Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson credited his team’s leadership, defensive energy and composure after Cleveland overcame a 15-point deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-125 in overtime on Monday.
Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points, including five in overtime, while James Harden added 19 points and nine assists. Evan Mobley contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds, and rookie Meleek Thomas scored 16 points in his NBA debut.
Anthony Edwards scored 47 points for Minnesota, but Cleveland rallied from a difficult first half to secure the victory at Rocket Arena.
“Well, I think especially the way it went, right? It was kind of the reverse of our first two games,” Atkinson said. “We’re down 10, not playing. We should have been down 20 the way we were playing. We got a little lucky. But we kept our composure and then flipped the script.”
Despite the comeback, Atkinson pointed to several areas that need improvement, particularly rebounding on free throws and in clutch situations.
“There’s a lot of things we got to clean up,” he said. “Free throw rebounding, obviously, that’s a huge one. Clutch rebounding. Just some that’ll be a great teaching tape for the guys.”
Atkinson also highlighted Peyton Watson’s defensive performance. Watson recorded 15 points, eight rebounds, three steals and four blocks, repeatedly disrupting Minnesota’s offense.
“Peyton was all over the place, blocks and blocking threes, and then he’s at the rim,” Atkinson said. “His ability to sustain energy defensively is the motor he has. Quite honestly, it’s something we haven’t had since I’ve been here.”
The Cavaliers coach credited the team’s veteran leadership for helping the group respond after falling behind. He specifically mentioned Mitchell, Mobley and Harden as players who remained composed while the team made adjustments.
“No one panics in there,” Atkinson said. “We look at the film, we make the adjustments, make the corrections. No one — there’s no high emotions or anything.”
Atkinson also praised Thomas, the 34th overall pick in June’s NBA Draft, after the rookie made an immediate impact off the bench. Thomas shot 6-of-10 from the field and 4-of-5 from three-point range in 19 minutes.
“Since the day we drafted him, we’re bullish on him,” Atkinson said. “He’s one of our better players. When he got in, made that first shot and then hit the three right after, the bench went crazy.”
The coach added that Thomas had earned the trust of his teammates through his willingness to listen, ask questions and learn. He also indicated that the rookie could receive more opportunities after his debut.
“Initial one game, you got to do it over and over and over,” Atkinson said. “But this isn’t like one hit.”
Atkinson also emphasized the importance of regular-season games, pointing to the depth of the Eastern Conference and the pressure to secure a favorable playoff position.
“I think there’s 12 playoff teams,” he said. “You drop one, and a close one, it could cost you a top seed or a playoff berth.”
Cleveland improved to 2-1 and will host the Washington Wizards on Wednesday. Minnesota fell to 3-1 and will host the Golden State Warriors the same night.
