King James Gospel
Fansided

Teflon Tyronn: When Two All Stars Are Not Enough

By Leonard New

Jan 27, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue looks at the scoreboard during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavs won 124-116. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 27, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue looks at the scoreboard during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavs won 124-116. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 8
Next
Feb 18, 2017; New Orleans, LA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) competes in the three-point contest during NBA All-Star Saturday Night at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 18, 2017; New Orleans, LA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) competes in the three-point contest during NBA All-Star Saturday Night at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

Who Is That Masked Man?

Second, he unmasked Kyrie by focusing him on being a devastating scorer first and playmaker for others second.  Specifically challenging him to “Play with a lot of pace and be aggressive attacking pick and rolls.”

Chris Grant and Byron Scott had visions of Chris Paul.  Mike Brown envisions every point guard as Eric Snow.  David Blatt was just over his head and any plan for Irving was thrown out the window when LeBron James resigned in 2014.

Those of us who have watched Kyrie Irving since his first game with the Cavs knows he has the mentality of a 6’3” Kobe Bryant.  He is an “ankle taking” attack guard who wants to score and not pass.  Kyrie is a destroyer.  Kyrie is a devastator.

Those two steps by Lue elevated the Cavaliers to a championship ready team because they defined roles for James, Irving and Love that each could thrive in individually, which ultimately created the Big 3.  Not in words, but in actions.