Bell: 'LeBron Surely Has the Autonomy' to Change Blatt's Plays
The Cleveland Cavaliers, hammered by injuries, suspension and poor shooting by their best players, somehow find themselves knotted-up at two games apiece in a series with the Chicago Bulls.
Former NBA player and current Cavs Director of Player Administration Raja Bell joined the Marc Hochman Show with Zach Krantz on 560 WQAM to discuss Game 4's riveting ending with LeBron James deciding to call his own number for the eventual game-winner.
"It's LeBron's team right now," Bell said, "so he's got to put guys on his shoulder and be willing to take big shots.
"I think he's matured and as he's grown he's understood that nine out of 10 times the best option is for him to have it even if someone else is open but I surely always want the ball in a guy's hands who I can trust to make the right decision."
Bell also doesn't think there's an issue with changing the coach's play, which called for LeBron to make the inbounds pass with 1.5 seconds remaining with the game tied.
"In the '06 playoffs I was not nearly the player LeBron was but we were down three, we were about to go down in a series at home and I told Mike D'Antoni 'just give me the ball,'" Bell said. "I knocked down a similar shot to what LeBron did and I wasn't of the ilk of a LeBron James. So if I could do it, LeBron surely has the autonomy to do it."
Game 5 is tonight in Cleveland.
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