The new Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt get right down to business during his first NBA practice after two decades working overseas.
According to Blatt, "I'm a basketball coach, and I do it with passion and with pleasure. This isn't intimidating to me at all. It's an honor to coach such a great group of players."
Among the players who were present during the practice where no other hand Cleveland's resident MVP, LeBron James, together with his All-Star power forward Kevin Love and All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving.
Blatt has a team full of players made for championships. James pointed out "It beats the alternative of not having me, Kevin and Kyrie. It's going to be tough no matter what, but Coach is very efficient and he's going to see how we come together."
Before the practice started, James talked to the team which greatly helped ease the tone of the atmosphere and made thing easier for the new coach. He said "We've got to build our habits and character now, and we've always got to protect each other."
Aside from James, Kevin Love also talked to his new team mates during the eve of the camp where he told his team not to focus on the outside influence. He said "'I told them we're in this thing together and we can't let anybody else in our circle. It has to be a fox-hole mentality where we take care of one another at all times."
Blatt has no experience in coaching for the NBA but his new team is intrigued with his free flowing style that he has imported.
Love said "'It was an interesting practice because he has a greatly different style of European offense that will allow us to do whatever we want with the ball. For me, it's exciting, just being a triple threat in it. It's going to be gratifying having teammates that can put the ball in the hole when I find them."
Blatt is confident of his team and how he will handle it. He said that he already knows what his rotation will look like.
He said "I've never paid much attention to the traditional position definitions. I like having ball-guards, and I like forwards more than forward-centers. I know that sounds European, but I like guys that play facing the basket from those spots. Look, everyone knows what the guys we have can do, so we're not reinventing the wheel. But I think sharing the load and being responsible on the court will be good for them and for the entire team."
