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INDEPENDENCE, Ohio – The Cavaliers start a new season without LeBron James:
QUESTION: Will you do it again, make a silly prediction?
ANSWER: Like what? Indians beat Houston in four.
Q: It was silly, but you were worse. How about what you said about the Cavaliers when LeBron James left for Miami.
A: That one. Oh man. I think I said that they would win 42 games.
Q: I think it was 46 wins for a team that opened the season with Jamario Moon as a small forward striker. The Cavs open this season with Cedi Osman replacing LeBron. What do you think? Fifty victories?
A: OK, let's finish it. I said 46 wins or something else. The Cavs had a series of 26 epic defeats and finished the season with a 19-63 record. But just before the seventh game in Oakland, I had predicted that the Cavs would beat Golden State and win the 2016 title.
Q: Do not break your arm by patting your back. How about this season of Cavs?
A: I went to the practice center on Monday. Kevin Love admitted that the team had not taken the regular season seriously. He said: "We were not good in the third quarter, we were very complacent, I can not tell you how many games we would have won if we had the same ball movement and the same player movement in the third quarter. first half. "
Q: Wow! It looked like that.
A: Love said that he "would stay on the perimeter" and would watch what was going on. "We do not have LeBron to save us," he said.
Q: What else did he say?
A: "LeBron was so special, he looked like a freight train going to the basket, he and Kyrie (Irving) were wizards, and once they're gone, guys have to play their part, including myself."
Q: Can love do that?
A: After being traded against the Cavs, Love understood that he should be relying on James … and Irving. They were more talented. Their personalities were stronger. He was a featured Minnesota player, but he admitted that he had had "bad … selfish habits". Love was known for its indifferent defense, to stay under the basket in order to subdue its rebounding totals. He could score, and the Cavs will need that part of what he calls "The Minnesota Kevin Love". But he needs the lessons he has learned from his victory here to help young players.
Q: Is this team good?
A: "We have a chance to be good now," said coach Tyronn Lue. "We have older and younger guys, a good mix, we're in great shape now, we can enjoy it."
Q: What does Lue mean?
A: At the beginning of the season, some veteran teams are not in excellent physical condition. They want a summit in May and June. Read pushed the players very hard, starting with a 3 hour workout to open the training camp. In addition, the new diets of the Cavs in offense and defense could give them an advantage while waiting for the writing of a new Scouting book.
Q: So you think that they could start quickly?
A: That's the theory of Lue. He wants this to happen so that the players accept what he thinks.
Q: But you think … what?
A: It's exactly that … what? I do not know how they will play early in the season. Lue wants to run. Again and again, he says, "play with rhythm". But it could also lead them to be driven off the field by more athletic teams. They may have trouble scoring points. Love is the first option. Can Rodney Hood be the second reliable marker Lue wants?
Q: I'm asking questions … so … can Hood do it?
Oh, maybe. His problem was a passive basketball personality. It will miss some shots before disappearing on the ground. Read asked Hood "to attack the rim, to be more physical … I want him to reach the demarcation line."
Q: But he averaged only 1.5 free throws per game with the Cavs last season.
A: And 2.1 for his career. One way for a scorer to be more consistent is to make mistakes without having to rely on his shot back.
Q: Did not he say that he was eager to be coach after LeBron?
A: Yes, many times. He wants to put his own mark on the team. He obviously appreciated LeBron. By winning this title in 2016, we put in place a $ 35 million, 5-year contract for Lue. They seemed to have had a decent work relationship. But he knew it would still be LeBron's team.
Q: What now?
A: The reality will be a challenge. I think the Cavs might have trouble early in the season. Read said that he needed to "continue to teach, without assuming that they know anything. You must teach and show."
Q: Is he able to do that?
A: I imagine. But I also know that he prefers veteran players, at least when LeBron was there. I do not want to see much J.R. Smith. I hope he will not freeze Ante Zizic because he wants to stay with Tristan Thompson in the center behind Larry Nance.
Q: What about his departure from Collin Sexton to the leadership position?
A: It's agree with me. Nothing wrong with opening George Hill at the position. Sexton will play a lot. Towards the end of the training camp, the two leaders sometimes played together during training. Hill could also be traded at mid-season.
Q: So, what is your prediction?
A: I'm going with 36 wins and they're about to make the playoffs.
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