Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson didn’t sound panicked after Cleveland’s Recreation 1 collapse, even after a 22-point fourth-quarter lead vanished in New York. His message on Wednesday was easy: “I wish to lean on the optimistic. We had three quarters of actually good basketball.”
Atkinson stated the late breakdown was much less about effort than execution. “Trying again on it, what I’m most likely extra dissatisfied about was our offense. Shot high quality wasn’t nice. We weren’t attending to the rim,” he stated, including that Cleveland settled too typically when the sport tightened.
The Cavaliers coach pointed to the ultimate stretch because the turning level, however he additionally pushed again on the concept that the Knicks merely overpowered them. “Within the fourth quarter they have been within the first percentile of shot high quality. We now have information you guys don’t have. First percentile. So our course of was proper. They made some powerful photographs,” Atkinson stated.
That course of, nevertheless, nonetheless wants cleaner solutions in opposition to Jalen Brunson. New York’s level guard scored 38 factors within the comeback, and Atkinson acknowledged the problem of preserving the ball out of his palms. “We did and Landry Shamet made the nook three,” Atkinson stated of the double-team debate, “however we began double teaming and we received damage with the double staff.”
He stated Cleveland’s defensive selection was a balancing act between sticking with the unique protection and forcing the ball out of Brunson’s palms. “We type of picked a center floor. We didn’t follow the analytical factor the place you’d say reside with it,” Atkinson stated. “For those who’re on both facet of the fence, you’re proper.”
Atkinson additionally leaned into the emotional reset wanted after a loss like that. “We’ve gone by RJ Barrett hits the three in Recreation 6 that was so vital. We’ve been by it within the playoffs. We’ve been by recreation six attempting to shut it out at house. That was devastating,” he stated. “So it’s like okay, come on, get again on the horse. We return at it once more tomorrow.”
He was equally direct in regards to the staff’s late offensive errors. “We didn’t transfer. We didn’t have spacing. We didn’t display screen as effectively,” Atkinson stated. “I do know all people says fatigue, however I’m not giving them that excuse. It’s best to have the ability to swing the ball to the open man even when you’re drained.”
Atkinson defended Donovan Mitchell’s workload, too, after New York loaded up on him in key moments. “He’s an excellent isolation defender. At all times has been. He’s tremendous good,” Atkinson stated of James Harden. “I do know all people’s placing it on James, however I’d say a whole lot of it’s on the staff protection.”
The Cavaliers nonetheless imagine the collection can swing shortly, and Atkinson made it clear the locker room has not break up below stress. “They turned okay, let’s get higher by this movie session. We’ll stroll by. Simply tremendous optimistic, which helps the group.”
