John Beilein apologises to Cavaliers players for 'bunch of thugs' gaffe

Cleveland Cavaliers are languishing at  13th spot on NBA's Eastern Conference table. Cavaliers coach John Beilein offered an unusual explanation for ir recent woes in a film session earlier this week.

According to an ESPN report, Beilein was quoted as telling Cavaliers that y wore longer "playing like a bunch of thugs". However, according to same report, Cleveland Cavaliers coach n made a half-baked correction to that statement.

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John Beilein's "bunch of thugs" gaffe

In an off-day film session in a hotel earlier this week, Cavaliers coach wanted to point out team's lax approach to NBA games in ir last couple of outings and also address team's late-game woes. After Tuesday night game against Detroit Pistons, se woes were once again on show as Cavs suffered a narrow 113-115 loss.

To point out late-game worries, John Beilein told his players that y were longer playing "like a bunch of thugs". According to report, room fell silent after John Beilein's declaration, considering fact that re are a number of African-American players on Cavs' roster.

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John Beilein reaches out to players; corrects "bunch of thugs" statement

However, Cleveland Cavaliers coach n reached out to players and corrected himself, saying that he meant to say word "slugs" instead of "thugs". This was in hope that he would get players to recognize that y weren't putting in hard yards at various points in games. 

"I didn't realize that I had said word 'thugs,' but my staff told me later I did and so I must have said it," John Beilein reportedly told ESPN. "I meant to say slugs, as in slow-moving. We weren't playing hard before, and w we were playing harder. I meant it as a compliment. That's what I was trying to say. I've already talked to eight of my players tonight, and y are telling me that y understand."

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