If Cavs don't win this year, does Blatt return?

[HelterSkelter]

Who's at fault for the underwhelming regular season? Him or the team?


If he gets replaced, who should the replacement be?

[oarabbus]

He's a ****ing rookie coach making it to the conference finals

[SugarHill]

He's a ****ing rookie coach making it to the conference finals
while the 2nd and 3rd best players are injured

[J Shuttlesworth]

Thread backfire

[RedBlackAttack]

If he is fired, I would be surprised/angry. He has helped turn a mediocre/bad defensive team into a squad that can hang their hats on that end when the shots aren't falling.

Gets way too much of the blame and none of the credit.

[Spaulding]

GM and Owner already confirmed he's coming back next season.

Team has made it to the conference finals the first year with 2 all stars injured.

[RedBlackAttack]

GM and Owner already confirmed he's coming back next season.

Team has made it to the conference finals the first year with 2 all stars injured.
...and the Cavs are now 8-2 in the playoffs. And, they won two games in Chicago, one of the toughest environments to play as a visitor, including a close-out game.

There is no reason for Blatt to be under fire -- none.

[ZMonkey11]

while the 2nd and 3rd best players are injured

So after he is only left with the best player in basketball, he has about the same as every other team in the league?

[Bandito]

while the 2nd and 3rd best players are injured
In the east.

[Solefade]

...and the Cavs are now 8-2 in the playoffs. And, they won two games in Chicago, one of the toughest environments to play as a visitor, including a close-out game.

There is no reason for Blatt to be under fire -- none.


how much credit does blatt deserve for this though? i mean a moderately decent team with lebron would make it to the ECF regardless of coach

[BuffaloBill]

I wouldn't call this season underwhelming at all. The Cavs dealt with a few injuries, but other than that they have looked like one of the top teams in the association this season.

[Lebron23]

Yes

He's a better Coach than Erik Spoloestra.

[Solefade]

Yes

He's a better Coach than Erik Spoloestra.


he's not lol

[Meticode]

There's no way he's getting fired. He's going to get at least 3 years with this team to win it, if not more.

If the Cavs were to fire him, they would look completely stupid. They'd have a 4th coach in what? 4 years?

[Meticode]

he's not lol
Basketball coach he is. NBA coach he's not.

[RedBlackAttack]

how much credit does blatt deserve for this though? i mean a moderately decent team with lebron would make it to the ECF regardless of coach
I look at where the team was a few months ago and where it is now... and the way it has improved. That's how I gauge the coaching. LeBron was on the team in November and December.

Blatt specifically pushed the front office to get Mozgov. That was his guy and it has turned into arguably the single best trade in the league this year (along with Shump and JR).

This team was AWFUL defensively for the first couple months of the season. Now, when they turn it on, they're one of the best in the league. That first game against Chicago, they completely exploited our makeshift lineup (first game without Kevin Love) in the P&R and it looked like it was a potentially series shifting issue.

The next game, it was completely taken away, as were pretty much all of Chicago's offensive strategies. That's coaching. I thought Blatt out-maneuvered Thibs all series long.

There have always been questions as to how much credit a coach of LeBron James deserves. Well, prior to KI and Love getting injured, it felt like they had figured out the roles and it was about to come together perfectly. Now, it is back to being the LeBron show... I'm not sure a coach has a huge impact on the offensive end when LeBron is in that mode.

But, the game is more than that. Defensively, the Cavs are in a different world right now as compared to four months ago. He deserves a lot of credit for that.

[Im Still Ballin]

It seems people have already forgotten the Dion Waiters "And 1!" days

[NumberSix]

Yes

He's a better Coach than Erik Spoloestra.
:wtf:

Not a chance.

[DukeDelonte13]

he's staying

[Solefade]

Basketball coach he is. NBA coach he's not.


Blatt is a decent coach but he hasn't done anything in the NBA to indicate that he's a better coach than Spo right now. Spo implemented a new offense in 2012 that maximized Bron's talents with a weirdly built team. Blatt hasn't done anything really though he had a decent series against the Bulls

[Genaro]

I don't see a reason for them to do it. It would take a lot of crucial mistakes to get him fired.

