Cavs' Thompson: 'This is the team we have right now'
The glory of an NBA championship is fleeting, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are starting to get a taste of that reality.
The Cavs are experiencing real controversy for the first time since they raised the franchise's first banner to the rafters of Quicken Loans Arena in June. They've lost six of their last eight games, and the cracks in their armor are starting to show. On Monday, LeBron James forcefully reiterated his notion from earlier in the season that Cleveland lacks able playmakers, and challenged management - reportedly much to its dismay - to improve that element of the roster.
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Tristan Thompson, the team's defensive anchor, addressed James' comments Thursday, and said he doesn't plan to reach for a life vest any time soon.
"This is the team we have right now," Thompson told David Cassilo of Bleacher Report. "That's how you got to approach the game. You can't go out there hoping somebody is coming to walk through the door.
"Play with whoever the hell we got right now, and let's win some (expletive) games."
LeBron called the roster "top-heavy" and said the team isn't "better than last year, from a personnel standpoint." The Cavs roll out a rookie, Kay Felder, and an unproven second-year player in Jordan McRae as the two backup options to Kyrie Irving.
Related - LeBron rips Cavs' roster construction: 'I don't got no time to waste'
Thompson isn't fazed by his team captain's opinion as he tries to stay focused on the guys around him and what they need to do on the court.
"LeBron's comment is what it is," Thompson said. "I really don't give a (expletive). I just got to keep playing better. We got to keep playing harder. He's right. We got to all play better. It’s simple."