I Blame LeBron James

So far the Cleveland Cavaliers have not looked good. I blame LeBron James!

Important to note that this is not a knee jerk reaction or a belief that all is lost. Instead watching the first three games of the season has given pause for concern. Even before that, during the pre-season, there have been signs that something was not right with the greatest player in the world.

So since I am blaming LeBron James it is important I give you some thoughts as to what I think might bewrong and what might help fix it:

His Back

This was covered here with a little more depth but it seems obvious that LeBron’s back is hindering him. He isn’t attacking the rim, isn’t jumping very high on any of his jump shots and is avoiding as much physical contact as he can. He isn’t cutting off the ball into the lane as well. If his back is hurting him, it is hindering him. It is highly unlikely that James all of a sudden lost his ability to play at a high level. Usually injury is to blame for such a quick change.

Solution – I am not a doctor, actually a mental health counselor by trade, but following doctor’s orders, taking time off and trying creative solutions to his back issues could all help. I have back issues myself. I take a glucosamine supplement while using an inversion table and a rolling pin type stretcher to try to ease my back pain. Heat, ice and stretching all are also helpful.

Distrust of David Blatt

LeBron, and most of the team, do not seem to be playing within a system. Instead of running plays they seem to be running around trying to make things happen. For James this either means driving the lane for a fade-away jumper or standing passively around the 3 point line. It is possible that James does not trust Blatt and his system and is refusing to run any semblance of it. Since James is the team’s leader whatever he does the rest of the team does. So watching Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters do similar things as James is not surprising.

Solution – Figure it out. Talk to Blatt man to man. Accept the responsibilities of a leader and follow the directions of your coach. Blatt could be a short-term coach but how you model behavior and create habits for yourself are both long-term.

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Unhappiness with New Situation

It is possible that when LeBron James chose to return to Cleveland he thought he would join up with a better roster and have a much easier time. Instead it has been anything but easy. The Cavs lone win came against a Bulls team without Derrick Rose for much of the late game time and Joakim Noah on a minutes restriction. Jimmy Butler was out and Taj Gibson had hurt his ankle. Yet the Cavs were only able to pull out the victory in overtime. James could be unhappy that he joined a situation that did not make life easier on him and it is showing on the court. Maybe he expected to ride in as the white knight and everything just fall in to place. Hasn’t happened.

Solution – Suck it up. Being the best player doesn’t mean things will be easy. You spoke of it in your letter and many times in press conferences. On paper this team is far greater than the one you left in Miami but paper doesn’t win. Effort does. You make the game easier for your teammates, at least for now, not the other way around.

Unhappiness with Teammates

This along with the back are what most are believing has led to his issues so far. “LeBron is teaching them a lesson.” James noted that the Cavs have been full of losing for a long time and that there are a ton of things to train out of the team. Being disengaged or using tough love are old school parenting skills that have been proven to not work. They breed insecurities, anger and rebellion. Letting them lose doing it the old/wrong way is no way to train new and healthy behaviors. You don’t teach someone to shoot by having them practice underhand so they realize how much that doesn’t work.

Solution – If LeBron thinks that his teammates need to do things differently he needs to show them the way. He needs to give them direct, Marion Chalmers-like, feedback. Don’t disengage from the team on the floor but be the vocal, dominant player you are known to be. Irving, Waiters and Kevin Love has no experience with any of that. To expect them to figure it out is unrealistic. James didn’t. He had D-Wade to make him understand what needed to be done. James needs to take on that role.

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I Blame LeBron James But…

I do blame LeBron James. It may be one of these things listed above it may be a combination of them. I am not making any assumption, instead throwing out possibilities. James is still the greatest player in the world and the Cavs are still likely to at least make it to the NBA Finals. If it is a physical issue, James needs to take care of it. If it is more mental/emotional James will need to learn how to embrace his new role on a young team without deflating them.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are 1 – 2 and I blame the best player in the world. The good news is the season has only just begun and all of this, except maybe the physical, can be cured and quickly. It falls on LeBron James to set the tone and make things happen, at least for now. Later in his career he will get to have Irving and Love, and hopefully Waiters, to make things happen for him.

Who or what do you blame?