It was really just a matter of time before LeBron James took over, rallied his troops, and put all talk of problems in the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ locker room to bed. That’s what the great ones do. At some point, people had to stop talking about the rumors of Kevin Love wanting to leave town and what went into the David Blatt firing. The narrative would soon be centered around how this team plays on a nightly basis and what they needed to do compete with Golden State Warriors come June. As the month progresses, it looks like that narrative started.
Significant victories against teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs have really prompted experts to believe this team is beginning to turn a corner. The secret is head coach Tyronn Lue’s offensive philosophy. Lue has told this team since the day he took over that they if the push the ball they can compete with anyone. It’s proved to be true, as the team has looked noticeably different around the perimeter, especially against marquee teams. These guys are really starting to buy into Lue’s vision, and the fact that it’s happened this quickly shows how much potential Lue has to be a head coach in this league for a long time. It’s not a surprise at all many teams coveted his expertise when they were trying to fill coaching vacancies two summers ago.
One thing the players specifically love about the system is the freedom they have that allows them to be creative. Lue knows how to utilize his players exceptionally well, so if he believes certain individuals can contribute in more than one role, he’s going to make sure it happens. It’s also safe to say the younger guys are starting to show a much better understanding of the importance of ball movement and eliminating lapses around the perimeter. Lue has made a concerted effort to ensure the guys on the roster with less experience have the basics of his systems mastered before the Cavs get to the playoffs.
It’s becoming increasingly evident the Cavs have had the talent all along to compete with Golden State. It was just a matter of getting everyone on the same page. They’re not there yet, but come June I think this team is going to perform a lot better than people expect.
