The coach and staff of the team with the best record in each conference are supposed to lead their respective teams in the All-Star Game on February 14 in Toronto.
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Cleveland’s Tyronn Lue era got off to a rocky start on Saturday as LeBron James and the Cavaliers were beaten 96-83 on their home floor by NBA Central Division rivals Chicago.
Tom Thibodeau would have been one of the options for the Cleveland Cavaliers as head coach if they had fired David Blatt during the 2015 offseason, according to a report.
The Cavaliers lost to the Golden State Warriors in the Finals, 4 games to 2, and entered this season with high expectations – particularly with franchise cornerstone and OH native LeBron James aiming to end the city of Cleveland’s 51-year championship drought in the major American professional sports leagues. He specifically mentioned the Cavs’ three stars – LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving – asking for substitutions. J.R. Smith added 18 points for Cleveland, which was favored by 10½ points.
Lue said his early focus would be on his team’s “spirit”.
James heads into this game leading the Cavaliers in scoring, rebounds and shooting percentage this season. I talk to many players when we make decisions of magnitude that will change the locker room. “I think early, we wanted to push it, we wanted to open the floor and we came out and did that and then we just dropped off the map”.
“I think he was right in everything that he said”.
Replacing Blatt is Tyronn Lue, a former player and assistant for the Cavs.
Shortly after dropping his first contest as a head coach to the Chicago Bulls, Lue wasted no time calling out his superstars.
“This was one choice I didn’t need to ask anyone about”, Griffin said.
“It’s a make or miss league and tonight we couldn’t make any shots”, James said. “We came out with good intensity and hung in there when they got the lead early”.
Now, if a coach doesn’t listen to a player, he can be given the axe.
Blatt’s departure is the Cavs’ third coach that has been let go in four seasons. You have a great record, the best in the East, and you get fired for it. Unfortunately, being in this as long as I’ve been in it, you see it all the time.
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“Like I told you guys before, you get so caught up in the wins and losses and I tell you every day, it’s not about the wins and losses, it’s how we play”, James said. Van Gundy said he did reach out to Blatt.
