Will Firing Tyron Lue fix the Cavs’ Problems?

Here’s why it will and why it will not

Whenever a team struggles on the court, the blame always goes to the coach. ALWAYS. But sometimes, firing your own head coach, who led your team to big wins and championships, doesn’t fix anything.

With the case of Tyronn Lue, coach of the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers, it’s likely that he will be the next NBA head coach to lose his job this season. Why?

Here’s why:

Instead of leading the Eastern Conference, the Cavaliers are currently in the 3rd spot with a 27-18 record. They are only half a game ahead of the Miami Heat. They have dropped 7 of their previous 10 games and things aren’t looking good for the Cavs as they are set to face the San Antonio Spurs.

Defensive problems have been visible in 5 of the last 6 games of the Cavs as they gave up a whopping 148 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder in front of their fans. And apparently, Tyronn Lue was to blame for those defensive lapses.

And apparently, the Cavs are not practicing more often than they should be- that is according to Isaiah Thomas who said that he can only get back into basketball shape if the Cavs are practicing.

So, if the Cavs are not practicing as frequent as they should be given their ongoing struggles, and none of Tyronn Lue’s defensive strategies seems to be producing more wins for Cleveland, will firing him fix things?

Yes

Assuming that the Cavs’ front office has grown tired of seeing Tyronn Lue’s seemingly puzzled face especially when the Cavs are trailing by a big margin, firing him MIGHT be a good move for Cleveland assuming that they will hire a more experienced head coach to replace him, it will help in terms of providing a new face at the helm which could also allow a fresher aura to enter the locker room. But again, that depends on who will replace Tyronn Lue and how will the players react.

Nope!

Regardless of who will replace Tyronn Lue if the problems are continuing to build up internally meaning the problems are caused by the players themselves, then firing Tyronn Lue will be useless because the internal problems will be left undealt with. Success won’t happen overnight and so does ending the Cavs’ struggles. The Cavs will need to make sure that Tyronn Lue’s coaching has been the source of their problems before they could terminate his contract because whether the Cavs will admit it or not, Tyronn Lue has done an amazing job of guiding the Cavs since taking over from David Blatt.Coach Kye has even guided the Cavs when they took down the empire of the Golden State Warriors in the Finals, 3-1.

Conclusion

Assuming that the Cavs pull the trigger on Tyronn Lue, who should they hire to replace him? The best choice would be David Fizdale who was fired by the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this season. Why him? He was one of Erik Spoelstra’s assistants when the Miami Heat had LeBron James so his familiarity with LeBron’s game can work the wonders for the Cavs. 

But at the end of the day, it will be all up to LeBron James himself. And to the Cavs’ front office, too. 

What is Really Wrong with the Cavs?

Isaiah Thomas has some ideas

Whether their fans will admit it or not, the struggles of the Cleveland Cavaliers are REAL.

To begin with, this is the Cleveland Cavaliers team that erased a 3-1 Finals deficit against the empire of the Golden State Warriors two seasons ago. So what is the difference between that Cavs team and this one that we are seeing right now?

For starters, that team had an effective Tristan Thompson and a KYRIE IRVING. This season, Kyrie Irving is now doing the Alpha dog job for the league-leading Boston Celtics while Tristan Thompson hasn’t been the same since he was dealing with his own injury problem. Thompson has only appeared in 25 games this season, starting 5 of those games. In those games, Thompson averaged 5 points and close to 6 rebounds per game. He used to be the leading rebounder of the team. Now? It’s Kevin Love.

Another big difference between the 2016 champion team and this current team is that ON PAPER, they have gained more firepower after getting Isaiah Thomas, Dwayne Wade and of course, former league MVP, Derrick Rose.  Here’s the problem, folks. Dwayne is no longer the same “Flash” we all loved during his decorated stint with the Miami Heat. Isaiah Thomas is still not the 4th quarter monster we used to see during his stint with the Celtics. Rose? He hasn’t been the same explosive player since he got injured right after winning the MVP award.

So what is wrong with the Cavs, REALLY?

According to the new guy, Isaiah Thomas, there are two reasons why the Cavs are heading into the game against the San Antonio Spurs with a 27-18 record- having lost 7 of their last 10 games.

Firstly, Isaiah Thomas said that the Cavs aren’t trying harder defensively. And that claim can be verified just by looking at easily their opponents have scored in their last 5 defeats were the Cavs up 124 points per game on the average. The Cavs’ lack of defensive intensity was displayed against the Oklahoma City Thunder when they gave up 148 points. Isaiah Thomas even went as far as saying that the Celtics were a defensive team during his stint there. 

Secondly, the Cavs weren’t trusting each other. For a team that is loaded with talented passers, averaging 23 assists per game- the 7th in the league in that category, is totally unacceptable. And that’s one of the many reasons why LeBron James has been on a Super Saiyan mode as of late because of the fact that his teammates weren’t trusting each other. 

