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Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue loves Lance Stephenson's style of play

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue is a fan of Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson and the style of play he brings to the game.
Credit: David Richard
Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue is a fan of Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson and the style of play he brings to the game.

CLEVELAND -- Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson is one of the least popular opposing players who visits Quicken Loans Arena for postseason games, but he has at least one person from the opposing team who appreciates his style of play: Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue.

Despite his drawing a technical foul from small forward LeBron James, walking into the back of forward Larry Nance Jr. and acting as if he was fouled and tackling power forward Jeff Green in the final seconds of Game 4 Sunday, Lue appreciates Stephenson’s physical style of play.

“You know, I love Lance,” Lue said after Sunday’s 104-100 victory over the Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. “He’s a throwback player. He reminds me of back when I played, when I first got into the league, guys who were physical.”

To Lue, Stephenson exemplifies the style of play one can expect in postseason basketball.

“He’s going to hit you,” Lue said. “No easy layups, so he’s going to be a physical player, offensively and defensively, and you love that physicality that he brings and toughness.

“Sometimes, they’re going to call it. Sometimes, they’re not, but we’ve got to do a good job of just playing through the physicality, playing through all the whatever it is, and keep playing. I love his style. He comes in. He plays hard. He plays tough. He’s not going to back down from anyone. He just reminds me of an old-school player, so I like it.”

Jeff Green knows a wrong reaction could have led to a serious setback for the @cavs. But, tough as it was, he kept his composure. #WhateverItTakes pic.twitter.com/C4fV4b2CUd

— FOX Sports Ohio (@FOXSportsOH) April 23, 2018

In the final moments of the Game 4 win, James inbounded the ball to Green in the backcourt, and Stephenson immediately tried to tie him up for a jump ball. However, after a foul was called, Stephenson and Green tumbled to the court, wrestling for control of the ball.

Several players and officials had to step in and break up the altercation before it escalated beyond pushing and shoving.

Stephenson was assessed a common personal foul for his actions prior to the skirmish.

“It was real tough to keep your composure, but you have to,” Green said. “At the end of the day, it’s basketball. It’s on the basketball court, and nobody’s going to fight on the basketball court, honestly, but those type of plays, you really have to try and keep your head.

“I tried. I did. I was smart in that situation being a tight game, but you’ve got to try to look past that. The key is to win. For us to win, this is big. This is big, and if I would’ve reacted, that would’ve set us back, definitely, so I’m glad I kept my composure.”

Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski
Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson (1) wraps up Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) for a jump ball in the second half of Game 4 in the first round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

With the best-of-seven series heating up, the Cavaliers know keeping composure against Stephenson will be key for the Cavaliers if they hope to advance beyond the first round and continue pursuit of their fourth straight trip to the NBA Finals.

“It’s just knowing what the main thing is, keeping the main thing the main thing, and that’s for us to try and execute, offensively and defensively,” James said. “Understanding how important I am to the team and just trying to foresee what we need to do to execute, offensively and defensively, be better and try to win a ball game.”

Green added, “I think it’s a big part of a series. You have to keep your composure. All the rough play, push it to the side, and just think about the next play and not try to react.”

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