Conspiracy

[MMacOH]

This may belong in the 'around the nba' section so please move it if you feel it should be there.  I am posting here because the Cavs are currently playing the Celtics.

There is growing talk in Cleveland that the Cavs players want Mike Brown out and are basically quitting on him.  It all starts with Lebron but he isn't the only one who is upset.

The lax effort was to ensure that management saw that Brown's oaching strategy is flawed and that he relies solely on Lebron to get him out of tough spots.

Not sure what I think of this (even though it is just speculation now, although it is gaining a lot legs).  I definitely think Brown holds the Cavs back, but I would hope that Cleveland management would see this without the Cavs resorting to tanking games.

Also, please don't construe this as me saying I think the Cavs could easily beat the Celtics if they would play how hey should (small, athletic and quick).  What I am saying is that I wish they would at least try that approach and Brown refuses to

[Redz]

I'm all for that strategy as long as they keep at it for one more game.

[Roy Hobbs]

I don't know what to say, other than that if this is true, I'd much rather have a player like D. Wade than Lebron.  I've got no respect for quitters.

I'm skeptical, though.  I think the Cavs are simply having their butts handed to them.  Fans are putting too much emphasis on the Celts regular season performance.  The Celts are still one of the most talented teams in the NBA, and I think just about everybody took them for granted.

[Who]

No, I think that is nonsense.

#1 -- If they wanted Brown out they can have him out at any time. They do not need to quit on him to have him removed from the team.

#2 -- Also, quitting on a coach during a tight series against a contender with the title on the line? C'mon, no way.

This is a figment of certain fan's imagination.

[Who]

And, yes, Mike Brown is absolutely killing the Cavs.

He is having a huge negative effect on his team and is losing the series for the Cavaliers.

But that is general incompetence. Not his players quitting on him.

[fairweatherfan]

It's possible...Brown's probably out no matter what happens from here on out, and his players clearly don't think much of him.

But I don't see how it's likely.  If this is true, what does it say about LeBron that he'd throw away a series and a championship shot just to get a coach fired?  Seems like if he wanted Brown fired this offseason, all he'd have to do is...ask.  Not to mention I can't see guys like Jamison and Shaq who are at the tail end of their careers going along - in Jamison's case it's his first really good team.

I think the Cavs are cracking, and part of that is a lack of faith in their coach, but I can't see them doing this on purpose.  Not with everything that's at stake over the next few months.

[Donoghus]

And, yes, Mike Brown is absolutely killing the Cavs.

He is having a huge negative effect on his team and is losing the series for the Cavaliers.

But that is general incompetence. Not his players quitting on him.

Yup.  That's my feelings on this matter.  Brown is being exposed right now.

[twinbree]

This just sounds so needlessly complicated to me. I can't imagine that the players want a new coach more than they want to win. You mean to tell me Lebron sees tanking as the only way to get rid of Brown? Even if the Cavs won the championship all he has to do is say I will walk unless we get a new coach.

[Fan from VT]

Doesn't make sense. After winning 60 games and publicly supporting Brown now they stop trying? No. He's just a bad coach, especially on offense.

[fairweatherfan]

I would buy the argument that on some level LeBron has one foot in free agency; combined with being a bit sick of the coach and team, he's losing his focus and passion this series.  The rest of the team is pretty much lost without that being there. 

But I don't see it being intentional or planned at all - the playoffs are a crucible that make some stronger and some collapse.  We're seeing a collapse right now.

[Fan from VT]

Here's one major problem, for example:

The cavs have 3 players that are the type of player that just cause fits for the celtics:
Varejao
Lebron
Hickson

Lebron is playing a lot obviously.


Hickson was averaging 16 mpg when the cavs went 2-1; now he's down to 4.5 mpg in the two most recent losses to the C's.

Varejao's minutes are down compared to the chicago series, even though he killed us this year.


I think Brown panics, and much like doc did with cassell in '08 before rightly getting House going again, will default to the older established players in times of stress, hoping they will know how to get stuff done.

[Birdbrain]

They've tried it and Hickson just isn't as good as most people in Ohio think he is.  No one outside of LJ is consistent threat and replacing Mike Brown won't change that.

[MMacOH]

The specualtion comes from a very reputable person on a nother Cavs board.  It is just his opinion on what he has seen, but it does make some sense.

I don't think the Cavs are tanking the series though.  I think Lebron may have just been making a point that Brown is clueless if Lebron doesn't bail him out.  I fully expect to see Lebron in full on attack mode tomorrow.  His point has been made.

I think there is a big power struggle oing on right now within the Cavs and Lebron just ensured that Mike Brown got the message.

As for free agency, I think Lebron wants to stay in Cleveland which is why he is making his point about Mike Brown right now.  If Lebron was going to leave he could just leave.

[fairweatherfan]

They've tried it and Hickson just isn't as good as most people in Ohio think he is.  No one outside of LJ is consistent threat and replacing Mike Brown won't change that.

Hickson's a good energy guy, but that tends to be much less fruitful in the playoffs when everyone's playing their butts off.  He's a defensive liability against KG or Sheed and can't really create his own shot.  He could give us trouble as part of a lineup that was playing well, but he can't really do it by himself.

[MMacOH]

It's basically the Cavs players have an idea of how they want to play, especially in this series, and Brown is telling them to play another way (even though it clearly isn't working).  This had gone on for 4 games and it looks like the guys finally decided they were done trying for someone who doesn't respect their opinion.

Brown was very close to being fired last year for this exact same reason against Orlando.  Looks like he's definitely done after this year.