However, after a faceplant loss to the Chicago Bulls in their first game after firing Blatt, the Cavs have rattled off four straight, including their most impressive win over the Spurs Saturday night. Now ESPN reports that in the aftermath of Blatt's firing, the team held a players-only meeting, spearheaded by their three stars LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, and not only cleared the air, but established a measure of accountability ... for everyone. From ESPN:
Following a meeting called by general manager David Griffin to inform the team coach David Blatt had been fired, Cavs players held an extended and spirited players-only meeting, sources told ESPN.com. It turned into an airing of grievances for players including stars LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving but eventually led to an agreement that has been a basis for the Cavs recent strong play.
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A central issue in the discussion, sources said, was the need for accountability within the team. One of the issues that was keeping the team from enjoying some of the successes of the season was the different set of rules for some players compared to others.
In what could turn out to be a key moment in their tenures together, James, Irving and Love came to an understanding that they needed to police each other on certain matters and use their influence within the team to set a standard for accountability, sources said. That was frequently a missing component over the last season and a half, sometimes creating friction.
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James compared some of the Cavs situation to his time with the Miami Heat. Other players challenged James on his need to set a stronger example, including with his effort level when he becomes frustrated, sources said.
Source: Cleveland Cavaliers finding success after holding players-only meeting.
That last point is key. James' body language when the team gets stuck with a bad offensive possession or blows a defensive rotation has been horrid this year; his frustration was palpable. However, while James is busy face-palming, the other team is attacking or the Cavs are wasting time on offense.
The loss to the Bulls remains perplexing, but after it, they've looked phenomenal, with the Big 3 each scoring 20 points in the past two games. Kevin Love has been more involved than at any point with the Cavs and James has been less ball dominant. The entire approach has made them much more effective.
Since he arrived, James has bemoaned the culture of the locker room and how much work needed to be done to correct it. With their season facing an unimpressive if goal-reaching finish as a loser in the Finals, the Cavs have made a course correction to at least give them a new dimension. Whether they can sustain it and thrive the next time adversity comes their way, something that has been an Achilles heel for them the past 18 months, will determine whether or not the Cavs are really truly title contenders after all the drama of the last month.
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