Author Topic: Cavs TrueHoop (ESPN Affiliate) Blogger Assigns Some of the Blame to Stevens  (Read 6921 times)

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Offline LooseCannon

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Because we need yet another thread on this topic.

Nate Smith at Cavs: The Blog writes:

Quote
And if you think Brad Stevens doesn’t deserve any blame, then you’re surely mistaken as well. Stevens failed to control his team’s roughhouse antics the entire series, and he was fully complicit in the Chicken**** show that was Kelly Olynyk’s appearances for the remainder of the game after Love’s injuries. Stevens refused to put Olynyk on the floor at the same time as Perkins — Cleveland’s “enforcer.” At one point in the third Olynyk was ready to check in, and then Blatt sent Perk in, and Olynyk sat back down. This was nothing short of a gross display of cowardice by Olynyk and Stevens and a complete and total abdication of leadership by Brad. Any kind of leader that has any kind of brains and guts knows that Kelly’s teammates were going to pay the price for his actions if Olynyk was on the bench.

Stevens should have taken Olynyk aside and said, “Look. You did something really stupid,. If I don’t put you back in to take your licks, we’re all going to pay for it. Go in. Perk, or someone is going to hit you with an elbow or a dirty screen or something. Be ready. Don’t react. Take your punishment and that will be the end of it. If it’s excessive, I’ll deal.” Stevens didn’t do that, and the whole game spiraled out of hand.

But taking responsibility for one’s actions on the floor is not the M.O. of this Boston team, a team run by one of the great instigators in league history, Danny Ainge. (I still remember when Ainge winged a ball as hard as he could at Robert Horry’s head, when Horry had his back to Ainge on an inbounds play — Horry threw a towel in Ainge’s face when Danny was his coach a couple years later in Phoenix). The Celtics were outmanned in the series from the start, especially inside, and tried to even up the series by “physical” play. By “physical,” I mostly mean rough fouls, pulling guys down from behind on rebounds, and Jae Crowder’s general “tough guy” attitude (and forearms up around players’ shoulders and heads).

I think the expectation that Stevens should have served up Olynyk to have his head taken off by Perkins is ridiculous.  I hope Danny Ainge takes Marcus Smart under his wing and teaches him how to be a Hall of Fame instigator in preparation for future games against the Cavs.  I hope Ainge takes a flyer on a rookie big man who can be an enforcer.
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Offline Donoghus

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Seems like a pretty objective written piece.


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Offline fairweatherfan

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I think the expectation that Stevens should have served up Olynyk to have his head taken off by Perkins is ridiculous. 

Haha, yeah, I liked that.  "Son, get on in there and just let that immense man cheapshot you, maybe in a way that endangers your health or career.  If you don't, he'll just cheapshot somebody else, and it will clearly be my fault when he does, because this is somehow "punishment" that you've "got coming" because the league office has sunk into the ocean and is no longer penalizing inappropriate plays.  PS, something something Danny Ainge is a bad person."

Offline slamtheking

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typical cleveland reaction to not getting everything their way

Offline PhoSita

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What incentive did Stevens have to "control his team's roughhouse antics" in this series?

It was the only way they were going to have a chance of taking a game off the Cavs.  Beat them up a little and make them check out for a game.
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Offline JohnBoy65

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Funny thing about the Cavs is they have a roster FULL of knuckleheads. I know everyone loves Perk here, but he's a hot head. I find it hard to find a season in recent memory that JR Smith hadn't been suspended, and LeBron love being that annoying little ant. With his antics he instigates, and then once someone retaliates on him he acts like it's the end of the world.

If the Cavs can't handle the Celtics physicality then they're in for a short stint in the playoffs.

Offline Donoghus

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Things are about to get a lot more physical for CLE with Chicago looming in the next round.


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Offline LGC88

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Thank you for the article. That makes me feel very fortunate to have a brain.

Offline LGC88

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Things are about to get a lot more physical for CLE with Chicago looming in the next round.

Exactly looking towards that and Chicago winning the series.

Offline JohnBoy65

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Things are about to get a lot more physical for CLE with Chicago looming in the next round.

Exactly looking towards that and Chicago winning the series.

I'm torn because I'd love to see #34 take out LBJ one final time.

Offline sofutomygaha

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Wow. Thanks for sharing that.

It kind of looks to me like Stevens decided to wait and see if the Cavs would let their anger get the best of them. The way this blogger would have liked it, Olynyk gets a black eye and then the Cavs cruise to an icy victory. The way Stevens played it, JR Smith got himself ejected and the ref clamped down hard until the game was slowed to a crawl-- both of which factored into his team clawing back at least half way.

If the Cavs had taken the high road and just played basketball, they would still have their starting 2 guard for the second round.

I'm getting my popcorn ready, because if they didn't like how physical the Celtics were playing the Bulls series is going to be nasty.

Offline Fafnir

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The idea that he should have Olynyk go back out there to get cheap shotted is hilarious. Sounds like something a high school kid who's read to much high fantasy would come up with.

Offline manl_lui

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just my opinion and I want to believe it

I don't put any blame on Stevens. It's not like Stevens told Olynyk to go in and destroy Love. Kelly and the Celtics this year or last year are NOT known to be dirty players (aside from Smart low-blowing Bonner). And has Kelly ever been labeled tough or dirty? no. Had it been Hanborough, then yes, I don't suspect Kelly being dirty in that situation, just bad time, bad situation, got tangled up and Kelly wanted to shake him off.

Offline celticsclay

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How does this stuff make it on ESPN? I feel like that would be a bit of an over the top post here on the blog. To make it onto ESPN (I know I shouldn't be surprised by anything) seems crazy. You would think even an intern proofing would be like, wait so this is saying the coach should have sent his own player out there to get hit? I have never heard of any coach saying/doing that any level of basketball. It is hard to imagine that happening.

Offline jpotter33

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What incentive did Stevens have to "control his team's roughhouse antics" in this series?

It was the only way they were going to have a chance of taking a game off the Cavs.  Beat them up a little and make them check out for a game.

And I mean, yes, we played them roughly, but nothing was egregious by any means. It says a lot about the coddling of the Cavs that a team like ours was able to get under the skin.