The Cleveland Cavaliers are dealing with elimination within the Jap Convention Last after dropping Sport 3 to the New York Knicks on Saturday night time. They go into Sport 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 additionally as a result of no NBA crew has ever overcome a 3-0 sequence deficit.
Regardless of that, Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson just isn’t overly annoyed together with his crew’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 crew by stating the great issues they’ve achieved within the sequence, regardless of the losses, and among the moments of success they’ve had in opposition to 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 in opposition to this crew earlier than. We have had actually good moments. On this sequence, up 20 in Sport 1. Even Sport 2, take that, run out from the start of the third quarter, and it is fairly tight. I believe analytically, I believe we have gained I stated three out of three, I believe 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…in case you imagine 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 can flip into outcomes.
There’s a worth in that.
There’s a worth within the analytics he referenced right here.
However here is the factor that Atkinson type of overlooked 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 midst of the common season when your crew is in a stoop and nonetheless has 40 video games to play and has time to make up floor and switch that course of into outcomes.
However it’s probably not okay to say it publicly down 3-0 within the Jap Convention Finals. Particularly when a type of three noticed your crew lose a 20-point lead with lower than seven minutes to play after which lose by double digits in your first recreation again house.
Your gamers in all probability don’t need to hear it. Your followers actually don’t need to hear it. It is usually the kind of factor that’s going to result in much more ridicule and criticism from exterior. Particularly if and when your crew finally loses the sequence.
