FOXSportsOhio.com
March 13, 2011
CLEVELAND -- Scott Brooks is a former Cavaliers point guard and the current coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Things haven't always been this good for Brooks and the Thunder, who beat down the Cavs by a 95-75 count Sunday afternoon at Quicken Loans Arena.
So Brooks was sympathetic to the Cavs' plight, as the Thunder were once where the Cavs are today.
"It's just important to be patient with the process," Brooks said of the Cavs. "They have good people leading the team, and that's really what is most important."
He later emphasized that while things may seem dire now, this is no time to wallow in depression.
"You have to take small steps, focus on the little things," Brooks said. "You can't get down because there is still work ahead."
Brooks' words of comfort probably didn't mean much Sunday, when the Cavs were beat in every way imaginable -- inside, outside and most places in between. And, according to coach Byron Scott, in the all-important area of effort.
"I am really starting to question what type of heart we have as a basketball team," Scott said. "If you are a competitor, no matter what the situation is or what the year has brought, you have to come out and compete every single night."
Scott also used phrases such as "lack of focus" to describe what he's seen lately, adding that the Cavs' run-of-the-mill approach may not necessarily be worse than at other times this season, "but it's not good."
Anyone who saw Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook slice through the Cavs' defense with the greatest of ease knows what Scott means. Westbrook not only finished with 20 points on 10-for-16 shooting, but of those 10 baskets, nine were layups. The other was a dunk.
"My biggest problem with that is, he's a great player, but you need to get to a point as a team where you say enough is enough," Scott said. "Somebody's gotta knock him on his ass to be honest with you. It's as simple as that, and that is where the heart part comes in."
Instead, it was the young Thunder that threw all of the big punches. Star forward Kevin Durant scored 19 on 6-for-12 shooting. Center Serge Ibaka finished with a whopping seven blocks -- in 29 minutes. And guard James Harden came off the bench to make five of 10 shots for 16 points and pull down five rebounds.
Again, the Thunder haven't always been at this point. Today, they are considered a rising contender in the West. Not long ago, they were a basketball doormat.
The Cavs can relate, having at one point lost 26 straight and currently owning a league-worst record of 12-53. They currently are riding a four-game losing streak, and have lost six of seven. In their defense, no one in their starting five Sunday was selected among the top 18 picks of the NBA draft. So it's basically a lot of guys -- many of whom are very early in their careers -- who are constantly just trying to prove themselves.
But Scott won't allow them to use that as an excuse.
"With this group that we have, because of Andy (Varejao) being out and (Antawn Jamison) being out, who are probably our two best leaders, I don't know if the guys are trying to find themselves or whatever," Scott said. "But it is still no excuse for not going out there and playing hard, and I don't think we have done that the last two games."
Only two Cavs reached double figures in scoring -- and Daniel Gibson (13 points) and Samardo Samuels (10 points, 10 rebounds, just 3-for-11 shooting) barely did that.
But if you listen to Brooks, better days are ahead. At least, they could be, as the Cavs own two first-round draft picks, a trade exception and number of other movable assets. And who knows?
Use those assets wisely and maybe you can become the next Thunder.
"Play the right way, make the right passes, make the right rotations on defense," was how Durant described the way the Thunder play.
And, of course, play with the right amount of effort.
Updated March 13, 2011
