LeBron has Cavs players skipping on-court introductions
The Cleveland Cavaliers have stopped participating in the on-court starting lineup introductions in order to huddle up and focus on the game plan.
Instead of joining in the traditional high-fives and pregame spectacle, the team simply huddles around coach David Blatt as the PA announcer reads off the lineup, going over the game plan.
The idea belongs to LeBron James, who pitched it to teammates on the team bus before a game against Milwaukee last week.
“It’s just about being focused and preparing for the game,” James told cleveland.com’s Chris Haynes on Sunday. “It’s something we did in Miami at certain points. It’s about playing the game the right way and your approach. Staying locked in and being ready to go.”
Tristan Thompson said it helps the team present a united front before their games.
“I think it’s just a mindset so our opponents know we’re ready to play,” Thompson said. “We’re first on the court, ready for tip, and when they look over there after they do their huddle, it sends a message that they’ve got to be ready to rumble.
“It’s a mentality. We’re coming ready to play. We get together, we talk about what we need to talk about, coach draws up the plays and the assignment and we get right to work. As soon as the one minute and 30 starts, we’re going to be on the court and ready to play.”
The Cavaliers are 2-0 since they started skipping the pregame introductory festivities. You can bet that as long as they keep playing well, they’ll keep huddling instead of high-fiving. Just don’t expect to see LeBron pull himself out of a game the way he did on Saturday. That was probably a one-time thing.
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