The Cleveland Cavaliers are looking and feeling good. For the first time in a long time, people—including LeBron James—believe the Cavs might actually have a shot at the title.
The Cavs steamrolled Toronto in Game 4 Monday night, cruising to a 128-93 win. Not everyone on Cleveland's roster, however, was happy.
Rodney Hood, whom the Cavs acquired from the Utah Jazz during their trade-deadline frenzy, has seen his playing time dwindle in the postseason, and he didn't play at all in Game 4. According to a new report, Hood was instructed to check into the game in the fourth quarter but he chose not to.
"When the Cavs called a timeout with a 30-point lead and 7:38 left Monday, (Tyronn) Lue tried inserting Hood for (LeBron) James," writes The Athletic. "It was a great opportunity for a struggling youngster to try to find his rhythm without any pressure before the next series. Instead, Hood refused to go in, multiple sources confirmed."
It goes on: "A number of veterans huddled around him during the timeout and tried talking sense into him, but Hood still refused to go, so Jose Calderon subbed into the game instead. Hood dressed quickly and was one of the first players out of the locker room after the game."
“NO.”
-Rosa Parks, 1955
-Rodney Hood, 2018
Lue: You're in!
Rodney Hood: pic.twitter.com/9LNTfjyPNS
I gotta say: Rodney Hood going from Utah’s preseason #1 option on offense to not seeing the floor at all for the Cavs is quite the fall.
Tom Withers of the Associated Press is reporting the Cavs will not punish Hood, citing a "person familiar with the situation."
I gotta say: Rodney Hood going from Utah’s preseason #1 option on offense to not seeing the floor at all for the Cavs is quite the fall.
Hood has struggled in the postseason. Though he averaged 14.7 points per game and shot 38.1 percent from three-point range in the regular season, his numbers have dipped to 4.6 and 13.3 percent, respectively.
He played 10:38 in Game 3. He has been a net-negative in all but one game in the postseason (Game 2 of round 1 versus Indiana, in which he was +1).
Hood is clearly frustrated, but you'd still expect more mature conduct from a 25-year-old making his first deep postseason run. We'll see how much time Lue gives him when the Cavs play in the Eastern Conference Finals—likely against the Boston Celtics, who lead the Philadelphia 76ers 3-1 and could close out that series Wednesday.
