CLEVELAND - David Blatt likened his first NBA exhibition game to a one-on-one matchup in the backyard.
Michael Brockers Jersey .A family affair.If youve got a brother and you go to play outside, youre dying to beat him,
Clevelands rookie coach said. But if you do, you feel (bad). There was no way to
really win that game.LeBron James scored 12 points before resting in the second
half and the Cavaliers gave Blatt an emotional win over his former team, beating
Maccabi Tel Aviv 107-80 on Sunday night.For Blatt, the matchup with Maccabi, a
club he coached for six seasons and led to several championships, was a
challenge from the start.I was nervous before the game, but not because it was
the first time I coached in the NBA, he said. I was playing against my
friends.The Cavs wore down the defending Euroleague champions, who were within
15 at halftime but couldnt stay with a team expected to contend a€” if not win
a€” an NBA title this season.Following the game, Blatt hugged his former players
and Maccabis coaching staff, a group he considers his brothers.James, who rested
his iffy back as a precaution, sensed how much the game meant to Blatt.He was
very nervous, excited, uptight a€” and rightfully so, James said. He has a lot
of ties to that team, a lot of ties to that community, that city, that country
and his first real game is against his former team. So I dont know how much he
slept last night.James is being smart with his back. He was kept out of a
practice Friday, and after discussing things with Blatt, decided to sit out the
second half. The superstar spent the last 24 minutes on the bench watching his
teammates pull away from one Europes best squads.Kyrie Irving added 16 points
and Kevin Love 11 rebounds for the Cavs, who held a 64-36 rebounding
advantage.Sylvan Landesberg scored 23 and Jeremy Pargo 18 for Maccabi.Blatts
focus is on getting the Cavs ready for their Oct. 30 season opener against the
New York Knicks. Theres work to be done.Clevelands ball movement was fluid from
the start as players unselfishly made the extra pass hoping to get a better look
at the basket. But there were some uncertain moments offensively as well as the
Cavs get better acquainted with each other.Defensively, there are some
issues.Maccabis players, running a system Blatt taught them, were able to get
easy baskets in the first half. Landesberg, who played at Virginia, scored 12 in
the opening half and Alex Tyus added 10.Cleveland made an adjustment at halftime
and the defence was much closer to Blatts high standards in the second half.The
Cavs showed some of the new weaponry that will make them so difficult to
defend.On a baseline inbounds play late in the first half, James alertly passed
the ball up top to Love, who knocked down a 3-pointer. Love, not known for his
defence, then drew a charging foul as the Cavs took a 59-44 halftime lead.With
James on the bench a€” Shawn Marion started for him in the second half a€” the
Cavs outscored Maccabi 28-16 in the third quarter. Dion Waiters had 12 in the
period.Blatts arrival in Cleveland was met with some skepticism as to whether he
would be able to adjust to the NBA, its players and handle the pressure to win
a€” especially with James being back.But Pargo, who played one season for the
Cavs, said Cleveland is in good hands.He doesnt look at you like coach to player
or you are beneath him, Pargo said. He looks at you as a man and he talks to
you. Thats one of the greatest things about him. And from a coaching standpoint,
he has ways of managing personalities and managing games. Hes unbelievable. Hell
be very successful in the situation hes in.Before tip-off, several dozen
protesters, many of them waving Palestine flags, gathered outside Quicken Loans
Arena to object to the Israeli teams visit.Holding signs that read: Hold Israel
Accountable and Boycott Israel, the protesters peacefully chanted behind
barricades set up across the street from the downtown arena. Cleveland police,
including several on mounted horseback, kept a watchful eye as fans made their
way into the building.
Tyler Higbee Rams Jersey . To make room on the 25-man roster, Toronto optioned right-handed reliever Chad Franklin to the
International League farm team. Kratz will serve as a backup to Josh Thole.
Tyler Higbee Jersey . You can catch all of the action live NOW on TSN and TSN GO. The Eastern Conference finals are set
with Montreal scheduled to host the New York Rangers in Game 1 on Saturday, but
the Chicago Blackhawks are still waiting for an opponent in the West.A worker at
the bobsleigh venue at the Sochi Olympics has been injured during track
maintenance between training runs. The worker was one of three sent on to the
track at the Sanki Sliding Centre to repair a light. The workers had not yet
left the track before a forerunner sled, which is manned, was sent down it tto
check track conditions before the next round of training runs.
Case Keenum Rams Jersey. . Two of the workers were able to get out of the way; the third was hit. He has been airlifted off
the Alpika-Service Mountain, where the sliding centre is located. An update on
his condition has not been made available.
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