Marc Stein just blasted Lebron

[Cusefan0307]

http://espn.go.com/blog/marc-stein/post/_/id/3896/lebrons-handling-of-blatt-unbecoming

He basically called Lebron the coach and uncoachable at the same time for his behavior during the finals.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Lebron doesn't want a coach that has achieved anything in the NBA, but he doesn't want a guy like Blatt that he had no impact on either. I think he would support Lue for those very reasons.

 

[MikeSU02]

http://espn.go.com/blog/marc-stein/post/_/id/3896/lebrons-handling-of-blatt-unbecoming

He basically called Lebron the coach and uncoachable at the same time for his behavior during the finals.

I was just about to post something like this.

This is where Blatt needed a Riley to have his back. Spo dressed down Bron in practice like he had never been dressed down before. He had Riley's backing. He could go hard on Bron and not cave in. It's why Bron conceded to playing the 4. It's why Bron was at his peak defensively.

Blatt has to go. They should just hire Lue and let him cash a check while Bron basically does GM and coaching.

I can't imagine Love coming back to a team that is structured like this.

I wouldn't be surprised if Kyrie and Bron don't exactly get along moving forward, either.

 

[djcon57]

WOW. Scathing.

 

[MikeSU02]

WOW. Scathing.

Yeah, ESPN is usually pretty strict with the kid gloves for Bron... Like pulling that article by Arash Markazi (which wasn't even bad).

Stein really unloaded on Bron in this one, especially for Stein.

 

[NineOneSeven]

The story about blatt drawing up a play and then erasing it because lebron didn't approve was pretty detailed negative exposure

 

[Toga]

Great player. And an unlikable jerk.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Pull a Bill Russell and make LeBron player/coach.

I'm sure he's a handful -- many great artists and geniuses are -- but, as a 45-year veteran journalist, including 30 in newspapers and 10 as a sportswriter and 15 years as a member of the LeBron fan club, I'm not gonna go all in and buy Stein's story as pure gospel. Some truth, no doubt, but there's also, no doubt, far more to the story.

Blatt and the gm, David Griffin, addressed the Stein story at their season-ending presser today. I wouldn't be surprised if Blatt's not back, but I think he will be, and certainly deserves to be. LBJ, like everyone, ain't perfect, but one thing he isn't is a coach killer. He's also too savvy and intelligent to start being one now. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/cavs-coach-says-bond-lebron-more-meets-eye-213938435--nba.html

The Cavs' owner, Dan Gilbert, laughed off a question the other night about whether Blatt would be back, but he seems to have Blatt's back. Woulda helped quell the noise a bit if he had been at the Cavs' presser today and publicly proclaimed his love, professionally speaking, for Blatt. Gilbert is a serial coach canner, so never know, but I think Blatt's the man again next year --- if he wants to be. He may decide to say, it was a joy, but I'm 55, I have a wife and three kids, including a teenage boy who's got some game, back in Israel, I'd love to stay and hang out some more, but, as Captain Spaulding would say, hello, I must be going.

I think he's a tough little mofo, though, and doesn't want his one-year NBA career to end just yet, this close to the big kahuna. He had some big strikes against him this season, including that he was an outsider to players and most coaches, never played in the NBA. He came into a tough situation for a 55-year-old NBA rookie being under the microscope with LeBron and roster overhauls and injuries to two All-Stars at crunch time. I think he, and his staff, did a masterful job.

Blatt came off as defensive too often with the media, which is understandable considering the never-ending flow of inane questions, but he's a bright man, has good people skills, I'm sure he learned a lot this season and, out of professional pride if nothing else, I think he's gonna wanna come back and ride LeBron to a ring. Then Blatt can leave the room on top, take his ring and head back to Europe.

 

[Briancuse]

Lebron pretty much is the coach and gm of that team.

 

[Briancuse]

Great player. And an unlikable jerk.

I disagree, he is extremely competitive. Off the court he seems pretty likeable.

 

[Knicks411]

Blatt has to go. When the best player doesn't buy in, you're lost.

I'd also take Lebron's basketball mind over David Blatt's. Not like he hadn't lost him prior to this, but Blatt nearly lost a game because he didn't know he was out of time outs.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Blatt has to go. When the best player doesn't buy in, you're lost.

I'd also take Lebron's basketball mind over David Blatt's. Not like he hadn't lost him prior to this, but Blatt nearly lost a game because he didn't know he was out of time outs.