[Meticode]

Blatt is a decent coach but he hasn't done anything in the NBA to indicate that he's a better coach than Spo right now. Spo implemented a new offense in 2012 that maximized Bron's talents with a weirdly built team. Blatt hasn't done anything really though he had a decent series against the Bulls
Hence, why I said not NBA.

[DukeDelonte13]

Blatt is a decent coach but he hasn't done anything in the NBA to indicate that he's a better coach than Spo right now. Spo implemented a new offense in 2012 that maximized Bron's talents with a weirdly built team. Blatt hasn't done anything really though he had a decent series against the Bulls


too early to compare blatts first season to spo's 4.

[hawksdogsbraves]

I haven't been impressed with him this year, especially with his offensive sets, (or lack thereof) but now way does he get fired.

Don't really get the sense that LeBron loves the dude either but winning cures all ills.

[dreamwarrior]

He's not even coaching. He called for Lebron to inbound and Lebron simply waved him off. Of course Lebron isn't going to get rid of him

[HelterSkelter]

Thread backfire


I just asked a question. :confusedshrug: I made the thread because I saw a lot of Blatt hate here and on social media. Sorry if I touched a nerve. LOL.

I do think he's a good coach, but it's still a fact that they did kinda underperformed in the regular season, whether if it's his fault, the team, or LeBron is debatable.

[RedBlackAttack]

I just asked a question. :confusedshrug: I made the thread because I saw a lot of Blatt hate here and on social media. Sorry if I touched a nerve. LOL.

I do think he's a good coach, but it's still a fact that they did kinda underperformed in the regular season, whether if it's his fault, the team, or LeBron is debatable.
I don't get that.

People truly expected all these pieces that didn't quite fit to come together and immediately start winning at a 60-win clip? When LeBron was clearly worn down, out of shape and hurt to start the season? And when they lost their only real center 20 games into the season?

Once LeBron got himself right, they traded for an actual center and once the roster began making more sense, they went on a pretty amazing run.

January 15th was the first time that all of the right pieces and a healthy LeBron took the floor together. From that point to the end of the season, they went 34-9, including 14-1 against the Western Conference. So, if the Mozgov, Shumpert, Smith trade would have happened over the summer instead of halfway through, it's reasonable to assume they would have pushed 60 wins, since that was their pace from the trade onward.

I'm not sure how that can be seen as underperformed, unless your expectations were crazy to begin with.

[raprap]

Yes

He's a better Coach than Erik Spoloestra.
Not yet.

[Solefade]

Hence, why I said not NBA.


lol that doesn't even make sense, if he's not better than Spo at the highest level which is the NBA, then he's not a better coach in general

[boldarblood]

So many fans want the coaches head for the lamest reasons. Blatt did a great job, new team, new players, new system, missing players. What did he do for fans to think he needs to be replaced.

Same thing with Lakers fans, screaming for Scott's head. WONT HAPPEN, they are not going to fire Blatt or Scott after 1 year.

[CavaliersFTW]

You think Blatt is at 'fault' if the Cavs don't win a title this year? :biggums:

[edrick]

It's only his first year, but trying to call a timeout when they didn't have any remaining... That was potato-head levels of coaching.

[Doranku]

It's only his first year, but trying to call a timeout when they didn't have any remaining... That was potato-head levels of coaching.

It would be COMPLETELY different if, you know, the officials actually did their job and assessed the Cavaliers the penalty for Blatt embarrassingly calling a timeout that they didn't have.

The Cavs might have lost the series since they probably would have gone down 3-1 and Blatt would be burned at the stake in downtown Cleveland.

Dude is the luckiest guy alive.

[lilteapot]

Who's at fault for the underwhelming regular season? Him or the team?


If he gets replaced, who should the replacement be?

Time is at fault for their "underwhelming" regular season. You people want things to work since day 1 without giving it any time.

There is no reason for him not to come back unless he does some catastrophically stupid shit in the next round that costs them games and the series. He has surpassed my expectations honestly.

[SaltyMeatballs]

In the east.
... Making the conference finals regardless of it being in the East or West is still impressive. I don't like LeBron, but give credit where its due. He's carried the Cavs on his shoulders with an injured Kyrie and no Kevin Love. If you ask me, that's pretty freaking awesome.

