The Cleveland Cavaliers have qualified for the NBA play-offs for the first time since 2010 by finishing second in the Eastern Conference with 50 wins and 27 defeats.

But Israeli coach David Blatt is not getting credit from the pundits. An ESPN panel ranked him 19 out of 30 coaches in the NBA – below five coaches of teams that did not even qualify for the 16-team play-offs.

The feeling is that the players, led by LeBron James, rather than Blatt’s coaching skills, are behind the
Cavaliers success.

Blatt, in his first season in the NBA after winning the European title with Maccabi Tel Aviv last season, admits that he often allows James to dictate tactics. But it would be a major surprise if Blatt is sacked. The season ends next week and the Israeli’s team are being tipped to reach the NBA finals in June.