Conclusion

Getting new players off trade deals will help improve the Cavs’ situation but first, Cleveland will have to fix their internal problems ON THEIR OWN because that’s a first step towards rediscovering how good they are with the pieces that they have. One thing that the Cavs will need to do is to defend. Why? Even though the Spurs won’t have Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio is still loaded with talented scorers. 

The Struggle is REAL for LeBron and the Cavs

LeBron admits this season is the hardest for him

When the Cleveland Cavaliers swapped Kyrie Irving for Isaiah Thomas who, at the time of the trade, was still recovering from the injury he sustained during the last playoffs, many people were worried that this deal would have a rippling effect to the success rate of the Cavs. Despite getting Derrick Rose who was also dealing with his own injury problems among other matters, and Dwayne Wade, the defending Eastern Conference Champions are not as dominant as they used to be during the previous 3 seasons despite LeBron James playing another MVP-worthy season.

The Cavs began the season inconsistently and right now, they are nowhere near the super team that they should be. Why? If they are, then they should be holding the best record in the Eastern Conference, to say the least. Instead, the Cavs are in the 3rd spot in the East with a 26-17 record- 7 games behind the East-leading Boston Celtics.

Recently, LeBron James, who is averaging 27 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks in 43 games this season has finally admitted one thing that has been observed by many: the 2017-2018 season has been the hardest for LeBron. 

How bad is it? 

Since December 19, 2017, the Cleveland Cavaliers have gone 3-9 and are riding on a 4-game losing streak. The Cavs lost to the Golden State Warriors, twice, and to the Celtics of Kyrie Irving. But one of the ugliest defeats that the Cavs have to endure this season was the one against the Toronto Raptors, 133-99. That, by the way, was the most lopsided defeat that has been absorbed by the Cavs. It was so horrible that LeBron James was seen yelling at his teammates at the bench as if he was the coach. 

Conclusion

If the Cavs can’t figure things out before the playoffs, it will put Tyronn Lue’s coaching job in jeopardy and worse, it will almost secure LeBron James’ ticket out of Cleveland. However, we shouldn’t count the Cavs just yet because whether we like it or not, the Cavs are still seasoned for another Finals trip assuming the Cavs make it past the Celtics. And who knows? These struggles might benefit the Cavs in the long run. 

Balls-Eye: Cavs Could’ve Been Better if Only Wade Was the New Guy

They’ve done it before. They could’ve done it again.

The supposed to be spectacular blast of supernova due to merge of superstars turned out to be a tiny spark with a lot of smoke. Its a foggy path for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Losing Kyrie Irving gave the Cavs the need for LeBron to find another partner. One person would suffice. And if there would be anyone who’d perfectly fit the puzzle, it would be Dwyane Wade of course. They have proven their effectiveness way back when they played together for the Heat.

It would have turned out way better if a team has only one main focus.

1. Derrick Rose

Most of the time, Rose’s plays are isolations wherein he would score the basket himself through a lightning fast cut through to the unprotected rim. We know that LeBron provides this kind of offense already. The one man team style of play. If there’ll be two guys like this on the floor, in times of crisis, teamplay would be as good as dead. Another thing is that two players with this kind of mindset won’t be able to work together. Well, given that they tend to score baskets all by themselves.

2. Jae Crowder and Isaiah Thomas

These two great players came from the same team — the Boston Celtics and it happened when they were key players of that squad. Meaning, they already have the chemistry and sense of team play inherent between them. As a result, in most of the plays wherein I.T sets up, most probably Crowder would be its focal point.

Conclusion

Cavs maybe very strong as it appears because there are teams within the team. But that’s also what made them weak. They aren’t as compact as one when they play.

If Dwyane Wade would be the only one to be added, despite coming from the Bulls, he’ll had no one with inherent relationship except for former partner LeBron James.

Cavs do not need extra power. They just need to empower their usual source. And this would be done through Dwyane Wade behind LeBron James. 

Update: Isaiah Thomas Attitude Getting Worse as he gets Closer to Return says LeBron James

LeBron James Comment on Isaiah Thomas Should Worry Other Teams.

In an interview, LeBron James was asked about the attitude of Isaiah and he was quick to say that it is getting worse and worse everytime you get an inch closer to something you love to do. This should be taken on a positive note as LeBron James are seeing signs of how Thomas wants to be back and make an impact.

Cleveland is not doing bad without him, currently, at 3rd in the Eastern Conference only behind rival Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors, Isaiah Thomas entry to the roster is a welcome and anticipated addition but some are already hesitant about how he would greatly impact the chemistry of the Cavs.

Isaiah Thomas has never officially played as a Cavaliers since the blockbuster trade which swapped him for Kyrie Irving. Thomas is eager to be back on the court and has recently posted a video of him dunking.

