Bulls spoil Lue’s coaching debut, beat Cavaliers 96-83

Any energy boost for James and the Cavs in their first game since head coach David Blatt was abruptly sacked on Friday – to be replaced by associate coach Lue – was quickly snuffed out by the Bulls, who scored the last 13 points of the opening quarter to take a 21-14 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.

James said Saturday he was not involved with the decision despite the perception of his impact on coaching decisions. “I found out about it just like every other player on this team at 3:30 yesterday”. “I think the world of David Blatt as a person”, Hoiberg said. “Like it or love it or hate it or whatever, you’ve got to respect it and as professionals we’ve got to be ready for the game”.

As has been widely reported, James would often openly defy Blatt and change plays if he didn’t like them.

But a source close to James told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that James “didn’t know this was coming” before Griffin gathered the Cavs at the practice facility on Friday to inform them that Blatt had been fired.

“I think it’s a fine line”, Lue said.

“We’ve been friends since I was 17 years old, but at the end of the day, he’s still the coach and I’m underneath him”, James said.

Clifford, who coached Lue as an assistant with the Rockets (2004) and Magic (2009) also talked up Lue. A solid playing career in the Israeli league followed, before an even more successful coaching career began in 1993.

“It’s important to just be assertive and not let that happen”.

CLEVELAND (AP) – Tyronn Lue didn’t make much of a difference in his coaching debut for Cleveland as Pau Gasol scored 25 points, leading the Chicago Bulls to a 96-83 win over the Cavaliers on Saturday night.

He also brought up the fact that a lot of his coaching style was instilled by former Bulls legend Phil Jackson when the two were player and coach in Los Angeles, as well as admitting that the current Cavs roster wasn’t having “fun”.

While Lue met the media for the first time Saturday morning as coach of the Cavaliers, James stood in the middle of Cleveland Clinic Courts chatting with general manager David Griffin.

Lue has been tasked with making them great on a nightly basis, which was not the case over the first 41 games.

“I’m anxious about getting our spirit right, our spirit together”.

The Van Gundy brothers are famous for speaking their mind.

Though the timing of the move came as a total surprise, that the Cavs made a decision to move on from Blatt seemed somewhat inevitable, as multiple reports confirm.

Lue said he’s open to coaching in the game and feels Cleveland’s staff “deserves it”.

Rajon Rondo finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his second straight triple-double and sixth of the season, passing Chris Webber for the most by a Sacramento player in a season.