Lebron’s Not So Smooth Homecoming
It’s been the opposite of easy for Lebron James this season. For the first time in his career, he is unable to save his team, and the team, no matter how much they want to, cannot save him.
The title of the famous literary novel by Thomas Wolfe, You Can’t Go Home Again, sums up Lebron James’ experience this year. What was once considered the best sports story in a decade has devolved into a nightmare that can’t deliver on its promise of lining the city streets with championship confetti. The Cavaliers, headed by Lebron James, have lost more games than they have won.
Nearing the midpoint of the season, Cleveland has won 19 games, just 5 more games than they won at this same time last year. Conventional wisdom was that the presence of Lebron James would alter the dynamics. Nevertheless, a mediocre team is mediocre because of fragile talent, inadequate chemistry, deficient coaching and general bad luck.
Dec 25, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) stands on the court during the second half against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. The Heat won 101-91. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
The theory of everything that blinded the whole of the NBA was that you could stick Lebron James on a team with aged players (Shawn Marion, Mike Miller), talented players (Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love), overrated players (Tristan Thompson), hard working players (Anderson Varejao), unheard of players (Joe Harris, Matthew Dellavedova) and he could bring them all together, hashing out the best in everyone.
But the one thing missing in that theory to keep it from making perfect sense was that the coach of this diverse group had to be experienced and innovative whereas he could design a formula so a team without size could compete every night. He couldn’t be a rookie who had never coached in the NBA and knew nothing about the game, its players and how to keep a bad situation from spiraling out of control.
Welcome Home Lebron!
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David Blatt, the celebrated European coach who delivered multiple basketball titles, is in an impossible situation. At first, it seemed like a gift. He was coaching Kyrie Irving, a 22 year old dynamic combo guard who has the “it” factor. Kyrie, already a star, has superstar written all over him once his game matures. That was supposed to be David Blatt’s job. Mentor Kyrie, learn the NBA game, teach fundamentals to this cast of inexperienced players while embracing the NBA’s nuances and inconsistencies and officiating, its weaknesses and strengths.
From a distance, it appeared to be a win-win situation. The Cavs would learn the fundamentals about basketball because that is David Blatt’s strength- teaching. And David Blatt would embrace the learning curve without pressure, surrounded by experienced NBA assistants.
That was how it was supposed to be, how it would have been had the Miami Heat not been eviscerated by the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals, leaving Lebron James homesick.
In Miami, Lebron James did it all. He lost and he won, he made friends, he took over a lackluster sports town, he delivered on his long ago promise of greatness. His story there had its last chapter written when the Spurs picked apart the Heat’s vaunted defense and used their explosiveness against them. The Heat were no match for the Spurs rage over losing the year before. It was one of those bad endings, and for Lebron James, there was no reason to lick his wounds in Miami. But where to next?
He couldn’t go to the Lakers. Los Angeles wasn’t his kind of town, and even if it was, the roster was D-league level. A 36 year old can’t be your best player. That Kobe was the Lakers best player said everything about Kobe’s talent and persistence and it said everything about the Lakers organizational planning structure.
If Lebron was going to leave Miami, then Cleveland was his only choice. But when he looked at the Cavaliers roster, he knew he needed another star. He handpicked Kevin Love who had been great on his team (Timberwolves) but not great enough to lead them anywhere. In a blink of an eye, David Blatt, the teacher, was thrust into David Blatt, the side piece. It was Lebron James fully in charge.
Dec 15, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) complains about a no call to the officials during the second quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Now it seems, no one is in charge. The team that was supposed to achieve great things in the Eastern Conference can barely keep its head above water. Dysfunction meets them at every turn, the latest being a report claiming players in revolt. That may or may not be true, but what is true is that David Blatt has lost the team. You can see it on the court.
In close games the Cavaliers are ridiculously unattached to one another, as if they just learned each other’s names. Lacking leadership, NBA players do the next best thing: they play for themselves.
When Lebron James first announced his return, his Cleveland neighborhood was a frenzy of media attention which lasted several days. In a thoughtful gesture, Lebron had cupcakes delivered to all of the neighboring families to thank them for their patience while the media trucks took up their parking spaces and basically interfered with summer life.
It’s going take more than a thoughtful gesture from Lebron James to be able to pick up the pieces of this Cavs debacle. Cupcakes won’t do it, not this time. Only victories will. A lot of them.