IT 👀 #thatslowgrind (via @kayla_jasmin_) #thehoopgods

A post shared by The Gods Of Hoops 🔥 (@thehoopgods) on Dec 24, 2017 at 2:08pm PST

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

Thomas did not play on Christmas Day against the Warriors, but he recently got through a full-contact, 5-on-5 practice with the Cavs’ G-League affiliate. Thomas is targeted to return January or in two weeks but Coach Tyrone Lue has not ruled out an earlier return.

Thomas was the main man of the Celtics averaging about 28 points per game and while that role will change in Cleveland, he has already promised to score close to 30 points once he returns in the lineup.

Wade’s Coming off the Bench Producing Good Results for the Cavs

Dwyane Wade only started 3 games this season. And he doesn’t mind at all

Despite being 35 years old, Dwyane Wade will always be one of the greatest shooting guards we have in this league right now. He has won 3 championships with LeBron James during their playing years with the Miami Heat. He took his talents to the Chicago Bulls that didn’t even produce a playoff appearance for the Bulls. 

Now that he’s back alongside his pal, the King, the Cleveland Cavaliers now have one of the most exciting dynamic duos we have seen these past few years. And by the way, after their early struggles to start off this season, the Cavs are now on a 12-game winning streak after beating the Chicago Bulls, 113-91. This current streak of the Cavs has enabled them to slowly catch up with the East-leading Boston Celtics as the Cavs now hold a 17-7 record which puts them in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference.

Now, what worked well for the Cavs this season so far? Aside from LeBron James’ unquestionable brilliance and dominance this season, the mere fact that Dwyane Wade is coming off the bench to provide the leadership when LeBron is resting has done wonders for the Cavs. With Derrick Rose still preparing for his return to the line-up and, Isaiah Thomas still recovering from his injury, that left Tyronn Lue without a choice but to start JR Smith alongside Jose Calderon in some games.

Dwyane Wade’s coming off the bench, as mentioned, has produced positive results for Cleveland and that was evident when Wade scored 24 points against Chicago- shooting 69% from the field while grabbing 6 rebounds in 26 minutes of action. Wade has averaged 11 points per game this season- one of the lowest in his 14-year career but we all know that Wade can still explode for 30+ points anytime.

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While we don’t know how long Dwyane Wade will be coming off the bench this season for the Cavs but if we look at this scenario: LeBron James and Kevin Love providing the spark early on while Wade providing the additional reinforcement off the bench, then there’s no way the Cavs cannot catch-up and overtake the Celtics in the standings.

Conclusion

If anything, we have to commend Dwyane Wade’s attitude towards coming off the bench because even though he’s a legitimate superstar, he embraces his new role for the Cavs with open arms. He can produce 30 points or more in a snap regardless if he’s a starter or not. One way or another, Wade’s contributions to the Cavs are big and that’s why they are winning at the moment.  

A Wheeler’s Opinion: Derrick Rose Should Retire, Here’s why

His injuries will forever hamper his game. It’s time that he considers retirement

Derrick Rose used to be one the most explosive point guards in the league, especially during his early years with the Chicago Bulls. 

He won the Rookie of the Year award back in 2009 and was included in the NBA All-Rookie Team in the same year. Two years later, he won the MVP award along with his inclusion to the All-NBA Team. 

That was the season when Rose averaged 25 points and 7 assists per game. That was also the same season when Derrick Rose sustained an injury during the playoffs- an injury that has been haunting him for years now, an injury that has affected his game forever.

Despite his inability to stay healthy in the long run, Derrick Rose stayed in the NBA, playing for the New York Knicks for a season and just last offseason, he signed a one-year deal to play alongside LeBron James in Cleveland. To Rose’s credit, he produced some decent numbers while averaging 14 points in the 7 games that he has played this season.

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Then, Derrick Rose was hit with an injury that has kept him out. Again.

Now, reports are coming out that Derrick Rose has decided to stay away from basketball, to stay away from the Cleveland Cavaliers and evaluate whether or not he can still go on in the sports. In fact, reports are also saying that retirement has been among the options that Rose is looking at the moment.

Question: Is it really time for the former league MVP to hang his jersey for good?

Yes. 

Assuming that Derrick Rose does decide to retire, it will be for his good too. His body can now rest. He isn’t getting younger and Father Time won’t stop for him either. Although he is still able to play, he doesn’t have to. The Cavs are doing just fine without him and Isaiah Thomas. Retire now and give his roster spot to someone else. After all, despite their recently-found success, the Cavs need more healthy bodies because LeBron  James can’t save the Cavs every single game.

Conclusion

Derrick Rose’s impending decision to retire will benefit both him and the Cavs.  For Rose, retirement is the best decision he can make because injuries will always be around especially if he chooses to remain active. After all, there’s life after basketball, right?

