Kenny Atkinson sent an important warning to his Cleveland Cavaliers squad following Tuesday’s 132-119 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
After rolling with a 16-game win streak, the Cavaliers seemed to have slipped in overall performance. Atkinson looks to get his team back on track by sending them a warning with the playoffs getting close.
“They played great — elite shot-making performance by them. Poor defensive by us. … Our lack of discipline fouling them, putting them on the line, and giving them second-chance points. They did have an elite shot-making game, but we weren’t disciplined and didn’t do the things on the margins,” Atkinson said.
“That kind of performance can’t survive in a playoff atmosphere, a playoff situation.”
How Kenny Atkinson’s Cavaliers played against Clippers
Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
It is the right decision for Kenny Atkinson to send this warning to the Cavaliers now rather than later. With championship aspirations on the line, they cannot allow their recent losses to result in a big decline from the elite form they had throughout the season so far.
Six players scored in double-digits for the Cavaliers in the loss to the Clippers. Max Strus led the team in scoring with 24 points and four rebounds. He shot 8-of-12 from the field, including 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. Donovan Mitchell came next with 18 points and 11 assists while Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and De’Andre Hunter scored 17 points each. Meanwhile, Ty Jerome provided 10 points and four assists off the bench.
Cleveland fell to 56-12 on the season but maintain their hold over the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They lead the second-seed Boston Celtics by 6.5 games, while being even with the West’s Oklahoma City Thunder for the best record in the league.
Following Tuesday’s loss to the Clippers, marking their second straight, the Cavaliers will look to rebound in their next road matchup. They face the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night at 10 p.m. ET.
