Brown still feeling lineup

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Brown still feeling lineup
BOB FINNAN, Morning Journal Writer
02/06/2007

CLEVELAND -- Cavaliers coach Mike Brown is in a Catch 22 situation.


Whenever he doesn't play certain players, he's asked about it in his daily press briefings. On Sunday in the 90-78 drubbing by the Detroit Pistons, Brown used 10 players.

''Pretty soon I have to tighten it up, once I get a group or rotation I feel comfortable with,'' Brown said. ''I'm still in a search mode.''

Brown said he talked to Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, one of his mentors, about his rotations. Popovich recently replaced Manu Ginobili in his starting lineup with Brent Barry.

''(Popovich) said, ÔThat could change in another month,''' Brown said. ''It's a process until I feel comfortable with this unit and rotation.''
One player who has seemingly fallen out of Brown's rotation is guard Damon Jones.

Noted

The Cavs haven't beaten a team with a winning record since Jan. 13 when they topped the Los Angeles Clippers, 104-92 ... Sunday's game marked the Cavs' fifth consecutive loss on national television ... Jones has reportedly been picked to participate in the Long Distance Shootout during All-Star weekend. The official announcement will come Thursday. He was shooting 3s with racks of balls after practice yesterday.

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Crashing in Cleveland?

If you ask me, Cavaliers coach Mike Brown is officially on the clock. Yeah, I know, every coach is on the clock the minute they sign their contract. But I really think, unless the Cavs make a quick turnaround, Brown is coaching his last season in Cleveland.

I have been saying all season that it seemed like he had lost his grip on the team. It seemed, from a distance, that Brown was doing more facilitating for LeBron James than coaching the ballclub. The Cavaliers haven't played with any real fire this season and their offense has seemed in disarray. But those on the inside in Cleveland told me Brown would be tough to fire. He was hired by owner Dan Gilbert, before general manager Danny Ferry was hired. It's a very odd dynamic. Ferry would have to be the one to push for the firing of Brown. How comfortable would you be asking your boss to fire a guy he hired?

I am wondering if things are different now. James has spoken up. He has criticized Brown's offensive system, saying the grinding half-court style doesn't fit the team anymore. Here are parts of the interview James gave to my colleague Brian Windhorst in today's Akron Beacon Journal.

"I feel we've got enough athletes where we can get up and down the court. At times the coaching staff feels the same way, at other times no. We're kind of playing basketball for the playoffs. Our offense is geared toward half-court basketball instead of getting out and running."

James' scoring averaging is down nearly six points a game and the team is near the bottom in points and shooting percentage.

James: "(Running) is not going to stop defense, defensively we're in tune. But at the end of the day, if you don't put points on the board, you're not going to win basketball games. You can hold a team to 42 percent shooting, but if they make enough offensive plays and we don't, you're going to lose ballgames. We don't get easy buckets. I don't get easy buckets like I used to in the past. Easy buckets can always help, it doesn't hurt. At times it's fun to get up and down and throw lobs, I've probably caught two lobs this year, that's a career low."

James has aired these grievances with Brown, and he has done so politely and professionally. Brown has been receptive. But, can he really change his offensive system in the middle of a season? Or is it already too late?

"I believe this thing is ever evolving," Brown told Windhorst. "You tweak stuff, you don't make changes. I don't believe in that. Whatever you have, especially what's working for you, you make a tweak here and a tweak there and do use repetition and that's how you get better."

We'll have to see how this plays out, but certainly Gilbert has heard his star player's concerns. Things would have to completely fall apart for Brown to get fired this season. But, unless things change, Gilbert will be looking for a new coach for next season.

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