A Wheeler’s Opinion: Isaiah Thomas could Rescue Fading Cavs(?)

Given the Cavs’ struggles, they will need all  the help they can get

Could Thomas help improve the Cavs’ situation?

The last time we all saw Isaiah Thomas play in an actual NBA game, it was during last season’s playoffs while still playing for the Boston Celtics in a season that saw Thomas emerged as one of the prominent scorers in the league, especially during clutch situations.

In fact, many pundits were saying that had Thomas was not injured during the latter part of the 2016-2017 season which sidelined him eventually during the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics would have at least, challenged the supremacy of the eventual, Eastern Conference champions, Cleveland Cavaliers.

Fast forward to the 2017-2018 season. The Cavs granted the trade demand of Kyrie Irving and sent him to the Celtics in exchange for Thomas plus other reliable players. While the Cavs knew that trading for Thomas would mean that the team will wait until IT has fully recovered from his injury, they went on with the trade anyway.

Having Kyrie Irving leading Boston has proved that the Celtics are the true winner of the trade as they are currently sitting atop the East, thanks to their ongoing 9-game winning streak. The Cavs, on the other hand, despite signing Dwayne Wade and Derrick Rose during the offseason, are nowhere near the Top 8 in the East, thanks to their 4-6 record, good for 12th place.

Given the observations by Coach Tyronn Lue and the members of the Cavs’ medical staff, Isaiah Thomas might be returning earlier than what was originally predicted which is January of 2018. In fact, Assistant Coach Phil Handy handled Thomas’ workout earlier this week and had nothing but praises towards IT.

Here’s the question, folks, will Isaiah Thomas improve the situation in Cleveland?

Definitely

Assuming that Isaiah Thomas returns soon and has no more whatsoever effects of his injury, he will provide the much-needed reinforcement to LeBron James who has been leading the team in scoring with his 28 points per game. Also, having IT on the court will ease off the pressure from Rose who is also dealing with tons of injuries. But the most important thing here, Isaiah Thomas can help the Cavs, especially in clutch situations because in their latest defeat, an embarrassing 117-115 loss at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks, the Cavs have multiple chances to tie the game at the end and yet, they faltered. 

Nope

Let’s face it, folks. Once a player gets injured, most of the time, that player won’t be the same aggressive player that he was once before the injury as we saw in Derrick Rose for example. While we have yet to see Isaiah Thomas play this season, there’s a high chance that he’ll still feel some soreness and that will slow him down and eventually, the entire Cleveland squad. 

Conclusion

Given the miserable situation in Cleveland, it will not be a  surprise if Tyronn Lue gets tempted to rush Isaiah Thomas’ return.  While IT has the capability to explode for 30 points in a snap, as we saw last season, it all depends on how well he is feeling come his debut for the Cavs. But one thing is certain, the Cavs will need all the help they can get or Tyronn Lue might lose his coaching job. Or worse, LeBron might leave for LA, sooner than predicted. 

A Wheeler’s Opinion: Why LeBron Should Stay in Cleveland Despite the Struggles

The Cavs have just lost 5 of their previous 6 games. And the Cavs should be worried

Don’t be surprised if #23 will be elsewhere come after the trade deadline.

The Cleveland Cavaliers got Isaiah Thomas plus a couple of players who can score. The Cavs got Dwayne Wade. And most importantly, the Cavs got former league MVP Derrick Rose who is starting in most games since Thomas is still recovering from the injury that he sustained during last season’s playoffs while still playing for the Boston Celtics.

On paper even without Thomas and Rose, the Cavs are still the best team- at least in the Eastern Conference.

10 games into the regular season, are they really the best team in the East?

After opening the season with two consecutive wins over the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks,  the Cavs suddenly became a team like they were before LeBron James came back- a bad team, as evident by their 4-game losing streak which included disappointing loses at the hands of the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks within a span of a week, which was followed by a 124-107 defeat at the hands of the Indiana Pacers.

To get back into the win column, they needed a franchise record-tying 57 points from LeBron James against the Washington Wizards. However, the Cavs next lost to the lowly Atlanta Hawks who won, 117-115.

Now you tell this pundit on wheels, is that how a super team with LeBron James, Dwayne, Kevin Love and Derrick Rose, supposed to be playing?  Losing to bad teams?  Falling to a 4-6 record to open the season? Lagging way behind the standings in the East?

Nope

Now, if you’ve been watching the NBA even during the offseason, one of the hottest topics that have been making the talks among NBA pundits was the inevitability of LeBron James leaving the Cavs, again, for the Los Angeles Lakers at the end of the current season. And all previous signs have been pointing towards that scenario.

The only question is this: Will it happen? Answer: Yes!

