David Blatt Press Conference
The Cleveland Cavaliers officially hired David Blatt just last week, making him the 20th Head Coach in the Cleveland Cavaliers Franchise history.
He is seeking to restore the damage done by Mike Brown and overall to set the course for a hopeful playoff team next year. There is no denying that overall there will be challenges but nonetheless the East playoff spots remain up for grabs (With or without the possible return of a man who took his talents to South Beach) and in my eyes, and the rest of the knowledgeable Cavalier fans out there, he is the perfect person for the job.
Many people assume he is an offensive coach, well to put it simply David Blatt disagrees with that notion altogether. He stated,
“I am not an offensive coach, nor am I a defensive coach, but I am a basketball coach.”
Blatt is a brilliant mind and overall a brilliant coach. Blatt has never coached in the NBA but regardless does not look at is as more than a challenge. He stated that, “This game is not like baseball or soccer, it is not as different as people think”. Blatt is the first overall European Head Coach to make the jump right to an NBA Head Coach and says, “He is carrying the torch, but (Jokingly) hopes not to drop it.”
Blatt is looking forward to the opportunity and believes that this young team can be a dominant one with the right teaching, guidance, and overall coaching. He states that him, along with the rest of the Cavalier organization are going to work tirelessly to put the team that David Griffin puts on the floor. He has stated that he doesn’t “buy that” there is legitimate “Bad egos” within the Cavalier organization. Simply put all athletes have a desire to win, and he is going to do all he can to bring that out in them all. He fully believes that the current Cavaliers are “talented and not so far off from not simply settling (For a playoff spot) but going as far as they can (Assuming an NBA title)“.
His motto overall as a Head Coach is, “Play Hard, Play Together, Play to Win, and Have Fun”
However basic that seems, it is a refresher seeing a coach with this motto as our two previous Head Coaches did not emanate neither this confidence nor this overall intelligence.
Opposed to popular belief, he’s said that,
“I won’t come in and run the Princeton offense just because I’ve play for the great Pete Carrill..I’m going to see what I have, I’m going to decide together with the coaching staff what the best way for us to play is, and most importantly, figure out how we are going to win the most games”
Blatt hopes to bring over the philosophy of Maccabi tel Aviv, “Never lose a game” (Said somewhat jokingly,but nonetheless the meaning was sincere)
He also believes that, “there are many aspects of the game that are easily transferable” and that he lives by one key principle;
“The ball has energy, and when things are moving, particularly moving fast, and when everyone is involved. Everybody is happy, and the game is easier to play”
This is a philosophy he is truly looking to instill no matter the difficulty, and if he is successful, the Cavaliers are much better for it.
Blatt believes that with this team, “there is a lot of room to do some special things” and that he doesn’t “see it as pressure but as a challenge.”
He said “I am excited and thrilled by the opportunity I was given to achieve and to help meet the challenges of this team”.
He included by saying, “The moment I interviewed with the Cavaliers ownership and saw their vision, and then of course was ultimately given the opportunity to say yes, it took me a nano-second to agree, and I am thrilled with the opportunity and the chance to show what I can give to the club.”
Blatt is a brilliant individual and is passionate about the game of basketball. I am confident that he will bring overall great change to this team and to this organization. And who knows, under his coaching we may very well witness the first Cavaliers NBA Title in history.
As always. Thank you and..
Go Cavs!
