The Cavs and its fans expected a championship this year. They've expected one since 2007 when LeBron and Brown first made the NBA Finals. After three years of earlier-than-expected exits, they had to fire Brown.
Brown is catching the bulk of the heat after this year's loss. Mainly because no one wants to criticize LeBron James, who was MIA in Game 5 and turned the ball over 9 times in Game 6. James deserves blame, but he can't win or lose a playoff series by himself. He didn't play well most of the series and neither did the "supporting cast." But how much of that was not being put in a good position to win? Mike Brown and his staff continued a trend of not making the proper adjustments throughout tough playoff series.
Brown and the Cavs are able to cruise to 66 and 61 regular season wins because the style they play is set up to play one game. The Playoffs are a different situation and that approach doesn't work. Teams get a couple games in a row against the Cavs and they prepare for them differently. In a playoff series, a good team with a good coach can scheme on the Cavs and out adjust them. Happened last year with Orlando, and this year with Boston.
In the playoffs, play is more physical. A team like Boston knows how to use that better than anybody. Boston is playing at a very high level defensively. Doc Rivers and his staff were able to make adjustments to stop LeBron from having big nights and limiting the other players. Boston frustrated Cleveland into not playing like they had all year.
When Cleveland won Game 3 124-95 in Boston and LeBron had 38-8-7, the Celtics were embarrassed. Rivers went to the drawing board and adjusted the game plan. Mike Brown just tried to do the exact same thing. He couldn't counter Boston's adjustments. He couldn't devise a plan to get LeBron going and spark the offense. That's why he's taking blame and why he was fired.
In a half-court game like Boston and Cleveland play in the playoffs, you must be able to execute. Boston's defense out executed Cleveland's O. Boston made the adjustments and Cleveland did nothing. Brown tried force-feeding Shaq, which slowed the pace to a crawl and got no one else involved. Brown went to Ilgauskas for the first time in weeks, which slowed things down even more. LeBron needs tempo and pace. Throwing it in to Shaq for the entire 24 seconds stifled the Cavs' offense and had prolonged effects.
Brown isn't a bad coach. He had a certain degree of success, but he underachieved. Brown could never make the proper adjustments and it cost him his job. Not returning to the Finals in the last three years is the ax that swung down on Brown. It branded him as a coach who can't get over the hump with capable teams. The East has been up for grabs the last two years and it was the Cavs for the taking.
Cleveland wants to prove to LeBron that it's all about winning a championship right now. Mike Brown has proven he's not ready yet. And this did not help his case at all: worst press conference moment of the year.
The NBA Coach of the Year trend continues. Next up, Scott Brooks. (If you win that award you're out of a job within two years.)
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