Follow-up question: How soon will it happen? Answer: It depends on how the Cavs will perform from here on.

Despite scoring 26 points, grabbing 5 rebounds and dishing away 13 assists against the Atlanta Hawks- NBA’s current worst team, LeBron James was a beaten man. Badly beaten. He had to play for 41 minutes. He had to take 17 shots, second-most to Wade’s 19. But still, his MVP-like numbers weren’t enough to propel the Cavs to a victory.  And, observers have been saying that LeBron James has become more frustrated with the Cavs’ struggles.

If anything, don’t get surprised if LeBron drastically demands a trade even before the trade deadline especially if things don’t improve in Cleveland. However, the Lakers knew that they would have to send one of their young guys to Cleveland if a trade is to happen. And, having LeBron on board wouldn’t assure a playoff appearance for LA this season so trading your promising stars isn’t worth it. For now.

While the Cavs are struggling and there’s no doubt that His Majesty is really frustrated but leaving Cleveland this season will not change his situation. The Lakers are not yet seasoned to make their much-awaited return to the playoffs and whether he likes it or not, LeBron’s only chance to beat the Golden State Warriors, for now, is to stay with the Cavs and hope that things get better. ASAP.

If not, then LeBron-to-LA it is.

By the Numbers: 3 Things that Failed the Cavs Against Indiana

And because of these things, the Cavs endured their 4th consecutive loss

The Pacers outscored the Cavs, 32-22 in the 4th quarter to come out with the win.

The defending Eastern Conference champions reloaded themselves during the busy off-season, bringing in Dwayne Wade back alongside LeBron and getting Isaiah Thomas and a bunch of role players from Boston in a deal that sent Kyrie Irving to the Celtics. 

While those deals made the Cleveland Cavaliers, a much-stronger-on-paper “super team” which, according to their fans, can finally match-up well against the Golden State Warriors- should both teams meet again in the NBA Finals.

Now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves and stay in the course of the regular season, for now. 

8 games into the new season, the Cavaliers are now 3-5, the same record that LeBron James has in his 8 trips to the Finals. 

After starting the season with a win over the Celtics which was followed by another victory against the Bucks, the Cavs went 1-5 since then, including 4 straight losses, the last one from the hands of the Indiana Pacers who are by the way, playing well despite being without a consistent center or a superstar after trading away long-time star player, Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder during the early months of the 2018-2018 off-season.

So what happened to the Cavs against the Pacers? Below are the numbers:

22% Shooting from Deep

Let’s start with the worst one. To begin with, the Cavs are shooting 34% from long distance during the course of those 8 games- placing them tied for the 19th spot in that category. Against the Pacers however, LeBron James and company only made 7 OUT OF 31 ATTEMPTS from the 3-point line- that’s 22% 3-point field goal shooting, folks. And yet they allowed Indiana to hit 16 of their 26 attempts from that area. You see the difference? It was a huge difference. 

Need any more? Here are the players who miserably struggled from outside:

• Kevin Love: 2 of 6
• LeBron James: 1 of 5
• JR Smith: 2 of 6
• Jae Crowder: 0 of 5
• Kyle Korver: 1 of 5

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8 Turnovers for The King

While there’s no doubt in everyone’s mind, or at the very least, in the minds of his fans, that LeBron James is on a course to win another MVP this season. But, how can you even win a basketball game if you are careless with the ball? Despite his 33 points, 6 rebounds and 11 assists against the Pacers, one of the many things that haunted LeBron and eventually the Cavs, was his 8 turnovers- that’s half of the turnovers Cavs had during the entire game. 

Lack of Intensity from the Starters

If your starters are struggling, then pray that your bench steps up. In this case, the bench of Tyronn Lue outscored the bench players of Indiana, 34-18. The problem was: the Cavs’ starters failed to match the intensity and consistency of the Pacers’ first five as the latter outscored the former, 106-73. Indiana could have beaten the Cavs by relying on their starters alone but fortunately, they had little help from off the bench. 

Conclusion

Maybe the Cavs are dealing with many things nowadays, LeBron’s impending departure, Derrick Rose’s injury, Dwayne Wade coming off the bench, possible chemistry issue. You name it. Maybe having too many superstars have finally caught on the Cavs. Maybe it’s affecting their chemistry to begin with. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. If they don’t sort things out by themselves, then they won’t be making it back to the Finals this season. Just maybe. 

Isaiah Thomas Vows to Average 25 Points, While Kyrie and Westbrook Watches

Isaiah Thomas may be short in height but he is not short of confidence 

Recently traded to Cleveland Cavaliers together with Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and a 1st round pick for Kyrie Irving, Thomas is in high spirits as he and his sons are playing basketball while the moment is being broadcast live on Facebook. His little boys got elated to see that Kyrie Irving and Russel Westbrook are both watching and showed some of their moves.

