Tyronn Lue Hasn't Made Much Of A Difference For Cleveland Cavaliers

Remember when everyone just assumed that, once coach David Blatt was ousted this past January, the Cleveland Cavaliers would finally start looking like a championship contender? Since it appeared the players had all tuned on their coach/proverbial punching bag, it didn’t seem like a leap to think Blatt’s dismissal would be a boost for the Cavs.

In the three months since this took place, it seems as though the only thing which has really changed for Cleveland is the fact Blatt is no longer present. New coach Tyronn Lue, who was given an extension the same day he was promoted to take his former coach’s position, has certainly said all the right things. At the same time, the Cavs’ on-court performance hasn’t been much different.

There’s still inconsistent play, with strong wins followed by head-scratching losses. The defense still looks disjointed often. There’s still way too many off-court distractions.

All of this begs a tough question for Cavs fans to ask – has Lue made much of a difference with this team? At the moment, despite a few notable changes, the answer is no.

On the surface, sure, it seemed smart to remove Blatt from the equation. The reports of what was occurring within Cleveland’s locker room indicated the problems ran deep with him. You can tell the players have more respect for Lue. That much is obvious.

However, the coaching change hasn’t erased the concerns fans and media had about this team.

The players are still way too susceptible to lapses in effort, as the team still takes the court with a sense of entitlement they’ve yet to earn. Last night was yet another perfect example, as Cleveland watched a 20-point lead over the Houston Rockets disappear in the fourth quarter. The Cavs looked as though they took their foot off the gas, with Houston taking advantage while on its way to a stunning win.

Despite the fact Lue was initially hired to handle the defense, this side of the ball still has a lot of kinks to work out. Some nights, Cleveland is able to smother opponents with physical play. Other nights, Vines are created right before our eyes as Cavs players fall victim to “you got him, he’s yours” situations.

Additionally, Lue’s promotion hasn’t quite brought an end to the various off-court drama which has been plaguing this team all season long. Rumors of a disjointed locker room don’t appear to be disappearing anytime soon, while LeBron James had been stirring up issues thanks to his social media activity. For what it’s worth, Lue did reportedly call James out for this, lending credence to his initial claim he’d be holding the superstar accountable.

Still, Cleveland promoted Lue because it felt the move would result in everyone focusing on the task at hand instead of venting about a disliked coach. As it stands, the team still can’t seem to get aligned.

You can use the argument that Lue is a rookie head coach, and being entrusted to take over a team full of stars midseason and guide it to a championship is quite a tall order. At the same time, the Cavs front office felt strongly enough about Lue to make this move, and the players had been showing him much more respect than Blatt was getting.

However, with the playoffs nearing, Cleveland still doesn’t look like the trendy title favorite everyone thought it would be at the beginning of the season. Though some small changes have taken place since Lue was handed the reins, it hasn’t been enough to erase the alarms regarding the Cavs.