The Cleveland Cavaliers are facing elimination in the Eastern Conference Final after dropping Game 3 to the New York Knicks on Saturday night. They go into Game 4 on Monday down 3-0 in the series, needing a win to keep their season alive.
It is a tall mountain standing in front of them, not only because the Knicks are on an all-time great run in these playoffs, but also because no NBA team has ever overcome a 3-0 series deficit.
Despite that, Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson is not overly frustrated with his team’s performance. That also resulted in him making a bold and somewhat bizarre comment during Sunday’s media availability.
Kenny Atkinson says Cavaliers have won two of three games analytically
Atkinson tried to paint a promising picture for his team by pointing out the good things they have done in the series, despite the losses, and some of the moments of success they have had against the Knicks.
How promising?
“We’ve had success against this team before. We’ve had really good moments. In this series, up 20 in Game 1. Even Game 2, take that, run out from the beginning of the third quarter, and it’s pretty tight. I think analytically, I think we’ve won I said three out of three, I think we’re two out of three in the expected score…we’ve won two out of three. And I know you’re looking confused, but…if you believe in process and all that, take that layer.”
Atkinson has always been an analytically driven coach who trusts the process in the hopes it will turn into results.
There is a value in that.
There is a value in the analytics he referenced here.
But here’s the thing that Atkinson kind of lost sight of here.
It’s okay to have that mindset.
It’s okay to say it in private to your assistant coaches.
It’s even okay to say that publicly in the middle of the regular season when your team is in a slump and still has 40 games to play and has time to make up ground and turn that process into results.
But it’s not really okay to say it publicly down 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals. Especially when one of those three saw your team lose a 20-point lead with less than seven minutes to play and then lose by double digits in your first game back home.
Your players probably do not want to hear it. Your fans certainly do not want to hear it. It is also the type of thing that is going to lead to even more ridicule and criticism from outside. Especially if and when your team eventually loses the series.