John Beilein was soaked from his shirt to his socks after an unexpected shower. Cleveland’s rookie coach had his pro basketball baptism.
Beilein picked up his first NBA win and got doused with water in the locker room by Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson and the rest of the Cavaliers, who played the kind of ball their rookie coach has been preaching for weeks in a 110-99 win over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night.
Thompson scored 25 points and made his first career 3-pointer and Love scored 21 and just missed a triple-double as the Cavs opened their 50th season at home with a solid win over a playoff team from last year.
Following the game, Beilein presented with the game ball by general manager Koby Altman before he was ambushed by the Cavs, who jumped from their seats and dumped water bottles over his head.