If LeBron has issues with Blatt, he may not be alone. It's possible Love may not be in love with Blatt either. And, as this guy points out, Blatt, whether right or wrong, Blatt must earn LeBron and others' respect, it just doesn't come with the job title.
http://www.sbnation.com/2015/6/19/8811671/lebron-james-david-blatt-conflict-cavaliers-nba

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Blatt has to go. When the best player doesn't buy in, you're lost.

I'd also take Lebron's basketball mind over David Blatt's. Not like he hadn't lost him prior to this, but Blatt nearly lost a game because he didn't know he was out of time outs.

If Blatt gets fired, this is the very definition of getting thrown under the bus.

 

[Knicks411]

If Blatt gets fired, this is the very definition of getting thrown under the bus.

Is is throwing someone under the bus if they legit deserve it? I'm not saying Blatt for sure does, but that implies to me he did nothing wrong to get fired. Not sure that's the case. (I mean, he forgot how many timeouts he had in a playoff game...)

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Is is throwing someone under the bus if they legit deserve it? I'm not saying Blatt for sure does, but that implies to me he did nothing wrong to get fired. Not sure that's the case. (I mean, he forgot how many timeouts he had in a playoff game...)

I think much of this chatter 3 days after the season ended, along with the high Nielsen numbers, point to just how huge LeBron is as an athlete and brand. The Cavs, with Blatt and a quality crew of assistants, had a pretty good season, and, while severely undermanned, gave a team that had one of the best regular seasons in history all it could handle. Blatt apparently did something right. And the reality of the whole situation, I'd say, is closer to this than what Stein is saying.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-b...ismiss-claims-of-lebron-rancor-143458609.html

 

[Briancuse]

Is is throwing someone under the bus if they legit deserve it? I'm not saying Blatt for sure does, but that implies to me he did nothing wrong to get fired. Not sure that's the case. (I mean, he forgot how many timeouts he had in a playoff game...)

I have to be honest I don't know a whole lot about Blatt's coaching methods, but he was two games away from winning a title in his first year coaching in the Nba, how bad can he be?

 

[Fireball Jr.]

I have to be honest I don't know a whole lot about Blatt's coaching methods, but he was two games away from winning a title in his first year coaching in the Nba, how bad can he be?

Highest-pressure coaching gig in the league, as well.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Is is throwing someone under the bus if they legit deserve it? I'm not saying Blatt for sure does, but that implies to me he did nothing wrong to get fired. Not sure that's the case. (I mean, he forgot how many timeouts he had in a playoff game...)

Three thoughts:

1. Re the timeouts, pfft, coaches forget that all the time. It's practically celebrated in the NFL.

2. Blatt was the head coach of a Finals team. Usually that overrides a few mistakes.

3. What's the alternative? Is a real coach coming in? Someone that's achieved something in the ballpark of Blatt? If it's Lue, that's a joke. If you make an actual upgrade to the coach that at least makes a little bit of sense. Is that what Lebron wants though? I'm going armchair psychologist on this, but I don't think Lebron wants to share credit with a coach. He certainly doesn't mind having a coach that can take blame though.

It's just funny to me, and this is part of the weird mystique of Lebron. A few weeks ago Fireball and I were discussing the job Blatt did this year and where he should have been considered for coach of the year. The finals are over, the Cavs predictably lost, Blatt gets trashed by Lebron, and now people are like "Well, Blatt has to go." Really? There are a ton of reasons why the Cavs didn't end up going all the way. Blatt's not the biggest one. He's just the one that's the most convenient to change, and the thing Lebron is crying about now. Hey, you know what could have helped a lot? Using your free agent dollars on players other than Mike Miller and James Jones, not signing an injury prone Sideshow Bob to an extension, and seeing what you have in Wiggins before making a move to get Love. All things Lebron wanted that weakened his team. But wait, you say, Lebron still got the Cavs to the finals. And that's true. But why isn't that same argument working for Blatt?

 

[Knicks411]

I'm saying Blatt should go because he lost Lebron, and if you lose the best player, you have to go. That doesn't mean I necessarily think he is either a bad coach or someone who deserves to be fired on merit (i mean, he did make the finals despite the injuries).

But also, Lebron is an incredibly smart basketball mind. He could just be scapegoating Blatt, or he could be privy to information that makes him think Blatt isn't a very good coach. Or it could be a little of both.

