Sometimes, NBA coaches need to think outside the box to get the job done. I mean, how to motivate a millionaire athlete who’s already been through hell to make the league? And what more motivation does a player need when the NBA championship is on the line?
But desperate times ask for desperate measures. And that’s what happened back with the 2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers. They were down 3-1 to arguably the greatest regular season team in history, and a comeback seemed quite unlikely.
That’s why Tyronn Lue used a rather unorthodox motivation tactic to get his guys pumped and motivated to try and make history. And while it eventually succeeded, LeBron James may not be happy to hear this story.
NBA News: Tyronn Lue Tells Hilarious Story From The 2016 NBA Finals
“Game 4, you know, was a close game, but we lost it,” Lue told JJ Redick on The Old Man & The Tree. “But our adjustments was exactly what we needed to do, and so, we just had to do them better. We had a couple of mess-ups, and in Game 5, I think, before we got on that plane to go, there, I said, ‘listen, if you don’t believe we can win, stay home.‘ I really thought we could win. I didn’t think it was over, and then Draymond got suspended for Game 5.”
“We came out, and Kyrie and Bron both had 40. So after Game 5, actually, we were going home for Game 5 and I had everybody in the locker room give me $200. So all the players, Mr. Gilbert, Griff, give me $200. They said, ‘what are you doing with this money and I actually got the video on my phone, and I put it in the ceiling and said, ”Are we coming back for Game 7 to get our money? We go to Golden State and win Game 7 and win the championship… The first thing ‘Bron asked me ‘hey man, where’s our money?’ and I said, ‘man, I don’t know. It disappeared.’ I kept that money for myself,” Lue said.
The fact that LeBron actually asked Lue for his $200 right after winning one of the most epic NBA titles ever is hilarious. So, you better believe he’ll be on Lue’s phone asking for his money back now that the truth is out there.