Kenny Atkinson’s Road to the NBA Finals
Kenny Atkinson is on the brink of something big—just four wins away from his first NBA Finals as a head coach.
However, there’s a familiar face in his path. Current Knicks head coach Mike Brown, who will meet Atkinson in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden, was part of Atkinson’s past. They were both assistants under Steve Kerr and celebrated a championship together with the Golden State Warriors just four years ago.
“We know each other really well from our time together in Golden State,” Brown shared after Monday’s practice. “He’s a great guy, and obviously a really good coach.”
While they spent several years on the Warriors’ staff, their collaboration was limited to just the championship season, which left them with only a cursory understanding of each other’s strategies.
“I think I have more insights this year than in previous ones about coaching, especially considering playing time,” Brown noted, adding that he had previously coached the Cavaliers for six seasons.
Brown departed from Golden State to take the helm at Sacramento before the 2022-23 season, where he garnered the NBA Coach of the Year award by guiding the Kings to their first playoff appearance in nearly two decades. Meanwhile, Atkinson, who hails from Long Island and served as an assistant with the Knicks for four years, transitioned from Golden State to Cleveland. There, he led the Cavaliers to a solid 64 wins and also received the NBA Coach of the Year honor.
The Cavaliers, despite their strong regular season, faced a tough exit against the Pacers in the playoffs, missing out on a chance for revenge against the Knicks, who they faced later in the 2023 playoffs.
Interestingly, this season Cleveland experienced some lingering effects from that disappointing playoff run, opening the season 17-16. However, they regained their footing, ultimately finishing fourth and reaching the conference finals for the first time in eight years.
“Kenny did a phenomenal job,” Brown remarked. “He’s got his guys playing at a high level. Just watching them push both series to seven games and showing the resilience to win really illustrates the playoff experience of that team. From Kenny on down, there’s no panic for them.”
