At the start of the season I genuinely thought that all this hubbub about David Blatt coming in to coach LeBron James was all a bit too much. I was like ‘Everybody calm down, give the guy a chance’ but when it came to January, whoo was I wrong! That guy looked so damn clueless! It was quite laughable at one point.
But then they made it to the Finals and we were all thinking that, maybe, this guy got some coaching prowess.
And then we realised that he might not be doing anything at all, maybe LeBron is literally being a coach/player. But no. As it turns out, most people were exactly right. Blatt was being belittled by LeBron, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com he was basically brow beaten by LeBron, in front of the Cavs squad. And this wasn’t months ago. This was during the NBA Finals.
And we likewise saw LeBron emasculate Blatt in ways that are simply unbecoming of a player of James’ legend-in-the-making stature. […] I saw it from close range in my role as sideline reporter through the Finals for ESPN Radio. LeBron essentially calling timeouts and making substitutions. LeBron openly barking at Blatt after decisions he didn’t like. LeBron huddling frequently with (Cavs assistant coach Ty Lue) and so often looking at anyone other than Blatt.
There was LeBron, in one instance I witnessed from right behind the bench, shaking his head vociferously in protest after one play Blatt drew up in the third quarter of Game 5, amounting to the loudest nonverbal scolding you could imagine. […] Which forced Blatt, in front of his whole team, to wipe the board clean and draw up something else.
The keyword there for me is ‘scolding’.
Scolding is telling off your kid if he drew on the curtains. Scolding is telling your dog off when he pees on the rug. This is a grown man, scolding another grown man. Are you serious? And in front of the whole Cavs team, I’m sorry but that’s just bad.
And do you know what’s worse? David Blatt just had a press conference saying that he’s staying!
I guess Blatt took that story of LeBron saying that he’s ‘doing a hell of a job’ seriously eh? This whole thing is just tragic. And to be honest, I don’t think it can get better. This relationship was flawed from the start.So Blatt is delusional, thinking he has power and LeBron just loves to emasculate Blatt. What is this? How did they get to the Finals with all this testosterone filled one upping of each other? Feel empowered? It’s LeBron James! He doesn’t need you Dave, (can I call you Dave?) If someone is going to get cut in that franchise, you will be the first one Blatt, the sooner you realize that, the sooner you finally notice that you should leave on your own merits and save the embarrassment.