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Did The Kyrie Irving Injury Cost David Blatt His Job?

By Ernest Shepard
Published on: 06:20 PST, Jun 6, 2015

Just days after the fact, the Kyrie Irving injury looms large on the current status of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Unfortunately, the ramifications may not just stop there. If the Cavaliers do not win the NBA title, an unlikely possibility as of now, what changes will the team make? Will one of those changes include a head coaching departure?

The All-Star guard will undergo surgery to have his fractured right kneecap repaired. According to Yahoo Sports, Kyrie Irving’s injury will keep him out of the remainder of the NBA Finals, with a timetable for a return somewhere between three or four months.

So many things can happen in the next three or four months. Chatter has consumed those who follow the basketball. Talking heads have wondered aloud about whether or not Irving should have played the amount of minutes that he did in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith quickly pointed out that Irving was already hampered by various injuries. He should not have played all of the 43 minutes he logged versus the Golden State Warriors. Minute distribution is the responsibility of Cleveland’s coach, David Blatt. And his lack of a long term view may cost him his job.

https://youtu.be/38q_eAqzLUY

While Blatt is not the blame for Kyrie Irving’s injury woes, there are some things that he can do in order for his star player to recover nicely. Easing Kyrie Irving back into the games is a surefire way to prevent the punishment that his body has endured over the past six weeks.

Anything can happen in sports, especially injuries. Perhaps Blatt could have been more cautious, but then again, this is the NBA Finals, and he is coaching to win.

David Blatt’s willingness to risk the long term health of his players, namely Irving has raised a stir with the guard’s inner circle.

A Brian Windhorst story in ESPN reports the amount of tension between the Cavaliers front office and Kyrie Irving’s father and agent.

The fuss over the Kyrie Irving injury originally began after he sat out Games 2 and 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Irving returned to the starting lineup in Game 4 amid a plethora of questions. It was a close out game for the Cavaliers. They was facing a wounded Atlanta Hawks team and there was no need for Kyrie Irving to play.

Do you blame the coach for playing him when the player has some culpability in being upfront about his health?

The injuries, including knee tendinitis that he developed over the course of the NBA Playoffs, mounted and Kyrie Irving wanted to keep playing. He understood that the ultimate goal is to win an NBA Championship. Cleveland was already without Kevin Love and Anderson Varejao. There was something heroic about Irving suiting up despite his ailing body betraying him.

Kyrie Irving’s injury gives the Cavaliers’ title hopes a near death blow. What happens next if they do not win the series?

Coach David Blatt cannot be blamed for a freakish play, but he, unfortunately, may become the fall guy, the person who takes one for the team.

There is a big time head coach who just became available one week ago in Tom Thibodeau. His sudden availability, coupled with the Kyrie Irving injury may have spelled doom for David Blatt.

[Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images Sport]

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