Chris Parker/Cleveland Scene answers your questions

[TFIR]

What a "coincidence" this team is rounding into form with a month and less left in the season. LOL!!

The vast majority of the regular season is for the bean counters. The team just uses it to round into form gradually, like the preseason. For example Kyrie coming back, Shump rounding into form, and now integrating Frye.

Glorified practices.

This team is ridiculously loaded. When JR Smith is your 4th option, it's crazy. And the addition of Frye is adding a guy who fits like a glove. He's the kind of guy who would be a blip on many teams, but on a drive and kick team like the Cavs, his importance doubles.

Are they going to "get up" for all regular season games? Hell no, and no one could. Ask the fans who watched the Lakers pound the Warriors.

 

[ACisKING]

New Column is Up

Cavs Commandeer Clippers, Make’em Walk the Plank

http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and...avs-commandeer-clippers-makeem-walk-the-plank

Over the last couple weeks the Cavaliers have trickled into the rehearsal room. They’ve fiddled with the knobs, banged out a few chords, checked their levels, went outside and futzed around while someone miked the drums. It’s a process we’re told, and like hot dogs, parts of it are particularly unappetizing.

Yet with this road trip, the Cavaliers finally seem to be in the same room, on the same page, staring at the same sheet music. When they plugged in yesterday to play the Clippers, the floor quaked, rims rattled and the roar that emerged was “We Will Rock You.”

That was really an excellent read. I thought the section on Lue's use of analytics was especially encouraging. Def a good sign for you guys.

 

[TFIR]

You know what I thought was REALLY encouraging?

During the national broadcast they focused on Lue for awhile as most of us saw.

They mentioned Doc Rivers of course and mentioned asking him what stood out about Lue. I thought the answer was the best I could have possibly asked for, but that's just me.

They asked Doc what stood out and he said, "Ty has an uncanny ability to be very direct with people, but completely without offending them."

Think about that for a second. In my view, that's the single most important trait a head coach (or any leader) can have, especially with this team. The ability to tell it like it is, without it becoming personal. Now THAT is a gift!

Hubie Brown chimed in with "Very good" after he heard that. He knew the importance. A great leadership trait.

Look, Lue played point guard on championship teams. Played and coached with championship coaches. He's an old school type who went through all the mentorship dues. (Unlike a Derek Fisher). If, in addition, he has the ability to be direct without offending we may have struck gold.

 

[JMoneyYourHoney]

You know what I thought was REALLY encouraging?

During the national broadcast they focused on Lue for awhile as most of us saw.

They mentioned Doc Rivers of course and mentioned asking him what stood out about Lue. I thought the answer was the best I could have possibly asked for, but that's just me.

They asked Doc what stood out and he said, "Ty has an uncanny ability to be very direct with people, but completely without offending them."

Think about that for a second. In my view, that's the single most important trait a head coach (or any leader) can have, especially with this team. The ability to tell it like it is, without it becoming personal. Now THAT is a gift!

Hubie Brown chimed in with "Very good" after he heard that. He knew the importance. A great leadership trait.

Look, Lue played point guard on championship teams. Played and coached with championship coaches. He's an old school type who went through all the mentorship dues. (Unlike a Derek Fisher). If, in addition, he has the ability to be direct without offending we may have struck gold.

Eh, all of that sounds like reaching to me. Until he proves his ability to adjust and exploit in a playoff series I'm going to tread on the skeptical side.

 

[Jon]

Think about that for a second. In my view, that's the single most important trait a head coach (or any leader) can have, especially with this team. The ability to tell it like it is, without it becoming personal. Now THAT is a gift!

Certainly, a coach has to be able to connect with his team in a way that inspires them to try harder and play harder. That's pretty much a pre-condition to avoid a train wreck. There is room for multiple approaches, though.

----

What I think Chris needs to get to the bottom of is how deep the disconnect was between Blatt and the players. Of course he didn't have to be buddy buddies with the guys, but if we believe the national narrative - they weren't listening to him. He can't coach if the players weren't listening to him - about all he can do is set the rotations.

Any chance David would do an interview at this point? Maybe after the season? I guess he's technically on the Cavs payroll ... can they muzzle him? have they?

 

[buzzdog]

Eh, all of that sounds like reaching to me. Until he proves his ability to adjust and exploit in a playoff series I'm going to tread on the skeptical side.

