Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 takeaways from Game 1 vs. Celtics
By Ryan Piers
3. Tyronn Lue is no Brad Stevens
Regardless of the sport, measuring the value of a head coach is difficult. Usually coaches are judged by wins and losses, but then again, Dwane Casey was just fired after winning the East, so who knows?
Comparing coaches on a more mico-level is even more challenging. Breaking down a game and pinpointing how one coach outperformed another is such an unscientific process, it’s almost useless.
Still, science isn’t required to see that Brad Stevens is head and shoulders better than Tyronn Lue. For starters, it’s common knowledge. Stevens is an artist at utilizing screens to create mismatches and devising defenses to eliminate opposing teams’ strengths.
He guided an under-talented Butler team to two national championship games. In the NBA, he’s led every team he’s coached to supersede expectations.
Lue, albeit a seemingly nice guy who commands the respect of veterans while maintaining locker room unity, is not a master tactician — a point apparent in Game 1 as he continuously ran ice cold Kyle Korver and J.R. Smith off screens (combined 4-for-15) rather than try alternative options like Jordan Clarkson.
Then there is Stevens, who orchestrated perfect play after perfect play. The Celtics scored in six of their 10 first possessions following timeouts and erupted on an 18-4 run following the third quarter. When Stevens had a chance to talk to his team, they performed well.