Cleveland Cavaliers: The invaluable steadiness of Tyronn Lue

Head coach Tyronn Lue has his critics, but his leadership has helped to quiet the Cleveland Cavaliers’ constant chaos.

It felt more like a collective sigh of relief than a celebration after the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated a fearless Boston Celtics team to earn a trip to their fourth straight NBA Finals.

Besides a veteran-rookie embrace from LeBron James to Jayson Tatum, there were no long lines of well-rehearsed Cleveland handshakes or chest bumps. It was a subdued and calm celebration, as if this Cleveland team was just as shocked as everybody else that their odd, rollercoaster ride of a season had resulted in an Eastern Conference championship.

Even the trophy presentation carried the same emotion. Cleveland’s savior, the man who parted the Eastern Conference sea and carried all of Northeast Ohio on his back, was nowhere to be found. He was deservingly exhausted, slumped in the corner with barely enough energy left to make it to the podium.

Front and center though, standing in the middle of it all, was head coach Tyronn Lue. Before answering any questions, he let out a deep breath, one that was so forceful, his whole body relaxed. Finally, he could breathe.

Despite playing an important role in Cleveland’s success since LeBron’s return, one won’t find much praise for Lue among Cleveland fans. In typical sports fashion, Lue is tolerable when the Cavaliers win; and the automatic scapegoat when they lose.

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Sometimes the scrutiny comes from perplexing line up decisions, such as when reliable shooter Kyle Korver was left out of the fourth quarter against the Celtics in a disheartening Game 5 loss. Sometimes it comes when Lue deliberately breezes over questions or offers up passive explanations to the media.

And sometimes, the frustration builds up from merely witnessing Lue’s subtleness on the sideline. Besides from a few referee arguments, Lue’s emotion on the sidelines isn’t exactly riveting, a trait that probably links back to his playing career in which he went 11 seasons without earning one technical foul.

Lue has flaws. There is no doubt about that. But, just like his demeanor on the sidelines, his coaching prowess is subtle. In crucial moments, he can be quietly savvy. In Game 7 against the Celtics, Lue called back-to-back timeouts with 3:47 left in the fourth quarter, allowing LeBron to grab a few extra minutes of rest after playing him to near capacity in a span of 48 hours.

He understands the NBA today from a player perspective and he utilizes both an emotional IQ and a basketball IQ to build trust with his players. Lue recently reflected on the roles of JR Smith and Tristan Thompson in these Eastern Conference playoffs.

“Just because a guy’s not playing well, you can’t give up on a guy. I think you give those guys a chance, especially when you’ve been there before with ‘em and you know who they are.”

Behind closed doors and inside the confines of a huddle, Lue is just as impactful. He might not be famous for speeches, but when he does decide the moment demands one, he delivers.

Flashback to Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals with 2 minutes and 27 seconds left in the first half and the Cavaliers leading by three. In a timeout, Lue emphatically demanded LeBron to “be better.” In the moment, Lue calculated the risk of challenging the best player on the court in one of the biggest moments of his career. We all know what happened next.

Coaching the game’s best player can bring the highest of highs, not to mention an extended contract and a few extra million dollars; but coaching LeBron, a man inevitably draped in drama, is not an easy relationship to manage.

It is grueling, fragile and, most importantly, one that demands mutual respect. Lue has that with LeBron and that is worth the attention of the basketball world.

Lue found another moment to quietly seize in this series against the Celtics.

Before Game 6, with playoff elimination on the line, Lue obsessively stressed one message to his team: three, three, three. They had either three hours, three days or three weeks remaining in their season. It was up to them to decide. A simple message, but in the midst of a confusing year that has felt like six seasons all packed into one, it was an extra ounce of clarity.

Lue has plenty of critics, and even when the sun does shine, it usually isn’t for long. In that locker room though in Boston’s TD Garden, after a Game 7 win and another trip to the Finals on the horizon, Lue basked in it for just a little longer.

In a video from Jordan Clarkson’s Instagram account, Lue is rapping to Meek Mill’s “Dreams and Nightmares” with his players and coaching staff surrounding him. The noise of the celebration seeped into the hallways, as reporters patiently waited outside.

The Cavs, as a group, are loudly singing “Dreams and Nightmares” by Meek Mill in the locker room to celebrate. We can hear them in the hallway.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) May 28, 2018

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It was an emphatic moment for a coach that has undoubtedly flown under the radar.