On the video compilation below, Isaiah Thomas also promised to average at least 25 points and he said that he could do it even in his sleep.

Thomas, however, need to realize that he is with a different team now and he will no longer be the first option as long as there’s a LeBron James. Aside from LeBron James though, Cleveland Cavaliers are also stacked with great players who can come up big anytime, including JR Smith, Kevin Love, Kyle Korver, Derrick Rose, Jeff Green to name a few.

What is the Update on Isaiah Austin? Watch the Tune up Game

Isaiah Austin has been in the Philippines for a week now and continues to acclimate himself with the people and with his teammates. 

Isaiah Austin has been highly talked about after the news about his arrival to the Philippines has surfaced. The former Baylor College basketball player and a once NBA top 10 draft prospect is going to play for the Philippines in the upcoming  FIBA Asia Champions Cup. 

Austin at 23 had gone through a lot of adversity in life and considered the chance to play with Gilas Pilipinas a second life in basketball.

Now with the Philippine team, Austin has become a great inspiration and a model to strive and never surrender through hardships.

During tune-up games with local teams, Isaiah Austin displays athleticism but his scoring leadership is still unable to show. 

Watch below. 

Chooks to Go (95) – Ebondo 26, Austin 13, Manuel 13, Tamsi 9, Teng Jeric 7, Teng Jeron 5, Vosotros 5, Jose 5, Torres 4, Casiño 3, Iñigo 2, Banal 0, Paras 0.

Quarterscores: 30-20, 53-37, 74-62, 95-83.

The Next Naturalized Candidate Have Arrived: Isaiah Austin Thanks the People of the Philippines

The 7’1 Center from Baylor College has landed in the Philippines last night

Isaiah Austin, the player who has been tapped by the national team has arrived in the Philippines.

The 23-year-old Isaiah Austin has found his next basketball journey that took him half way across the world from his hometown of Fresno, California.

Austin was one of the highly coveted college players coming into the 2014 NBA draft along side Andrew Wiggins, Joel Embiid, Jabari Parker to name a few. He was supposed to be the next great big man in the NBA but his NBA journey was cut before it even started as he was diagnosed with Marfan Syndrome and was deemed unable to play competitive basketball.

2 years after, Austin was allowed basketball activities and accepted offers to play basketball in Serbia and in China. Today, he embarks on a new journey as he accepted a new challenge in his basketball story.

If everything goes well, he could end up being the naturalized player for the Philippine National Squad which is set to compete in the upcoming FIBA Asia Champions Cup that will be held in China on September 22 to 30.

Isaiah Austin, just like Marcus Douthit and Andray Blatche would be asked to devote to a long term commitment to develop familiarity and chemistry with the national team.

Coach Chot Reyes recently said that he is looking for a young and talented guy that can help the Philippines for a long period and they might just have found him.

Isaiah Austin post on Facebook.

Looking forward to this next step of my Journey, life is a roller coaster but definitely worth the ride! Thank you to the people of the Philippines for the warm welcome! Can’t wait to get to know more about this beautiful country 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭 Gilas Pilipinas Chooks-to-Go

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Isaiah Thomas Jersey Number in Cleveland, Not His First Choice?

Kyrie Irving shows his locker and his number 

Isaiah Thomas looks like he is settled in Cleveland after taking a photo with his new locker room showing his new jersey number.

Isaiah Thomas will wear number 3, same number when he was with the Suns 

Isaiah Thomas will be wearing a new number in Cleveland, as the number 4 Jersey is currently being used by Iman Shumpert. Iman is currently on the trading block after the rumor has come out that Cleveland is looking to acquire big man DeMarcus Cousins from New Orleans in exchange to Shumpert and the first round pick. Could he still get number 4, just in case?

In 2015, when he was traded to Boston Celtics from Phoenix, he also had to settle in with a different jersey number than what he desired. According to sources, he wanted to have number 11 jersey during that time but Evan Turner was wearing the number already.  

Today, Evan Turner is no longer with the Celtics and Kyrie who will play with Boston will get his opportunity to wear the number.  

Over the years and on four different teams, Isaiah has used the following 3 different jersey numbers:

Kings -22

Phoenix -3

Celtics -4

Cavs – 3

Now in Cleveland, he has chosen to wear number 3.

Famous Cavs who wore jersey numbers that Isaiah may have wanted to use but cannot.

11 – Zydrunas lIgauskas

22- Larry Nance

Irving – Thomas Blockbuster Trade Officially Completed

It’s official, the Boston Celtics is sending their 2020 2nd round pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 2020 2nd round pick was acquired by Boston from Miami. Less than 12 hours before the trade deadline, the Celtics and Cavs have agreed to complete the trade that would send Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, 2018 1st round pick (from Brooklyn), and the 2020 2nd round pick (from Miami in exchange for Cavs All-star point guard Kyrie Irving.

