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Center takes Cavs' coach to task again for behavior
By Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Thursday, Apr 24, 2008
INDEPENDENCE: For the Cavaliers and the Washington Wizards, there seems to be no shortage of things to bicker about.
As if the on-court drama hasn't made their still-developing series must-watch TV, the off-the-court jabs and strategizing via the media just won't cease. Which simply thickens the plot and deepens the rift between the teams and their fan bases, who have been eating up the fodder with glee. So here is some more.
Speaking to Washington reporters in advance of tonight's Game 3 as the series shifts to the Verizon Center, Wizards center Brendan Haywood expressed his displeasure about how Cavs coach Mike Brown has come onto the court in Games 1 and 2.
In the opener, Brown came off the bench to step in between Haywood and LeBron James when they got face-to-face after an offensive foul. In Game 2, Brown came onto the floor and again got in between Haywood and his players after Haywood committed a flagrant foul on James. Haywood didn't appreciate it and even compared Brown's actions to the most famous coach-on-the-floor story in NBA playoff history.
''When you're running out on the court like Jeff Van Gundy, yelling at the refs the whole game, it's a little ridiculous,'' Haywood said, referring to the 1998 incident when then New York Knicks coach Van Gundy grabbed onto Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning's feet in an attempt to break up a fight.
''Just coach your team. We're not trying to hurt anybody,'' Haywood said. ''You don't have to come out there trying to win acting awards . . . C'mon Mike. That man's name is LeBron James not LeBron Brown. He's not your son.''
Brown was not aware of Haywood's comments, but sternly defended his actions and made it clear he would enter the playing field again if it he thought he was protecting James or another player.
''The head coach has the right to come out on the floor and I will come out on the floor anytime I see a skirmish because I don't want any of my players kicked out of the current game or suspended for future games,'' Brown said. ''It's my job as a head coach to take care of the business on the floor with my team and it's my assistant coach's job to make sure they keep everybody else back on that bench.''
The Cavs' coach has a rather unique perspective on on-court scrums. In 2005, Brown was an assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers during the infamous brawl in Detroit. It was Brown who jumped over the scorer's table and up into the stands to pull Ron Artest off fans at the Palace of Auburn Hills. He said that experience has taught him to do anything he can to maintain order when things get heated on the floor.
It is also one of the reasons Brown has constantly reminded his team to keep its poise during this heated matchup with the Wizards.
''It was a learning experience,'' Brown said of the brawl. ''You hate you went through it, but you know what to say to this group now and how to handle that type of situation.''
The actions might open Brown to criticism or make him the butt of jokes, but the attitude has earned him notice from the player he's attempting to protect.
''He's always defended me and that's why I respect him,'' James said. ''I'm happy he's my head coach; I'm happy he's stuck up for me.''
Jordan politics
Maybe it was being back in Washington, D.C., or it was finally an answer to Brown's similar tactics, but Wizards coach Eddie Jordan started doing his own lobbying at the officials on Wednesday. He feels the Wizards have gotten too much attention for hard fouls when the Cavs, too, have doled out some themselves. Especially Anderson Varejao, who was hit with a flagrant foul of his own on Andray Blatche in Game 2.
''Well, if they are like the fouls they gave on us, you have to at least act like you are going for the ball and you can throw your body at anybody you like,'' Jordan said. ''Just watching the fouls they gave on us, it was you know, pretend you are going for the ball and throw your body at the guy. So, that's a good technique.''
Dribbles
One of the reasons the Cavs have been effective in Games 1 and 2 is because they have taken care of the ball. They have 52 assists and just 19 turnovers. James had 16 assists and just two turnovers. . . . The Cavs are 4-1 at the Verizon Center in the playoffs over the last two years. . . . The Cavs will host official watch parties of the game tonight at the Winking Lizard in Lakewood and Johnny Malloy's in Cleveland Heights.
Brian Windhorst can be reached at bwindhor@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/cavs/.
INDEPENDENCE: For the Cavaliers and the Washington Wizards, there seems to be no shortage of things to bicker about.
Get the full article here.
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