Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue and his superstar small forward LeBron James share many similarities. Both come from the humble beginnings of the inner city, and James and Lue’s bond has blossomed since the man from Mexico Missouri took over halfway through last season. Their ride together to an NBA championship validated their dedication to each other, and perhaps James has finally found the coach he can relate to on personal level after all these years.
Since their NBA championship triumph, Lue and James have continued their hunger for success, picking up where they left off last campaign, and an excellent February has seen the Cavs solidify their position atop the Eastern Conference standings.
The Cavs recently defeated the Pacers at the Q with a dominant display from James, who dropped 31 points on the night on 12/17 shooting and 4/5 from the three-point line in just 32 minutes. He also held Pacers star Paul George to just 13 points on 4/19 from the field and George did not score a single point when James was his primary defender. It was a superb way to go into the All-Star break, but James received some throwback praise from his coach after the Cavs downed the in-form Denver Nuggets just a few nights prior.
Lue funnily used an old pop culture reference to describe James’ ability to do literally everything on a basketball court, and how the Cavs must find alternative ways to get James the ball in different actions they run for him.
James has been extraordinary in February, averaging 27.1 points per game, 6.1 rebounds per game and 10.6 assists per game on 63.4 percent from the field and 61 percent from three-point land. The Cavs have benefited from a re-focused James, and as sharpshooter Kyle Korver continues to find his place within the system, as well as Derrick Williams showing he belongs, the Cavs look strong once again heading into the second half of the season despite the injuries to JR Smith and Kevin Love.