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Veteran Wallace brings leadership and buys into coach's philosophy
By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Saturday, Nov 01, 2008
INDEPENDENCE: Cavaliers coach Mike Brown tried to call off practice early Friday.
After all, the Cavs will be playing the New Orleans Hornets tonight in the Big Easy, so a little rest couldn't hurt.
Ben Wallace would have none of it.
''Ben stepped up like a leader and said, 'What do you mean, Coach?' I said: 'Let's bring it in, practice is over.' He said: 'We got two more possessions. C'mon two more.' . . . So we finished practice.''
Brown appreciates what Wallace, a 12-year veteran, brings to the Cavs.
''It's all because a guy [with] Ben's leadership and determination and wanting to get better that he stood up and said something like that,''' Brown said. ''And everybody else jumps on board.''
A trade brought Wallace to the Cavs from the Chicago Bulls late last season.
It wasn't a smooth transition.
He dealt with a couple of issues — a lingering back problem and a tough adjustment to the Cavs' style of play.
Wallace, a power forward, wasn't a stranger to Cleveland, having played at Cuyahoga Community College. It was on the court where he was struggling to find a rhythm.
It's a different world for Wallace now.
''Everybody got to know each other in training camp. We got to know the system together and we're learning together,'' Wallace said. ''Last year, when I came in — trying to get to know the guys, trying to get to focus, trying to get to learn the system — it was tough.''
No ones expects Wallace, 34, to return to his form as a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year. But Wallace said Brown's schemes are tailor-made for a player with his defensive skills.
''Mike's a defensive coach,'' Wallace said. ''He stresses defense. That's what I hang my hat on. If we play well on the defensive end, it opens a lot of holes on the offensive end.
''And you've got guys like LeBron [James] and Mo [Williams] capable of making plays. It's just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.''
That scenario played itself out Thursday night against the visiting Charlotte Bobcats. Wallace is not likely to score a lot, but if he can provide consistent play and an occasional game in which he can grab 10 rebounds and block five shots, like he did Thursday, then he could be an integral part of the Cavs' success this year.
''He's one of the smartest players I've been around,'' Brown said. ''That's his style. He's a guy that's extremely active on that end of the floor defensively. That's what he made his living off of, so he is capable.''
Wallace said the season is riding on how the Cavs play defense and rebound.
''Everybody's on the same page,'' Wallace said. ''Everybody's moving, and when you get people moving around the way we were moving last night, it's easy to rebound.
''Fortunately, I was able to get my hands on a couple.''
Third-quarter blues
Carrying over from last season, third quarters are continuing to be a problem for the Cavs. It was no different against the Bobcats.
The Cavs were outscored 26-18 in the quarter, including a 16-2 run by the Bobcats.
Brown said they were lucky that it happened against the inexperienced Bobcats.
''Hopefully, we can change it, because if we play Boston, Detroit or San Antonio, if those guys are able to go on an extended run . . . oooh, it's going to be hard to win the game, especially on the road,'' he said.
Space for sale
Daniel Gibson scored 25 points Thursday, and yet his creative haircuts are drawing more attention than his scoring. He is sporting the Batman logo now. In the past, he has had both the Nike swoosh and Converse star. He jokingly said Friday that he would consider leasing his head out as advertising space.
George M. Thomas can be reached at sportswriterabj@sbcglobal.net Read the cavs blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/cavs/.
INDEPENDENCE: Cavaliers coach Mike Brown tried to call off practice early Friday.
Get the full article here.
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