Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson spoke on Sunday, May 24, ahead of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks, with his comments centered on execution, energy, and belief after falling into a 3-0 series deficit.
Atkinson pointed to New York’s pace and Cleveland’s defensive timing issues, saying, “They’re the more energetic team. Felt like we’re a count behind, two counts behind sometimes.” He added, “Transition defense was an issue. We’re missing shots and probably four or five clear transition breakdowns.”
Turnovers were another key factor in his breakdown of Game 3, with Atkinson noting, “That gets them going. I think the turnovers hurt us and gave them more opportunity to get out in transition.” He also emphasized how quickly possessions swung momentum toward New York.
On workload and scheduling across the postseason, Atkinson addressed fatigue directly, saying, “We’ve played 13 playoff games in 48 days.” He added, “The rest disadvantage is real. It’s massive. It plays into it. I just don’t think anybody has a grip on what that really means.”
He also challenged the idea of shooting struggles being purely physical, stating, “I don’t know.” Atkinson leaned into the analytical side of performance, referencing efficiency trends while acknowledging perception versus outcome.
Despite the deficit, Atkinson emphasized internal belief within the group. “It was about belief. I asked them why do we believe. I had like eight great answers,” he said. “They believe in the group. They believe in each other.” He also stressed a short-term mindset, adding, “I believe in micro tasks. Just get this one and then we figure it out after that.”
When discussing New York’s sustained form, Atkinson credited balance and execution across the roster. “They’re performing better individually,” he said. “These guys got so many contributors right now… we haven’t seen a letdown from them yet.”
He also rejected any adjustment toward reduced shooting aggression, stating, “We got to double down on our belief in our group… You can say don’t do it anymore, keep jamming it. No, you’re going to double down in our belief in our shooters and getting good shots.”
Atkinson also reflected on his own coaching evaluation process during the postseason. “Just like the players, you do a review of yourself after every game,” he said. “What could I have done better? Substitution patterns, time outs, all of it.”
The Cavaliers enter Game 4 trailing 3-0, needing a response to extend the series against a Knicks team that has controlled momentum and maintained double-digit scoring margins through much of the matchup.
