CLEVELAND — Kenny Atkinson has faced teasing for several months now, with jokes from players like Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns, and many others likely to persist for quite some time. Following Cleveland’s 0-3 deficit in the Eastern Conference finals, Atkinson became known for his remark that the Cavaliers had “analytically” won two of those games against the Knicks. However, Atkinson now wishes the context behind that comment—the question about Cleveland’s chances to become the first NBA team to overcome a 3-0 series gap—had received more attention.
Atkinson reflected, “Considering the context of the question, I’m not sure that was properly understood, which was a lesson for me because people often just latch onto sound bites.” He emphasized that he was very complimentary of the Knicks, openly acknowledging their dominance and honest about his team’s performance. “Ninety-nine percent of what I said was about how well the Knicks played. They were clearly the superior team.”
Although certain statistics favored Cleveland, Atkinson admits that many critical factors in the one-sided series can’t be captured by numbers alone. “Mental and physical toughness, aggression — these intangibles all play into it,” he said. “There was absolutely no belief that we deserved to be winning.”
The Knicks arrived without Josh Hart, who missed his second straight game because of right ankle soreness, despite participating in practice the day before in New York. While the team hasn’t announced a timeline for Hart’s return, coach Mike Brown isn’t overly worried, explaining that the favorable schedule allowed for extra recovery time. “It’s nothing major,” Brown reassured. “He went through some practice, though I kept him out of contact. We’re just taking advantage of where we are in the schedule.”
Brown also praised Andre Drummond as the Knicks’ top defensive player in their 109-97 victory. Drummond contributed eight rebounds, two steals, and a block in 14 minutes. Jose Alvarado did not play, while Tyler Kolek supported Jalen Brunson, tallying five assists, four rebounds, and one steal in 14 minutes. Jordan Clarkson was efficient, going 4-for-5 and scoring nine points with two offensive rebounds, though Mikal Bridges continued to struggle from beyond the arc, shooting 1-for-7 on three-pointers and finishing with nine points. The Knicks dominated second-chance points 26-8.
Hart, who previously missed eight games last season due to the same ankle injury, was also sidelined during the preseason finale on October 15. The 31-year-old had started every game of the current season until Monday’s win over the Nets. However, he is averaging just 8.6 points per game—his lowest output in eight years—and shooting a career-low 38.6 percent from the field. In his place, Landry Shamet, who scored nine points, has started for two games in a row.
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Fan Take: This story highlights how critical coaching narratives and mental toughness are in postseason basketball, beyond just the numbers fans often focus on. It also underscores the impact of player health and depth on a team’s championship hopes, reminding fans that every detail can shift the course of a series.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
