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INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Like most kids growing up near Boston, David Blatt lived and breathed the Celtics. They were his team, the only team. Pressing a transistor radio against his ear, Blatt listened as legendary announcer Johnny Most described how Bill Russell grabbed rebounds and when John Havlicek "stole the ball!" At an early age, he was hooked on hoops. "I kind of had that NBA dream in my ear and in my heart," Blatt said. And now, its back in his life. Blatt was introduced Wednesday as the new coach of the Cavaliers, a team in transition as it prepares to select first in the NBA draft and make a strong run at LeBron James, the soon-to-be free agent who has several other teams making moves to try and get him. Blatt spent the past two decades in Israel, where he developed into a top international coach. Now, after winning numerous titles across Europe and guiding Russia to a bronze medal in the 2012 London Olympics, Blatt is ready to take on the challenge of coaching on pro basketballs biggest stage. It was time to make the jump, and the Cavs helped Blatts overseas leap. "Absolutely its a challenge," Blatt said of his upcoming transition. "But Ive got to tell you, the game is not so different as people think it is. Its a little bit longer here. Perhaps the level of athleticism and speed all around the court is different. But its not like playing baseball and soccer. Its still the same game." Blatt isnt hung up on labels or perceptions. He doesnt consider himself an Israeli coach, European coach or any type for that matter. He doesnt favouroffence over defence. "Im a basketball coach," he said, "someone who through teaching and working with people and getting the most out of my players and staff has always seen the success of the team as paramount." The Cavaliers spent nearly six weeks looking for their third coach in three years before hiring Blatt, who recently resigned as coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv, a squad he led to this years Euroleague title. Cavs general manager David Griffin said Blatt was one of "five or six" candidates who had full-blown interviews and the club contacted as many as 11 coaches. "Hes truly the embodiment of every characteristic we most sought in a coach," Griffin said. "Hes a guy who has passion, creativity and intelligence. As a coach, hes able to adjust in ways that make him special because of those things. He lives those things as a man as well. Because of all that, the players all feel him in a very powerful way. David is an authentic leader." The team hired finalist Tyronn Lue as an associate head coach under Blatt. Blatt understands theres a responsibility that comes with being the first at anything. He believes other European coaches are as qualified to coach in the NBA, but hes the one getting the chance. "I know Im carrying the torch, and I hope like hell I dont drop it," he said. "I dont plan to. It does mean a great deal." Blatt was charming, convincing and self-effacing during a 30-minute news conference at Cleveland Clinic Courts. Blatt said he had previous chances to come to the NBA, but the timing wasnt right. "Somebody told me the reason I did it is because I missed Boston lobster and macaroni and cheese," he cracked. "Theres something to that, honestly." Blatt is taking over a team that went 33-49 last season and underachieved for Mike Brown, who was fired on May 12, ending his second stint in Cleveland. Blatt believes the Cavs have the pieces to be a contender, and that its up to him to put them together. And that would be the case in any country. "I find a group of guys that want to be coached, that want to learn, that care about winning," he said. "Those are things I have to emphasize with them, that I have to strengthen and help them understand the right way to do it. "Ive coached enough great players in my life to know when guys are happy playing together and are seeing that doing it the right way brings and fosters the spirit you need to win, it doesnt make a difference where you coach." Blatt feels hes finally where he belongs. He had a great run overseas, but it was time to come back to where he started. It was time to come home. "I was happy and fulfilled in what I was doing," he said. "But I never, for a moment, lost the hope that I would come full circle and make my way back to the places where I grew up and to be part of something that was so much a part of me." Glenn Robinson Jersey . Gerald Green and Miles Plumlee? Green had bounced around the NBA when he wasnt playing overseas. The Pacers gave up on Plumlee after just one season. Now Green and Plumlee are key cogs in the Suns surprising breakout season. Milwaukee Bucks Jerseys .Y. - DeMarre Carroll felt as though he couldnt miss in the second quarter as he outscored the Brooklyn Nets 14-13 all by himself. https://www.bucksrookiesshop.com/Pat-Connaughton-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Ashton scored a hat trick -- giving him 13 goals in 16 AHL games this season -- to power the Toronto Marlies to a 5-2 victory over the visiting Lake Erie Monsters in AHL action on Sunday. Ray Allen Bucks Jersey .C. -- Cam Newton wasnt flawless on Sunday. Khris Middleton Jersey . -- Felix Girard scored on the power play in the third period to lift the Baie-Comeau Drakkar past the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 4-3 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action Friday.West Ham manager Sam Allardyce will not be joining the growing list of coaches to lose their jobs in the Premier League -- for the time being, at least. The clubs co-chairmen published an open letter on West Hams website on Monday, expressing their confidence that Allardyce is the man to save the team from relegation from the Premier League. West Ham is currently next-to-last in the league after more than half the campaign, and the pressure grew on Allardyce following an embarrassing 5-0 loss to second-tier club Nottingham Forest in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday. However, David Sullivan and David Gold said in their letter that Allardyce "has not lost his ambition or desire and is committed to making West Ham United a great Premier League club." "We have experienced difficult times before and we know what will get us results -- hard work, determination and perseverance," the letter read. "To that end, we are all working round the clock to do everything in our powers to help arrest our slump in form." Of the current bottom five teams in the Premier League, only West Ham hasnt changed managers so far this season. A total of six managers in the top division have been fired or have resigned since September. Allardyces squad is beset by injury, with leading striker Andy Carroll yet to play this season.dddddddddddd West Hams squad and style of play is built around Carroll, who joined from Liverpool for 15.5 million pounds (then $24.25 million) in June after a successful loan spell last season. Allardyce is also currently without a fit centre back and was forced to field a team full of reserves and youth-team players at Forest. He has only 14 fit and available senior players for Wednesdays League Cup semifinal match against Manchester City. "Like all West Ham supporters, we feel frustrated and hurt by our recent results," Sullivan and Gold said in the letter. "We are under no illusions as to the seriousness of the predicament in the Premier League," they continued. "But on the board, we have a combined talent of running football clubs and we will draw on all of our nous to get West Ham United out of this situation." West Ham is scheduled to move into the Olympic Stadium from 2016 after agreeing on a 99-year lease to rent the revamped 486 million pound ($781 million) venue. The 80,000-seat stadium, which hosted the opening and closing ceremonies and the track and field competition at the 2012 London Games, will be downsized to 54,000 seats and reconfigured with a new roof and retractable seats. West Ham will be desperate to usher in the new era with Premier League football. ' ' '