David Blatt's first NBA assignment of any kind is to take LeBron James, the league's biggest name and most powerful player, and a handful of other stars who've never set foot in the playoffs, and meld them into an instant champion for a title-starved fanbase and an aggressive, speaks-his-mind (sometimes in Comic Sans) owner.
Exactly what are the odds that a complete NBA novice can do what Paul Silas and Mike Brown, both well-seasoned in the way the league and its superstars work, could not? What are the biggest challenges Blatt will face in replicating his success overseas? And how well-suited is he for the task?
The Cavaliers did get this part right, according to two NBA players who have played for Blatt: If you were going to pick an overseas coach to stick in this vise-grip of a situation, he's the one.
"He's unbelievable," gushes Los Angeles Clippers guard Jordan Farmar, who played several months under Blatt for Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv during the 2011 lockout. "He plays you to your strengths. He's really open to communication. He'll be awesome there."
Josh Childress, who sandwiched two seasons ...
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Article written by Ric Bucher
LeBron James, New-Look Cavs Offer Difficult Test for Well-Prepared David Blatt
August 15th, 2014 by Ric Bucher Leave a reply »
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