Reaching? Whatever. Go ahead and continue to minimize what Lue brings to the table.

Lue has been through the playoff ringer many times both as a player and as an assistant coach. In many ways he's more experienced than Blatt in that regard, since all Lue's experience has come in the NBA.

Now Rivers pays him a compliment that might indicate Lue may be an upgrade to Blatt in regards to how he relates to, and corrects, players. None of this is meant to be a hit on Blatt but Griffin had to have his reasons to make the change when he did, putting everything on the line.

The regular season is like practice in many ways for Lue as much as it has been for players. I see no reason why Lue won't be ready to step it up with adjustments and exploiting mismatches come playoff time AT LEAST as well as Blatt did. Remember, Lue's cool head saved Blatt's ass in the Bulls time-out near miss debacle.

 

[JMoneyYourHoney]

Reaching? Whatever. Go ahead and continue to minimize what Lue brings to the table.

Until we see how Lue does in the playoffs, I'm not "minimizing" anything.

I also think this "NBA experience" is drastically overblown. I'll see your Doc Rivers quote and reference Popovich and Carlisle, who both went on record to extol Blatt's coaching prowess.

I was never a pro-Blatt guy but we saw how he performed, minus the time-out gaff. Until Lue gets this team more than two wins in the Finals the jury is out on what he "brings to the table" vs. Blatt.

 

[Jon]

Until we see how Lue does in the playoffs, I'm not "minimizing" anything.

I also think this "NBA experience" is drastically overblown. I'll see your Doc Rivers quote and reference Popovich and Carlisle, who both went on record to extol Blatt's coaching prowess.

I was never a pro-Blatt guy but we saw how he performed, minus the time-out gaff. Until Lue gets this team more than two wins in the Finals the jury is out on what he "brings to the table" vs. Blatt.

Yes, we'll have to see, but Blatt's strategy in the finals also rode James and Delly in to the ground while turning our offense in to watch James force shots and TT and Timo try to rebound it.

He had no choice but to use James Jones; but cobwebbed Mike Miller, Shawn Marion, Kendrick Perkins, and Joe Harris. Maybe none of them would have stepped up, but you never know if you don't give them the chance and find them some minutes before you need to call on them.

Can Lue or Blatt get their head out of now, and look forward? How about using Jordan McRae at key moments and just ask him to harass the shit out of the opposing PG defensively. Can he do that? If he could, it could prove invaluable even if it's just a couple of segments in the playoffs. Is 3 mpg in just 18 games the best we can get out of Sasha Kaun? There's no matchup, no scenario where it makes sense to bring him in for Timo?

 

[Change of Pace]

I also think this "NBA experience" is drastically overblown. I'll see your Doc Rivers quote and reference Popovich and Carlisle, who both went on record to extol Blatt's coaching prowess.

Doc coached Lue as a player and Lue coached under Doc on his staff.

Neither thing Blatt did under Pop or Carlisle but let's act like it's the same thing... Brilliant!

 

[Posterchild]

Why are we even still talking about Blatt?

 

[TFIR]

I also think this "NBA experience" is drastically overblown

You can certainly put me in the disagreeing category on that one!

Especially when it comes to gaining the respect of today's NBA player and being able to put players in the best positions to succeed.

There's a reason Doc Rivers pointed to that quality of Lue - the ability to be upfront with an NBA player but without offending. The reason is that it's a very unique trait. Usually if you point out something that a player is doing "wrong" they get offended (same in regular life for that matter). To be able to do what Doc said Lue does is very important and not easy to do, therefore not common.

Ask George Karl. Old school guys don't tend to get that. Like to see Lue have a shot at Cousins.

haha

 

[TFIR]

Why are we even still talking about Blatt?

LOL, still talking about Blatt because a compliment to Lue is seen as a slight to Blatt! SEE! That's what I am talking about.

That is what Rivers says Lue can do. Talk without offending - not easy - because people take offense easily and readily.

 

[buzzdog]

Why are we even still talking about Blatt?

When people downgrade Lue it's usually related to them thinking Griffin made a mistake changing out Blatt for Lue so referencing Lue in comparison to Blatt makes sense plus the change was fairly recent. If we win a ring those people will say we could have won with anyone as HC and they may be right, but maybe not. One of those things we'll never know.

 

[TheAdmin]

Start of new thread here - http://realcavsfans.com/community/i...nd-scene-answers-your-questions-part-2.46800/