Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson said Thursday’s 118-111 win over the Golden State Warriors was more than just another regular-season result. “Never underestimate the importance of making playoffs in the NBA,” Atkinson said after Cleveland clinched a postseason berth.
Atkinson said the group earned the right to mark the moment, even if the bigger goals remain ahead. “In pro sports, it’s so hard. It’s so competitive,” he said. “Obviously we want more, Joe, you know that. But yeah, we celebrate it.”
Cleveland had to survive a tense fourth quarter that included a technical sequence and a brief momentum swing, but Atkinson said James Harden and Donovan Mitchell steadied the group. “I think James and Donovan were our compass a little bit,” he said. “They settled us down.”
That late composure showed up in the final possessions. “I loved our end of game decision-making,” Atkinson said. “James made a spectacular extra pass to Max, and then Evan made that one in the paint, threw a dart to Max in the corner.”
Atkinson also pointed to the way Cleveland responded after the rough stretch. “We got a few stops,” he said. “Bigs were rebounding, but those guys settled us down. I think we got the right shots, made the right plays when it got close.”
Max Strus, who hit the decisive 3-pointer with 54 seconds left, drew a specific nod from his coach. “Big shot Max,” Atkinson said. “Certain guys are DNA, they’re just made make or miss. It’s either a big shot or a big offensive rebounder.”
The Cavaliers improved to 48-29 and won for the seventh time in nine games during a stretch that included five games in eight nights. Atkinson said that context makes the playoff-clinching moment even more meaningful. “We’ve kind of found our north,” he said, adding that injuries and early-season inconsistency made the path harder.
He also praised the roster moves that helped reshape the team during the season. “Give our front office a lot of credit,” Atkinson said. “They knew we weren’t clicking necessarily and to make that shift to bring James and Keon and Dennis.”
Atkinson singled out Dennis Schroder’s impact in the win. “I thought we needed his speed tonight,” he said. “I thought he was really good.”
Looking ahead, Atkinson said the Cavaliers’ current balance gives him confidence. “I do believe this roster is more playoff ready,” he said. “It starts with James obviously. We have size and skill and IQ, which wins in the playoffs.”