[SaltyMeatballs]

No shit Blatt will return. He's done a good job with the Cavs and he could possibly make the NBA Finals as a rookie coach with his 2nd and 3rd best players being injured/out for the playoffs. Why the hell would he not return even if Cavs don't win the title?

[I<3NBA]

Blatt is pretty damn good. You just have to look at Mark Jackson and the warriors to see that a stacked squad is no guarantee of playoff success. A bad coach will underachieve with a good team (Mark Jackson) while a good coach will overachieve with a bad team (see Celtics).
Love and Irving's injuries have just proven how good of a coach Blatt is. They were pretty much on a roll when the season ended. To adjust that quickly on the loss of Love speaks a lot of Blatt's coaching ability.
We'll see how good he really is when he goes against Bud.

[SpanishACB]

I don't get that.

People truly expected all these pieces that didn't quite fit to come together and immediately start winning at a 60-win clip? When LeBron was clearly worn down, out of shape and hurt to start the season? And when they lost their only real center 20 games into the season?

Once LeBron got himself right, they traded for an actual center and once the roster began making more sense, they went on a pretty amazing run.

January 15th was the first time that all of the right pieces and a healthy LeBron took the floor together. From that point to the end of the season, they went 34-9, including 14-1 against the Western Conference. So, if the Mozgov, Shumpert, Smith trade would have happened over the summer instead of halfway through, it's reasonable to assume they would have pushed 60 wins, since that was their pace from the trade onward.

I'm not sure how that can be seen as underperformed, unless your expectations were crazy to begin with.

that pace thing is pretty silly

you can take any team on a good streak, even memphis at the begining of the season, then see who got injured when they stopped winning and claim they were on to a 60 win pace thanks to that player, regardless of who he is

[SpanishACB]

lol that doesn't even make sense, if he's not better than Spo at the highest level which is the NBA, then he's not a better coach in general

the NBA is the best league but it most definitely isn't where you see the best coaching.

Mainly because coaches don't have the liberty they have in other basketball leagues and their decisions are heavily influenced by third party stuff like TV ratings, starters/bench share of minutes set in stone etc...

surely enough Pop would rank top in any coach ranking in any league in the world, but how many coaches actually have Pop's liberty and freedom in decision rating? Guy has been fined for coaching (resting players) for god's sake

there's even cultural things that are indeed pretty silly. Like if you're winning by 3, and there's one possession left, why not intentionally foul?

[sbw19]

Barring a blatant coaching mistake that costs Cavs the CF and gets LeBron and fans mad, I don't see that happening (firing him.) He deserves another crack at it if they don't win.

[warriorfan]

dude looks creepy

[Eric Cartman]

Keep in mind that Lebron has made Mike Brown and that filipino midget look like elite coaches.

[edrick]

Lebron is pretty damn good. You just have to look at Mark Jackson and the warriors to see that a stacked squad is no guarantee of playoff success. A bad coach will underachieve with a good team (Mark Jackson) while a good coach will overachieve with a bad team (see Celtics).
Love and Irving's injuries have just proven how good of a coach Lebron is. They were pretty much on a roll when the season ended. To adjust that quickly on the loss of Love speaks a lot of Lebron's coaching ability.
We'll see how good he really is when he goes against Bud.

Fixed that for you.

[Derka]

Hiring the guy for one year then firing him after getting to the Conference Finals, probably the NBA Finals, with a banged-up lineup strikes me as the height of stupidity.

[Solefade]

You think Blatt is at 'fault' if the Cavs don't win a title this year? :biggums:


no but similar to the thunder situation, there are better coaching options out there, someone more seasoned and experienced

[RedBlackAttack]

that pace thing is pretty silly

you can take any team on a good streak, even memphis at the begining of the season, then see who got injured when they stopped winning and claim they were on to a 60 win pace thanks to that player, regardless of who he is
So.... I guess it is just a coincidence that this "streak" coincided with the roster being completely revamped? You think this team would have started 19-20 with Mozgov, Shump and JR taking the place of Waiters?

I think when a "good streak" goes over 40 games, it ceases becoming a streak and becomes a trend. They've continued it in the playoffs, starting 8-2. The way they were playing to start the season, they probably couldn't have beaten the Celtics in a series, let alone Chicago.

[JellyBean]

Who's at fault for the underwhelming regular season? Him or the team?


