Cavaliers Players Are Reportedly Not Responding to Head Coach John Beilein After Long Losing Streak
By Michael Luciano
The Cleveland Cavaliers hired former Michigan head coach John Beilein to help nurture their young core of Darius Garland and Collin Sexton.
Just 20 games in, however, the Beilein experiment is looking like a flop, as Cleveland has just a 5-15 record and has lost 10 of their last 11 games. According to Shams Charania of the Athletic, the Cavaliers have reportedly "drowned out" Beilein and his college-style approach to coaching. This is not good.
Story with @ShamsCharania: Cavaliers players bristling over first-year coach John Beilein running team like he’s still at Michigan. Details on @TheAthleticNBA https://t.co/2jW3XJmo5Q
— Joe Vardon (@joevardon) December 6, 2019
Players cite the facts that Beilein often nitpicks over minor fundamental adjustments, conducts lengthy film sessions and doesn't have an innovative enough mind to create an offense with more versatility as their main grievances. They are also looking towards 40-year-old assistant JB Bickerstaff instead of the 66-year-old Beilein as their primary source of information.
With the Cavs currently 5-15 and sporting the league's 25th-best defense and 28th-best offense, maybe there is some fire behind this smoke.
Wow. Multiple Cavs players blasted John Beilein's coaching. But I agree with this anonymous quote: "Coaching can’t fix 20- and 30-point blowouts."
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) December 6, 2019
Beilein definitely has lots to learn and college habits to break, but no coach would make this team good. Gotta look in the mirror. https://t.co/v4FR1OR7vG
One of the biggest challenges college coaches have in any sport when they make the transition to the pros is figuring how to communicate and lead grown men as opposed to college kids. It sounds like Beilein's style is wearing the Cavs down just a quarter of the way through the season.