It might be Australia Day for the Cleveland Cavaliers when they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves, but for Matthew Dellavedova, LeBron James and the rest of the team it will be D-Day.
Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena and the Cavs' players on Monday (Tuesday AEDT) will be decked out in green and gold, Aussie singer Cody Simpson will belt out Advance Australia Fair pre-game and the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo will have native Australian animals to show the 20,000 fans in attendance.
What the Cavs and fans desperately need is a win.
The team, with former assistant Tyronne Lue promoted to head coach after Friday's sacking of David Blatt, was booed off the court following Saturday's 96-83 home loss to the Chicago Bulls.
Blatt's firing came despite the Cavs holding the best record in the NBA Eastern Conference and making the NBA Finals last year.
"There will be some adjustment period but I don't think it will be that long," James told reporters after the loss.
The Australia Day game, one of many theme nights the Cavs' marketing department has planned for the season (on February 8 they host a Chinese New Year celebration), was supposed to celebrate their two Australian-born players, Dellavedova and All-Star guard Kyrie Irving.
The firing of Blatt appears to have exposed a locker room in turmoil.
James added to his reputation of being a "coach killer", although general manager David Griffin stressed it was management's decision and James was not consulted prior to Blatt's sacking.
Lue received just eight points from the bench against the Bulls, with Dellavedova scoring five.
Lue wants to transform the Cavs from the NBA's second slowest, because they routinely walk the ball up on offence, into a fast-paced team.
The sudden game plan change backfired against the Bulls with players gassed early and asking to take a rest.
"LeBron wanted to come out early, Kyrie wanted to come out early and Kevin (Love) wanted to come out early," Lue told reporters.
The comments raised eyebrows among reporters in the post game press conferences considering the Cavs have already played 42 games this season so should be match fit.
"My chest felt like it was about to cave in from the first six to eight possessions," Irving, who returned to the team last month after a knee fracture, said.
"We have to get in better shape," James said.
It's ironic the weary Cavs' Australia Day night is sponsored by Up&Go - the down under liquid breakfast.
Share