If he gets replaced, who should the replacement be?

Blatt should return next season as the Cavs coach, if the Cavs don't win.
Who's at fault for the lack luster season? I blame the players. They did not develop any type of chemistry or establish roles on the team.They played many games this year as if they didn't know how to play basketball. Over-dribbling, setting casual screens, forgetting to play defense or rebound. And doing a lot of standing around on offense. So I blame the players.

If Blatt gets replaced, I am not sure who will replace him. The Cavs would need to find a coach that can find that balance between a player's coach and stern coach. Whoever fits that mode, will be the ideal coach.

[RedBlackAttack]

Lackluster season? :oldlol:

Fifty-three wins and a conference finals bid is now considered "lackluster," apparently. :wtf:

[edrick]

Is that a credit to Blatt, or Lebron ball? Which, they are clearly playing, and have been playing for quite some time.

[FatComputerNerd]

Yes he will

Contrary to what some say on here, he's done an outstanding job.

[RedBlackAttack]

Is that a credit to Blatt, or Lebron ball? Which, they are clearly playing, and have been playing for quite some time.
Why can't it be due to multiple players/coaches' efforts? Why do we have to bestow all the praise on one person and nothing on anyone else?

F#cking hell.

[DukeDelonte13]

Is that a credit to Blatt, or Lebron ball? Which, they are clearly playing, and have been playing for quite some time.


1. Not every play is a Lebron Isolation.

2. A coach does a hell of a lot more than simply call out sets.

[edrick]

You guys are reading too much into it. Which coach couldn't replace him? That's what it comes down to. Blatt doesn't seem to have the respect of many players on the team. Blatt didn't know how to utilize a star player in this league, and benched him on many occasions for entire 4th quarters. Lebron is essentially the offensive coach, and Blatt is the defensive coach.

[RedBlackAttack]

^^^That's total conjecture.

And, if Blatt is the "defensive coach," he's doing a hell of a job.

[Springsteen]

It's really hard for me to judge Blatt's work, honestly. On one hand, Lebron didn't fix this team; along with it's defense, alone. But on the other hand, Mike Brown was the COTY when Lebron was last playing in Cleveland.

You can't really compare him to Steve Kerr because the Warriors made only minor adjustments in terms of roster over the offseason, while the Cavs brought in the world's best player and a top 3 PF.

He's got the overseas credential (multiple Euroleague titles), so calling him dumb or whatever just seems silly. If he's still on the team when Lebron is winding down in age and Kyrie is on the uptick; it'll be interesting to see how he works the offense/defense.

[ILLsmak]

:wtf:

Not a chance.

he will be soon, tho. The nba is different. He's a rookie as they said. I see this guy as being an actual all-time level coach.

Edit: I also feel a lot of the Bronball is because Bron wants to play Bronball not because he's calling those plays. I think it's something that both sides will adjust into as time progresses, assuming he stays.

Like I said, I like his sets.

-Smak

[ballin33]

He won't be fired, but these next few rounds should be a good barometer of how he is as a coach.

[edrick]

It's really hard for me to judge Blatt's work, honestly. On one hand, Lebron didn't fix this team; along with it's defense, alone. But on the other hand, Mike Brown was the COTY when Lebron was last playing in Cleveland.

You can't really compare him to Steve Kerr because the Warriors made only minor adjustments in terms of roster over the offseason, while the Cavs brought in the world's best player and a top 3 PF.

He's got the overseas credential (multiple Euroleague titles), so calling him dumb or whatever just seems silly. If he's still on the team when Lebron is winding down in age and Kyrie is on the uptick; it'll be interesting to see how he works the offense/defense.

Pretty much my point. Mr. Potato-head was coach of the ****ing year with Lebron. :roll:

[Straight_Ballin]

He's already told Bron that he's not a pushover like Mike Brown, and that Bron WILL adhere to what he decides or he can find another coach to play for. Bron pouted at first, but then fell right in line. Now you have the team heading to the conference finals.....

alpha coach gonna alpha

[RedBlackAttack]

he will be soon, tho. The nba is different. He's a rookie as they said. I see this guy as being an actual all-time level coach.

