving had a rough start to the season coming back from injury... then finally seemed to hit his stride around the all-star break... and now has regressed the last couple weeks. I don't see players that don't fit together at all.

I just don't see how a bad showing against the Pistons + a close game on the road vs the Raptors where Lowry went nuts + a L with LeBron on the bench = how people are viewing the Cavs right now.