Assistant coach Larry Drew took over the coaching duties for the Cleveland Cavaliers once coach Tyronn Lue stepped away from the team to deal with his medical issues. Drew, however, hasn’t been a quiet in his temporary role nor has he shied away from speaking about the potential in his team.
After a comeback win against the Toronto Raptors on March 21, Drew declared that victory a turning point in the Cavs’ season. Last night, the Cavs again dispatched the Raptors, giving Cleveland its ninth win in its last 10 games. (Lue coached the first game in that run, by the way.) Afterward, Drew was talking bold again, saying the Cavaliers had more greatness in them, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com:
“I still say we’re only scratching the surface, I really do,” said Drew after the Cavs beat the Raptors 112-106 on Tuesday. “I still think we can get our young guys, our new guys, they’re still kind of feeling their way through this. I can look at their face and tell that they’re just thinking, they’re just trying to think of what to do. They’re not letting their natural basketball instincts take over. And when they get passed that point, I think it takes us to another level.”
The Cavs are both three-time defending champs in the East, and a new team. And this week is a measuring-stick week, with players coming back from injury and games against playoff teams with seeding on the line.
Next up are the Washington Wizards Thursday, who could wind up being a first-round matchup.
So after each one, with the playoffs a week and a half away, it’s natural to ask: “What does it mean?”
“That’s to be seen,” LeBron James said. “But mentally, I’m sharp and I’m focused on what we need to do in order to close out this regular season, but more importantly with Thursday with Washington coming into our building.
* * *
