The Cleveland Cavaliers are dealing with elimination within the Japanese Convention Closing after dropping Recreation 3 to the New York Knicks on Saturday night time. They go into Recreation 4 on Monday down 3-0 within the sequence, needing a win to maintain their season alive.
It’s a tall mountain standing in entrance of them, not solely as a result of the Knicks are on an all-time nice run in these playoffs, but in addition as a result of no NBA staff has ever overcome a 3-0 sequence deficit.
Regardless of that, Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson just isn’t overly annoyed together with his staff’s efficiency. That additionally resulted in him making a daring and considerably weird remark throughout Sunday’s media availability.
Kenny Atkinson says Cavaliers have gained two of three video games analytically
Atkinson tried to color a promising image for his staff by mentioning the great issues they’ve performed within the sequence, regardless of the losses, and a number of the moments of success they’ve had towards the Knicks.
How promising?
Effectively, he wanted to point out that by the expected score, the Cavaliers have actually won two of the three games.
“We have had success towards this staff earlier than. We have had actually good moments. On this sequence, up 20 in Recreation 1. Even Recreation 2, take that, run out from the start of the third quarter, and it is fairly tight. I feel analytically, I feel we have gained I stated three out of three, I feel we’re two out of three within the anticipated rating…we have gained two out of three. And I do know you are wanting confused, however…should you consider in course of and all that, take that layer.”
Atkinson has all the time been an analytically pushed coach who trusts the method within the hopes it’s going to flip into outcomes.
There’s a worth in that.
There’s a worth within the analytics he referenced right here.
However this is the factor that Atkinson type of overpassed right here.
It is okay to have that mindset.
It is okay to say it in personal to your assistant coaches.
It is even okay to say that publicly in the course of the common season when your staff is in a droop and nonetheless has 40 video games to play and has time to make up floor and switch that course of into outcomes.
But it surely’s probably not okay to say it publicly down 3-0 within the Japanese Convention Finals. Particularly when a type of three noticed your staff lose a 20-point lead with lower than seven minutes to play after which lose by double digits in your first sport again residence.
Your gamers in all probability don’t need to hear it. Your followers definitely don’t need to hear it. Additionally it is the kind of factor that’s going to result in much more ridicule and criticism from exterior. Particularly if and when your staff ultimately loses the sequence.
