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SPORTS Tuesday 6 February 2018

AP source: Struggling Cavaliers don't plan to fire coach Lue

By TOM WITHERS swap, the team's front of-
CLEVELAND (AP) — Cava- fice must decide whether
liers coach Tyronn Lue has it's worth investing in this
a long list of immediate core group or begin re-
concerns. building for the future while
Keeping his job isn't current- not knowing if James will
ly one of them. leave this summer for a sec-
Despite Cleveland's recent ond time in free agency.
slide and his team's lack As for the present, James
of cohesion, the Cavaliers has not been himself on the
have no immediate plans court. He's going through a
to replace Lue, a person puzzling slump, and after
with direct knowledge of scoring just 11 points and
the situation told The Asso- taking only 10 shots on Sat-
ciated Press on Sunday. urday, his night ended with
The status of Lue, who led him whipping the ball in
the team to an NBA title in disgust toward one hoop
2016 and three straight Fi- as the third quarter horn
nals appearances, came sounded.
into question following In a weirdly quiet locker
Saturday night's 32-point room, James expressed
home loss to Houston, the frustration and confusion,
latest blowout suffered by then deflected questions
a team in disarray. How- about whether he senses
ever, Lue's job isn't in dan- any moves.
ger because of the need “I’m not the GM and I
for "keeping continuity" at don’t make those calls so I
this challenging time, given In this Jan. 20, 2018, file photo, Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue reacts in the first half can’t control that,” he said.
Cleveland's roster overhaul of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Cleveland. Associated Press “What I can control is how I
and injuries, according show up to work every day
to the person who spoke James said: "I'm at a loss for James to half-heartedly effect through Cleveland's and try to put my hard hat
to The Associated Press words." joke the team should be lineup, weakened an al- on and go out and play.
on condition of anonym- Isaiah Thomas said the dropped from future net- ready feeble defensive That’s what I can control.”
ity Sunday because of the struggled is internal. work appearances. team, and raised tensions There’s no doubt James,
sensitive nature of the situ- "We're not together on Lue, who took over the in the locker room. who has played in seven
ation. both ends," he said. "There's Cavs midway through the And as if Lue didn't have straight Finals, would like
ESPN first reported that Lue's a lot of one-on-one on the 2016 championship season enough problems, the Cav- to see the Cavs re-load
job wasn't in jeopardy. offense end, maybe be- when David Blatt was fired, aliers lost All-Star forward for another title chase. But
Cleveland has lost 12 of cause we don't trust each has been criticized for an Kevin Love this week with without any assurance that
18 and LeBron James and other. And then on the de- unwillingness to change a broken hand. Love could the three-time champion
his teammates have been fensive end, it's the same his lineups. But he's had to be sidelined two months, will be staying beyond this
beaten by at least 24 points thing. Guys are put on is- juggle minutes because and there's no telling what season, Cleveland’s front
in four games during the lands and there's no trust. of injuries and the Cava- the team will look like when office is hesitant to make a
span. They were booed by I mean, if you don't trust liers' makeup was altered he returns. major deal.
fans in Quicken Loans Are- something . I don't know." radically when Thomas re- The trading deadline is Lue’s focus is on the here
na almost from the start of A search for answers has turned from a hip injury that Thursday, and the Cavs and now.
the performance against yielded no solutions dur- knocked him out last year's have been engaged with “Only way you can get to
Houston, and following the ing this prolonged slump, playoffs with Boston. several teams about po- April, May and June is fixing
game, Lue and several of and Cleveland has looked The Cavs haven't been the tential deals. At this point, it right now,” he said. “We
his players challenged the overmatched against the same since Thomas came there may not be anything have to play better. We
team's level of effort and league's elite teams. aboard, and the former All- they can do make them understand that. I have to
trust. The Cavaliers have lost Star has struggled trying to title contenders this year. be better. So we all have
"We didn't have no fight," eight consecutive games find his rhythm and shot. It Although Cleveland owns to look in the mirror and be
Lue said. on national TV, prompting has created a trickle-down two first-round picks to better.”q