Edit: I also feel a lot of the Bronball is because Bron wants to play Bronball not because he's calling those plays. I think it's something that both sides will adjust into as time progresses, assuming he stays.

Like I said, I like his sets.

-Smak
Bingo.

When he runs his set stuff after timeouts, you often see beautiful ball movement resulting in wide open looks and/or sneaky back-cuts for oops or layups.

LeBron James is still the most potent individual force of nature in the NBA. He's going to do what he does to maximize that talent/skill and Blatt would be stupid to attempt to neuter it. But, that only means he's a coach who's able to adapt to the circumstances.

So, you see his sets -- which are pretty obvious when they're run -- and his fingerprints are all over the defensive side of the floor. I'm really pleased with the way he molded his defensive sets/rotations against Chicago. It's easy to forget how badly we were getting beaten on the P&R in Game 1.

It took him one day to almost completely shut that offense down. I thought he out-maneuvered Thibs throughout that series.

I also can't help but shake my head at people who mock certain coaches -- like Mike Brown -- as if he is a total know-nothing. LeBron's ascendance from a defensive liability to an elite defender began under Mike Brown. Those Cavs teams always were at or near the top of the league in defense and rebounding, which was a big reason why they were as successful as they were despite marginal talent around LeBron.

Brown was not a good offensive coach. This is well documented. But, his time in Cleveland deserves better than the smirking dismissal that we often get these days. He did some good work here and every coach -- assistant or head -- knows far more basketball than anyone on this message board ever will.

[Solefade]

He's already told Bron that he's not a pushover like Mike Brown, and that Bron WILL adhere to what he decides or he can find another coach to play for. Bron pouted at first, but then fell right in line. Now you have the team heading to the conference finals.....

alpha coach gonna alpha


tyrone lue is actually the brains of that coaching staff lmao

[DukeDelonte13]

Bingo.

When he runs his set stuff after timeouts, you often see beautiful ball movement resulting in wide open looks and/or sneaky back-cuts for oops or layups.

LeBron James is still the most potent individual force of nature in the NBA. He's going to do what he does to maximize that talent/skill and Blatt would be stupid to attempt to neuter it. But, that only means he's a coach who's able to adapt to the circumstances.

So, you see his sets -- which we see occasionally -- and his fingerprints are all over the defensive side of the floor. I'm really pleased with the way he molded his defensive sets/rotations against Chicago. It's easy to forget how badly we were getting beaten on the P&R in Game 1.

It took him one day to almost completely shut that offense down. I thought he out-maneuvered Thibs throughout that series.

I also can't help but shake my head at people who mock certain coaches -- like Mike Brown -- as if he is a total know-nothing. LeBron's ascendance from a defensive liability to an elite defender began under Mike Brown. Those Cavs teams always were at or near the top of the league in defense and rebounding, which was a big reason why they were as successful as they were despite marginal talent around LeBron.

Brown was not a good offensive coach. This is well documented. But, his time in Cleveland deserves better than the smirking dismissal that we often get these days. He did some good work here and every coach -- assistant or head -- knows far more basketball than anyone on this message board ever will.


Fun fact:

the 09 and 10 cavs teams were 4th and 6th respectively in offensive rating per basketball reference.

[RedBlackAttack]

Fun fact:

the 09 and 10 cavs teams were 4th and 6th respectively in offensive rating per basketball reference.
Yeah, but Mike Brown is funny. He's nothing but a big laugh.

*insert borderline racist potato head joke*

[DukeDelonte13]

Yeah, but Mike Brown is funny. He's nothing but a big laugh.

*insert borderline racist potato head joke*



He's a very good coach.

Golden State and Phoenix both offered him positions before Mark Jackson and before Hornacek were hired.


I think the offensive deficiencies are extremely overblown. Once cavs got Mo Williams the offense exploded. Lebron matured. They had more options. Cavs were moving the ball beautifully.

Even in the 2013-2014 season you would see ball movement for 2-3 quarters before it devolved into hero ball. Problem last year was a roster problem, every single ball handler the cavs had (Kyrie, Dion, and Jack) were all ball dominant score first iso guards.

Defense matters. I think it's far easier to teach a team to score at a high rate than it is to defend at an elite level. Mike's schemes were complicated and took a high level of focus and dedication to work, something that the cavs' roster of young gunners could never do.