Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson highlighted both offense and defense after Friday’s 117-115 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. “Everybody’s going to talk about the 39 points, but I’ll talk about his defense on Maxey. He hit a three, then he’d pick him up full court. He was great on both ends. Man, what a game. Five-star performance,” Atkinson said of Jaylon Tyson.
The coach credited De’Andre Hunter and Tyrese Proctor for key contributions off the bench. “De’Andre Hunter, two really good games in a row. He was excellent. Tyrese Proctor came in and gave us some valuable minutes. It was a great team win,” Atkinson said.
Atkinson described the physical challenge presented by the 76ers. “They were at full strength, tough, took us out of everything we wanted to run. They were physical. That was like a playoff game from them. We struggled to handle it, but we got better handling their physicality,” he noted.
The coach emphasized the team’s growth and strategic adjustments. “I hope a win like this gets us on a little streak. That’s the goal, to get back in that top-four picture. Hopefully, this will be a springboard,” Atkinson said.
Atkinson also explained the decision to rely on other players when Donovan Mitchell was heavily guarded. “In the first half, Donovan was forcing it too much. We told him we’re going to live with the other guys making plays. Second half, he changed his mentality, got the ball to other guys, and that opened things up,” he said.
The lineup strategy involving Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen drew attention. “We tried splitting them up. They’re so good together. We trust our bench. This combination was our best last year, and we won those minutes with them off,” Atkinson said.
Atkinson praised the team’s execution in the final moments. “Right before the timeout, we said, ‘Zo, look for Jaylon in the corner.’ He made a hell of a pass because PG was right there. JT, if you get it, just go to the rim,” Atkinson said, highlighting the play that secured the win.
The coach underscored Jaylon Tyson’s growth. “The fact that he made the wraparound dish to Evan, not trying to challenge for a dunk, speaks to his maturity. That’s how much he’s grown in two years,” Atkinson said.
Cleveland rallied from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter, with Tyson scoring a career-high 39 points and Mitchell posting 13 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds. Joel Embiid led the 76ers with 33 points, while Tyrese Maxey added 22 points, nine assists, and five steals.
The Cavaliers improve to 24-19, and the 76ers fall to 22-18. Cleveland hosts the Thunder on Monday, while Philadelphia travels to face the Pacers.