Cavs Could Veto Blockbuster Trade to Celtics

The completion of the blockbuster trade between Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics will wait until Wednesday (US Time) after the physical exam results. It’s common practice for teams to perform comprehensive medical exams on players with prior medical issues. Isaiah Thomas is nursing with hip injury and the Cavaliers are said to be interested in acquiring additional assets before exchanging Kyrie Irving.

Cavaliers initially offered their premier point guard Irving for Thomas, forward Jae Crowder, big man Ante Zizic, and the Brooklyn Nets 2018 first-round pick.

The Cleveland Cavaliers is now asking for either rookie Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown but Boston Celtics has consistently remained unwilling to add either of the two.

The Cavaliers could veto the blockbuster trade if Celtics don’t revise the trade.

Did Boston Celtics Pull a Quick One? Isaiah Thomas’ Injury is a Point of Concern

Why did Boston Celtics Trade Isaiah Thomas for Kyrie Irving?

After shocking the NBA universe with the unprecedented trade between eastern conference chief rival, people are still wondering why in the world would Boston Celtics trade their best man last year?

Danny Ainge may have said that the opportunity to grab a young player like Kyrie Irving in his prime does not come every day but it does not fully justify why he would trade Isaiah Thomas, the player who has single handedly carried the Celtics to eastern conference finals.

Then this news surfaced.

The Celtics reportedly had “significant concerns” regarding Isaiah Thomas’ hip injury, and that factored into Boston’s willingness to trade him for Kyrie Irving.

Did you mean that the Cleveland Cavaliers never checked on the status of the injury of Isaiah Thomas?

The Cavs are “anxious” to bring in Thomas for a physical so that they can put a firm timetable on his return date, according to Adrian Wojnarowski, but overall the Cavs’ front office doesn’t have any short term concerns regarding Thomas’ health. 

The former Boston Celtics point guard has one year left on his contract and his performance this year may have a big effect on the kind of offers he could get. Isaiah Thomas will be 29 years old.

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Cavs Isaiah Thomas May Not Play on Season Opener Against Former Team

President and General Manager of Boston Celtics Danny Ainge said that Isaiah Thomas probably will not play at the start of the season due to an ailing hip that he got from the Eastern Conference last season.

“There’s going to be probably a little bit of delay for Isaiah as he starts the season this year. But I think that Isaiah should be fine and healthy as the season goes along.” said Ainge.

Thomas was slowed down by the same injury in the last playoffs, which caused him to play in just the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals series against Cleveland. Thomas has no set date yet for a return.

The Boston Celtics will visit Cleveland Cavaliers on both teams’ NBA season opener on October 17.

Who Won on the Celtics-Cavs Trade?

Does the Boston Celtics make the right move in trading Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and the Brooklyn Nets’ 2018 unprotected first-round pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Kyrie Irving?

The Celtics got a 25-year-old four-time All-Star with an NBA title and an Olympic gold medal on Irving. A player who demanded to be removed from the shadow of the best player in the league, so he can show that he is ready to be the face of another franchise.

The Cavaliers on the other hand, got a two-time All-Star who led the Eastern Conference in scoring and finished in the top five of the MVP voting in Thomas.

A big factor on the trade was the inclusion of Boston’s 2018 first round pick from Brooklyn.

Celtics will start the season with their own Big 3 in Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward and Al Horford. Then Cavaliers will test their new backcourt with the addition of Isaiah Thomas and Derrick Rose to team-up with Lebron James and Kevin Love.

Kristen Ledlow’s Epic Reference to Man Size in Basketball, Immediately Regretted It

Kristen Ledlow is a well-known NBA reporter.  She is always around basketball players and probably knows the game better than a lot of basketball fans out there. She was at court side during one of the NBA summer league basketball game and was asked to comment on something.

She went on referencing Isiah Thomas and followed it up with the phrase “size does not matter” but quickly reversed after realizing that his description may lead somewhere else. It was too late as we knew she was talking about the man’s private part.

White Flag? Boston Celtics Sitting Thomas for the Rest of the Playoffs?

Boston maybe throwing the towel after announcing that they will be sitting down perennial point guard Isaiah Thomas.

Thomas has been the focal point of offense of the number 1 seeded Celtics. The MVP candidate has been the go to guy and has contributed a lot even on tough times. Thomas in the playoffs experienced some heart wrenching news when a day before their playoff series against the Wizards his sister was involved in an accident and died. He had no choice but to play and he played very well, even at time he was seen crying.

But it isn’t the only issue that Thomas was suffering to. During the series with the Wizards he injured his hips and was aggravated due to the long series and continuous play.

In a statement by Celtics’ general manager and president Danny Ainge, he mentioned that the injury was a lingering one and it is the management’s decision to sit him down to prevent long term damage. It has nothing to do with the series being a blow out.

