The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Lue doesn’t mince words about poor start
Losing six of eight has Eastern Conference champions at 4-6, concerned
It’s all about perspective. In Berea, the Browns coaches are trying to win one game and build on that.
In Independence, Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue is trying to get his team to play like the defending Eastern Conference champions they are. They have not looked like champions during the first three weeks of the season.
“I think guys are embarrassed, and we should be embarrassed of how we’re getting beat,” Lue said after practice Nov. 6. “Teams that we’re playing, having guys out, key guys out and still not being able to win — we all have to continue to keep searching and continue to keep fighting and continue to play hard.”
The Cavaliers are 4-6 heading into their game against Milwaukee at 7 p.m. Nov. 7 at The Q.
They’ve lost six of eight games.
Eleven teams in the NBA East have better records, meaning the Cavaliers would not be in the playoffs if the playoffs began today. With 72 games remaining, though, they have time to get it right.
Lue said the Cavs are making a mistake if they take the attitude they can flick the “on” switch anytime they choose just because they’re conference champions.
“It’s not the same team we’ve had over the last three
years,” Lue said.
“We have a lot of new faces, a lot of new pieces, a lot of guys out, so we can’t have that approach. Every night we step out on the floor, we have to be ready to play.
“We just have to have an aggressive mindset
both offensively and defensively. We can’t just ease into games. We have to go into games attacking.”
The Cavaliers will not have center Tristan Thompson (calf injury) when they play the Bucks, but guard Iman Shumpert might be back after missing three games with a knee injury. Kevin Love, who moved back to center when Thompson was injured,
is also expected to play against Milwaukee after being sent to the hospital with an illness Nov. 5.
Lue said the changing assignments Love has dealt with — going from center to forward and back to center — has not been easy.
“It’s been some changes for him, just playing the 5 and then went back to playing the 4 when Tristan was starting and Tristan
got hurt and (Kevin) went back to playing the 5,” Lue said. “It’s an adjustment period. We just need Kevin to be aggressive, be who he is, the All-Star that he is, and be confident.”
The Cavaliers gave up 37 points to the Hawks in the first quarter and 37 more in the third quarter on Nov. 5 in a 117-115 loss. The Cavaliers have given up at least 112 points in each of their six losses.