“They’re enjoying nice basketball. You simply bought to present them credit score. They’re enjoying on a heater. They’re in a groove,” Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson stated after his workforce’s season ended with a 130-93 loss to the New York Knicks in Game 4 of the Japanese Convention finals on Monday night time at Rocket Area.
The Cavaliers had been swept 4-0 as New York superior to the NBA Finals for the primary time since 1999, ending off a dominant collection during which each Knicks win got here by double digits and the common margin of victory reached 23.7 factors. Cleveland, in the meantime, reached the convention finals after consecutive seven-game collection wins over Toronto and Detroit.
Atkinson didn’t seek for excuses after the loss. As an alternative, he repeatedly credited New York and coach Mike Brown for the best way the collection unfolded.
“Simply bought to present them a ton of credit score. Congrats to Mike and their workers,” Atkinson stated. “I don’t need to detract from what we’ve carried out this postseason. I simply suppose generally you bought to present the opposite workforce credit score for enjoying nice basketball.”
The Knicks managed Recreation 4 in almost each class. They outscored Cleveland 32-5 in second-chance factors and 33-9 in fast-break factors, whereas six gamers scored a minimum of 15 factors. Karl-Anthony Cities posted 19 factors and 14 rebounds, whereas Donovan Mitchell scored 31 for Cleveland after opening the sport with the Cavaliers’ first eight factors.
When requested why Cleveland finally fell in need of the Finals, Atkinson pointed towards missed alternatives earlier within the postseason, significantly the Recreation 6 losses in opposition to Toronto and Detroit.
“I’ll inform you what didn’t assist was dropping these two sport sixes,” he stated. “I believe we’ve to reap the benefits of these alternatives.”
Atkinson additionally referenced the demanding playoff calendar after Cleveland repeatedly performed with little restoration time.
“The density of the frequency of the video games, by no means had two days relaxation, the entire deal performed a component in it,” Atkinson stated. “Undoubtedly not going to say that’s the explanation we misplaced, however we’d have had a greater probability.”
Regardless of the lopsided ending, Atkinson described the season as progress for a Cavaliers workforce that entered the yr making an attempt to maneuver past repeated second-round exits.
“Sure, completely,” Atkinson stated when requested if the season was successful. “That was the duty, proper? Take one other step. We jumped a barrier that we had been caught on. Second spherical, second spherical, second spherical.”
Cleveland completed the common season 52-30 and reached the Japanese Convention finals regardless of integrating a reshaped roster in the course of the season, with Atkinson repeatedly noting the group had solely “two and a half months” collectively earlier than the playoffs.
The coach additionally praised Mitchell’s management after the star guard completed Recreation 4 with 31 factors on 9-of-18 taking pictures.
“He’s our chief on the finish of the day,” Atkinson stated. “He was the primary purpose we went to the convention finals. That’s a giant step. I believe there was psychological toughness progress there.”
Atkinson added that Mitchell entered the postseason “usually banged up” and fatigued, however stated there was no particular harm concern requiring additional analysis.
Trying towards the offseason, Atkinson acknowledged change is feasible however pressured confidence in Cleveland’s course.
“We’re stepping into a constructive course,” he stated. “There’s no larger motivator to get to the subsequent degree.”
