Many NBA observers were stunned in January when the Cavaliers fired coach David Blatt, the coach who had guided the injury-stricken team to the NBA Finals last season and helped it to a 30-11 start this year.
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Saturday, Blatt was the one surprising some folks, praising his former team and his replacement, Tyronn Lue, by saying they're the team to beat in the NBA playoffs.
"I think they're playing great," Blatt told ESPN.com. "I think that the players and the coaching staff are doing a terrific job, I really do. And I think the fact that they are healthy and have actually even added a piece or two makes them the team to beat right now, in my opinion. That's really all I want to say."
If you parse that last sentence, you can see where Blatt might have really wanted to elaborate on his stunning ouster. At least he was diplomatic in his comments. Blatt found himself in an odd situation Saturday. He was in Toronto for a previously scheduled speaking engagement at a coaching clinic, while the Cavaliers were in town for Game 3 against the Raptors.
Blatt certainly doesn't seem to have any hard feelings toward his old coaching colleagues in Cleveland.
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"I'm very supportive of Ty [Lue], as I am of all of the coaching staff," Blatt said, via ESPN.com. "I had a great relationship with those guys, and I value them, and I want to see them all do well."
Blatt has already interviewed for head coaching vacancies with the Knicks, Kings and Rockets.