Also; totally fair on the personnel moves. You were against the Love trade from the start, right? I was very much in favor

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I'm saying Blatt should go because he lost Lebron, and if you lose the best player, you have to go. That doesn't mean I necessarily think he is either a bad coach or someone who deserves to be fired on merit (i mean, he did make the finals despite the injuries).

But also, Lebron is an incredibly smart basketball mind. He could just be scapegoating Blatt, or he could be privy to information that makes him think Blatt isn't a very good coach. Or it could be a little of both.

Also; totally fair on the personnel moves. You were against the Love trade from the start, right? I was very much in favor

I was very much against the Love trade. If you want a 20/10 guy that gets you in the lottery every season, he's the man.

Edit: One other thing to add, and it's completely unfair to Lebron, but I don't think Lebron actually wants a coach. I think he wants a yes man/puppet. So I wouldn't trust Lebron's approval on this.

Spo is such an interesting case, because I think Lebron was iffy on him for a while too, but it didn't matter. If Lebron had an issue with him Riley could flash the rings and tell him to shut up, because questioning Spo meant questioning Riley, and Lebron didn't have any ground to stand on. Now that he has a few rings though...

 

[MikeSU02]

I was very much against the Love trade. If you want a 20/10 guy that gets you in the lottery every season, he's the man.

Edit: One other thing to add, and it's completely unfair to Lebron, but I don't think Lebron actually wants a coach. I think he wants a yes man/puppet. So I wouldn't trust Lebron's approval on this.

Spo is such an interesting case, because I think Lebron was iffy on him for a while too, but it didn't matter. If Lebron had an issue with him Riley could flash the rings and tell him to shut up, because questioning Spo meant questioning Riley, and Lebron didn't have any ground to stand on. Now that he has a few rings though...

Bron did have an issue with Spo. Riley had his back. Spo dressed down Bron in practice like no one had done before.

Bron had to be checked a few times for various things while in Miami. Having Wade and Riley helped keep the guard rails up.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Bron did have an issue with Spo. Riley had his back. Spo dressed down Bron in practice like no one had done before.

Bron had to be checked a few times for various things while in Miami. Having Wade and Riley helped keep the guard rails up.

That's what I'm saying.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Great player. And an unlikable jerk.

Au contraire mon frere, of course he has an ego (and why not, I think MJ has a big one, too) but think he's grown before our very eyes into an even greater player and decent guy. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...l-finals-loss-says-he-hopes-he-made-you-proud

 

[Knicks411]

I was very much against the Love trade. If you want a 20/10 guy that gets you in the lottery every season, he's the man.

Edit: One other thing to add, and it's completely unfair to Lebron, but I don't think Lebron actually wants a coach. I think he wants a yes man/puppet. So I wouldn't trust Lebron's approval on this.

Spo is such an interesting case, because I think Lebron was iffy on him for a while too, but it didn't matter. If Lebron had an issue with him Riley could flash the rings and tell him to shut up, because questioning Spo meant questioning Riley, and Lebron didn't have any ground to stand on. Now that he has a few rings though...

I think there is probably a lot of truth to this. Lebron is both an incredible player and a guy who has an incredible mind for the game, and i think far more often than not, he's going to make the right decision as far as what to do on the court. So he wants someone who is going to listen to what he has to say. And by "listen to what he has to say" yes, I pretty much mean do exactly what he says

I think Lebron would be happy with 2 kinds of coaches, either the yes man/puppet type, or a super elite coach. (Pop, Phil, Spo because he had Riley as a proxy)

Really good bit from deadspin, via Zach Lowe, on Lebron

"The problem here is that LeBron James is a supercomputer. When the league turned over to the next-gen player-tracking SportVU tech, the Raptors showed Grantland’s Zach Lowe a program that tracked where defenders were on a play, and where they ideally would be. Mathematically perfect ghost players would zip around the court, and the defenders who kept up were typically the most effective, except for one. LeBron had the speed of observation, diagnosis, and ass to hustle ahead of the ghosts. “LeBron basically messes up the system and the ghosts,” Toronto’s analytics director told Lowe. “He does things that are just unsustainable for most players.” He outplays the machines.

 

[44cuse]

Great player. And an unlikable jerk.

Are you a Tiger fan? Kobe? Jordan? Clemons?

44cuse