Cavs blame miscommunication, static offense for opening night dud
The second LeBron James era in Cleveland didn't kick off as planned, and the Cavaliers have some theories as to why.
It starts and ends with James, of course, who had an abjectly poor outing, shooting 5-of-15 from the floor and committing eight turnovers. He's still James, of course, but he was guilty of over-passing, and it would be entirely understandable if nerves got the better of him.
He didn't admit as much after the game, but he seemed happy to have his return behind him.
"It was a special night," James said. "I'm glad it was great, but I'm also glad it's over."
He said little about his on-court struggles, though. James has been clear that the offense is going to run through point guard Kyrie Irving more than it's run through a point guard in James's previous stops. Irving appears to be taking that responsibility seriously.
After the game, Irving was willing to shoulder some blame, suggesting he wasn't as good an extension of head coach David Blatt on the court as he could be.
"For us, it's just a better communication between me and Coach Blatt," Irving said. "That's basically what it boils down to. I'm his point guard out there, and some things that I see, you know, he has plays in his mind and I have plays in my mind as well."
Irving took 15 shot attempts and turned the ball over four times while posting seven assists. Blatt wasn't happy with the ball sticking, whether it was the fault of Irving, James, or the entire team. The Cavaliers registered a collective 22 assists on 32 field goals - not a bad mark, but not indicative of an occasionally stagnant offense.
"We got static, without question," Blatt said. "We're good when we move the ball. We're really good when we move the ball. And when we play without motion and without ball energy, I like to call it, then that's what it looks like. That is exactly what happened."
It was always the understanding that with so many new pieces, a new coach, and a new system, the offense would take a bit of time to come together.
They'll face a major test on Friday when they visit the defensive juggernaut Chicago Bulls, so don't be surprised to hear similar quotes come Saturday morning. The Bulls aren't exactly the team you figure your offense out against.