David Blatt’s Overcompensation a Problem for Cavs
The Cleveland Cavaliers are struggling. The blame has been placed all over: LeBron James, Dion Waiters, Kyrie Irving, the lack of a bench (a shot at David Griffin) or time (they need time to gel). Coach David Blatt hasn’t gotten off without his some blame but it seems the lower expectations on the coach have helped him.
Blatt was a known international commodity when he was hired as a first time NBA coach by Griffin. Almost universally he was praised for his offensive genius and his ability to get the most out of his players. Blatt was known for his ball movement oriented offense that took advantage of good shooting to open up the floor. The Cavs offense has lacked rhythm.
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Some even noted that Blatt’s teams always seemed to overachieve on the defensive end of the floor. That Blatt’s basketball IQ was high and he could coach both sides of the floor, something Cavs fans have been wishing for over the last few years. The Cavs defense has been terrible.
The major concern many had with his transition to the NBA was his ability to handle players. Internationally coaches are revered and players fell in line or were either cut or buried on the bench. Much like college athletics, where coaches are given dictator type powers, international basketball coaches are known to yell, scream and punish their way to what they want. Far different in the NBA where players have the most power and coaches are replaceable.
It is in this area that David Blatt has overcompensated causing a problem for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Blatt has allowed LeBron James and the rest of the players to run rough shod over him. They don’t run his offense, they don’t pay attention when he is talking and they have shown little discipline from them on the court.
Yet we haven’t seen consequences from Blatt. Players don’t get pulled after making the same mistake over and over again. James isn’t on the bench because he refused to run back down the court on defense. Waiters and Irving aren’t scolded for not moving the basketball. Kevin Love isn’t pulled aside to address his failure to provide weak side help. And these are just examples.
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Instead Blatt stands pretty quiet. The fiery, in your face international coach stands neutered by the NBA culture of players first. Instead of running the ship, Blatt asks LeBron James when they are meeting the next day. Instead of pulling players off the floor for mistakes he watches with his arms folded as they repeat the same one over and over again.
David Blatt has overcompensated. He was likely warned that his head strong style would not work in the NBA so he overcompensated with this neutered version of himself. It hasn’t worked. As in any walk of life, coaches have to be sure of themselves and live out of that person. Changing who you are to fit those around you rarely works for very long. In Blatt’s case it hasn’t worked at all.
The Cleveland Cavaliers need the David Blatt that was so successful that he was hired as an NBA Head Coach with zero NBA experience. Blatt needs to return to that which made him a successful coach in the first place. He doesn’t need to overcompensate in the other direction, just return to his fiery, in your face style that made him successful in every stop along the way.
Only then will his players respect him. Only then will he be comfortable in his shows. And, possibly, only then will the Cleveland Cavaliers be the team that they can be. Unleash the Blatt.
What concerns about coach David Blatt do you have?