Highlights: Beal, John Wall Led a 26-0 3rd Quarter Run, Ties the Series with Boston 121-102

Wizards shot 44 out of 84 in the field and 88 percent in the three-point line. 

Otto Porter, Bradley Beal and Markieff Morris started scoring in the first quarter doing lay ups and power shots with help from Marcin Gortat, John Wall and Brandon Jennings. Bradley Beal continued scoring in the second quarter with a three-pointer in the right wing assisted by Brandon Jennings. Followed by Tomas Satoransky, Ian Mahinmi, Bojan Bogdanovic, Marcin Gortat, John Wall and Otto Porter chipping in with points from free throws, three-point shots and lay ups.

John Wall heated up in the third quarter leading 26-0 run amazing every fans watching. 

In the post-game press conference, Wizards coach Scott Brooks were quoted to have said, “You guys were good, I didn’t think you were going to be this good.”. Scoring 42 points over the 20 ponys of Boston Celtics “That’s probably our best stretch of basketball [this season].” Boston tried to step it up in  the fourth quarter with Isiah Thomas leading the Celtics today with 19 points, 5 assists and 1 rebound together with Al Horford, Kelly Olynyk and Terry Rozier. 

Final score, 121-102 Wizards now ties the series with Game 5 happening in Boston on May 11th.

See the game highlights below.

(courtesy: youtube/Rapid Highlights)

Highlights: Thomas, Free Throw Pushed Celtics and Wizards Game 2 into Overtime

It’s Isaiah Thomas again, this time scoring a total of 53 points leading Celtics victory in Game 2.

This may be Thomas’s career play-off high with today’s Game 2 showcasing a total of 53 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds. After leading Celtics Game 1 victory against Washington Wizards despite the passing away of his sister, Isiah Thomas is getting more better and better. Leading today’s win and even pushing the game into overtime with his free throw.

Wizards dominated the first quarter with 13 point advantage against Boston, with Joh Wall leading the game today for wizards scoring a total of 40 points, 13 assists and 3 rebounds. Bradley Beal, Markieff Morris, Marcin Gortat, Jason Smith together with Wall contributed to the first quarter points of Wizards doing lay-ups, power shots, three pointers, and free throws.

Celtics bounced back in the second quarter managing to get a 10-point adavantage against Wizards with help from Isiah Thomas, Marcus Smart, Al Horford, Jae Crowder, Terry Rozier and Avery Bradley.

Wizards was already leading in the start of the fourth quarter, with quarter three points from Beal, Wall, Porter and Smith. Jason Smith kicked start the fourth with an 18-foot jumper along the baseline. Followed up by free throws from Bradley Beal, a 2-foot cutting lay up by Kelly Oubre Jr. Dunk by John Wall, shots from Markieff Morris, Marcin Gortat and a three pointer from Otto Porter to make the score 114 against 112 of Celtics. But a foul from Marcin Gortat granted Thomas 2 free throws which Thomas used to tie the score to 114 pushing the game into overtime.

Celtics gave it all in the overtime scoring 15 points leaving Wizards with only 5 points, final score 119-129. \

Game 3 will be on Wednesday May 5th.

(courtesy: youtube/Rapid Highlights)

Grieving Isaiah Thomas Performed Well But Boston Celtics Still Fell to the Chicago Bulls

An athlete’s performance in a game is mostly credited because of preparation and training.

For the 28 year old and 60th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft Isaiah Thomas, no one could have prepared him for a horrific incident that happened a day before one of the important games in the NBA season.

22 year old Chyna Thomas sister of MVP candidate Isaiah Thomas was reported to have died in a car accident in Washington.  

Isaiah opts to play the very first game against the Bulls and was obviously still shaken by the unexpected incident.  With a heavy heart, Thomas was able to play his usual self, scoring  33 points with a decent 10 -18 field goal. Boston Celtics as a team played well with the support of Al Hartford and Avery Bradley who had a combined 33 points.

Thomas is an epitome of a strongman, he played his bleeding heart out in game 1.

Although the results did not go their favor with the Bulls edging the Celtics 106 -102, led by Jimmy Butler who scored a team high of 30 points.  Thomas got the sympathy and the respect of other players including Butler who talked about how tough Thomas is after the game.

Tonight is just the first game of the best of seven series between the Bulls and the Celtics.

Isaiah Thomas Throws Down a Windmill Dunk in Practice

Isaiah Thomas’ may have failed in his dunk attempt in the All-Star Game…but he has redeemed himself with a video showing a powerful windmill dunk in practice.

The video was posted in his Instagram along with the caption “I still got it! Lol.”

Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas is one of the best below-the-rim players in the NBA, but he’s also got some mad hops.

 
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