Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson detailed his team’s 115-105 win over the Toronto Raptors in a postgame press conference, repeatedly emphasizing composure under pressure and defensive execution.
“They threw a lot of punches. They threw the kitchen sink at us,” Atkinson said. “They gave us a lot of different looks and I think they got it down to six or five. They got close there, but we kept our poise on both ends.”
Cleveland’s response in key moments defined the game, with Atkinson pointing directly to his stars closing late possessions. “Donovan and James closed it for us,” he said. “But I thought our defense kind of forced them to go small. They had to get more shooters out there.”
The Cavaliers were led offensively by Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, while Evan Mobley also played a major role. “Again, playoffs. Superstars step up.”
Atkinson stressed the importance of star production in playoff settings. “This was a superstar game. Those three led us. They hit the big shots,” he said. “James had four steals in the second half. So excellent defensively and of course Evan was really good defensively.”
One of the defining defensive performances came from Dean Wade, who was tasked with guarding Brandon Ingram. “He made him work for everything he got,” Atkinson said. “It’s a luxury to have a stopper, a 6’9 wing that you can use as a stopper.”
Cleveland’s defensive activity also produced 22 Toronto turnovers, a number Atkinson tied to execution rather than scheme alone. “James with four steals. It was more about just reading the game, being in the right position,” he said. “We handled their pressure better in the second half.”
The coach also pointed to adjustments in lineup structure and ball security. “We turned it over less in the second half. I thought that was a big key too,” Atkinson said. “We got out of rhythm offensively at times, but we cleaned some of it up.”
On Jaylon Tyson, Atkinson emphasized maintaining aggression within structure. “We need that from JT. Be yourself,” he said. “This is part of the process for a young guy. This is his first real involvement in the playoffs.”
He also highlighted Mitchell’s late-game shot creation. “They’re obviously loading up on him a lot,” Atkinson said. “Those shots were not open shots. Crowded mid-range shots. And that’s what the playoffs is about.”
The Cavaliers also adjusted rotations to support ball-handling and spacing. “I like him playing with Donovan,” Atkinson said of Dennis Schroder. “It gives Donovan a breather.”
Mobley’s interior efficiency was another focal point. “Typically in a Mobley game you look at the box score and you’re like oh my gosh, he’s 11 for 13, 25 points,” Atkinson said.
Looking ahead to Game 3, Atkinson kept the message direct. “We don’t want to come back to Cleveland 2-2,” he said. “Important game for us to go up 3-0.”
He also summarized the team’s identity in the win. “They tried to wear us down and we didn’t,” Atkinson said. “That was a good test for us physically.”
