The Cleveland Cavaliers are undoubtedly the hottest team in the NBA right now, boasting a perfect 14-0 record that has them sitting atop the league standings. Despite their dominant 144-126 win over the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Emirates Cup, Donovan Mitchell revealed that head coach Kenny Atkinson was anything but satisfied at halftime.
It seems Atkinson has little tolerance for defensive lapses, even in high-scoring wins. According to Mitchell, the coach’s fiery halftime reaction sent a clear message to the team, as the Cavaliers led the Bulls 77-73 at the break.
“He came in here (the locker room) at halftime and slammed a flip-flop because he was upset we gave up 73 points,” Mitchell shared. “That’s what we want. That’s how we get better. Obviously, we haven’t lost, but how do you find ways to continue to build good habits? It’s by continuing to coach us hard and not let in any room for mental errors or lapses. That’s what you want in a coach.”
Mitchell emphasized the importance of tough love from Atkinson, adding, “When you’re playing, you hear how good you are. You hear about the streaks. You hear about all the positives. … [Coaching us hard] is what we want. I think we all prefer to hear how good we are on a daily basis, and sometimes we hear how bad we are when we miss a parlay or whatever, but I think for us, that’s how you get better.”
Atkinson highlights defensive issues
After the game, Atkinson addressed the team’s defensive struggles in the first half but credited their adjustments after the break as the key to victory.
“We definitely did not play great defensively, but it’s also like the shot-making as a league right now is incredible,” Atkinson admitted. “What I didn’t like about the first half, we only turned them over twice. I think in the second half, we turned them over 13 times, and that’s what we got ‘em on.”
Cavs appreciate Atkinson’s coaching
Ahead of the game against the Bulls, Atkinson mentioned that his players actively ask him to push them harder. “They always ask me, ‘Coach us harder,’” Atkinson said pregame. “It’s amazing. ‘Hey, Coach, you’re showing too many positive clips.’ They want to know how they can get better. As a coach, I always try to err on the side of positive — win, lose, or draw — but we have a lot of progress to make. We have a lot of areas to improve.”
Mitchell echoed this sentiment postgame, reiterating that a demanding approach is what will help them sustain their early success. “How do you find ways to continue to build habits?” Mitchell said. “And it’s continuing to coach, coaching hard. And not letting room for any mental errors or any lapses.”