Tyronn Lue Rips Cavaliers After Hawks Loss, Doesn’t Think Team Respected Atlanta

Tyronn Lue Rips Cavaliers After Hawks Loss, Doesn’t Think Team Respected Atlanta

Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue lamented his team’s lackadaisical approach Friday night following a 114-100 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks at Quicken Loans Arena.

Dave McMenamin of ESPN passed along postgame reaction from the 39-year-old coach, who’s unhappy with the identity the Cavs have developed with the playoffs on the horizon.

“I didn’t think we respected them tonight,” Lue said. “I thought we thought we’d just mess around with the game until it was time to knuckle down. By that time, they already had confidence. That’s who we’ve been. That’s who we are. I hate it.”

He called it a “bad performance” and added: “These games like this come back and bite you, especially down the stretch when you’re trying to get some rest. Trying to hold on to that No. 1 seed and getting rest, and you come out and have a performance like this,…