On Friday, March 21, the Cleveland Cavaliers lost their fourth consecutive game. After dominating the regular season for months, the Cavaliers have hit a patchy streak at arguably the most inopportune time.
When speaking to the media following Cleveland’s 112-123 loss to the Phoenix Suns, head coach Kenny Atkinson opted to remain positive.
“I turned positive. I thought our spirit and our energy, and our juice was better in the second half. I loved how our bench guys came in: Ty (Jerome), Sam Merrill and Dean (Wade). I thought (Javonte Green) gave us some good minutes,” Atkinson said. “I told them we have a great team. I loved how we fought in the second half. A little adversity, probably a good thing at this point in the season.”
With the first seed in the Eastern Conference all but secured, the Cavaliers are coasting toward the postseason. However, they can’t afford to let bad habits start creeping in. They will face a significant uptick in pressure and competition once the playoffs begin. Any sign of weakness within the rotation will be exploited by opposing coaches.
“That’s part of my job: Understanding the context, where we are in the season, what we want to accomplish, knowing our guys,” Atkinson said. “Sometimes, it’s not that way, you get on them.”
While losing four straight games is far from ideal, there’s no reason to believe the Cavaliers are in crisis. Not yet, at least.
Cavaliers Donovan Mitchell is Welcoming Struggles
During his postgame news conference following the Cavaliers’ 119-123 loss to the Sacramento Kings on March 19, All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell admitted that he’s enjoying the Cavaliers’ recent slide.
“I’m trying to refrain from using the word happy,” Mitchell said. “I’m kind of a sicko, so I enjoy this. This is what makes the season fun — going through adversity.”
A tough stretch like this is essential for building resilience within the roster. Adversity is almost guaranteed during the postseason, whether that’s during one game or throughout a series. As such, Mitchell is right to embrace the Cavaliers’ difficult period, as there will certainly be more to come.
Atkinson Wants to See More Discipline
When speaking to the media on March 18, Atkinson admitted that he wants to see more defensive discipline from his roster.
“They played great,” Atkinson said after the Cavaliers’ 119-132 loss to the LA Clippers “Elite shot-making performance by them. A poor defensive performance by us…Our lack of discipline, fouling them, putting them on the line. And then giving them second-chance points. Even though they did have an elite shot-making game, we didn’t do the little things. We weren’t disciplined on the margins. That’s why you give up 132 points.”
The Cavaliers have the perfect opportunity to get their season back on track when they face the 16-55 Utah Jazz on Sunday, March 22. Regardless of that outcome, it’s worth remembering that this Cavaliers team has looked like genuine contenders all season.
A stretch of poor production doesn’t change their current trajectory. However, it does provide some clues as to how to beat Atkinson’s team, and that is something worth watching out for in the coming weeks.
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