Lue motivated Cavs with money trick

Associated Press

INDEPENDENCE

As the champion Cavaliers embarked on a new season, coach Tyronn Lue revealed he used a creative tactic to motivate them in the NBA Finals.

Lue used money to inspire them.

After the Cavs won Game 5 at Golden State to pull within 3-2 of the Warriors, Lue said Tuesday that he collected $100 from every player, coach, trainer, equipment manager, front office member and media relations persons he could find. In all, Lue gathered more than $5,000.

“They were like, ‘Where is the money going?”’ Lue said. “I was like, ‘It’s going to me and I’m going to wrap it up and put it in the ceiling in the coaches’ locker room and we’re going to come back, get our money and get our trophy for Game 7.’”

And that’s just what the Cavs did, winning Game 6 at home and then heading to California, where they completed the biggest comeback in finals history by winning at Oracle Arena to dethrone the Warriors and end Cleveland’s 52-year championship drought.

Lue said he borrowed the trick from Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers, whom he coached under with Boston. In 2008, Rivers used the same ploy with the Celtics.

“We played the Lakers on Christmas Day in L.A. and I think we lost by 25 or 30 and he came into the locker room and collected $100 from everybody and put it in the ceiling in L.A., in the Staples Center,” Lue said. “He said: ‘We’re coming back. We’re going to beat these guys in the Finals.’ We lost Game 7, but the money was still there and we met the back in the Finals. Great story.”

Not as great as the Cavs’ tale, and as they began training camp, Lue and LeBron James spent a few moments following practice reflecting on their incredible 2016 journey.

At this point a year ago, Lue was an assistant on David Blatt’s staff and James was being criticized for failing to deliver a championship in his first season back with Cleveland.

Now, they’re on top together.

“I’m still looking for my money,” he said. “I didn’t get mine back.”

Lue said not everyone got a refund.