Cavaliers Face Tough Loss in Playoffs
Kenny Atkinson described the situation as “devastating.” But it wasn’t about Tuesday’s Eastern Conference Finals opener where the Cavaliers held a 22-point lead over the Knicks. Instead, he was reflecting on Game 6 — specifically, that last-second 3-point attempt by RJ Barrett that hit the back rim, pushing the series to a Game 7.
This team is well-acquainted with heartbreak. They’ve battled through challenges, even winning two elimination games to get here. “We’ve dealt with it in the playoffs,” Atkinson remarked during a walkthrough at the Garden. “It’s this constant back-and-forth between greatness and misery. Right now, it’s definitely misery. But honestly, this is probably our fourth disappointing game in the playoffs, so we just need to shake it off and get back on track.”
Atkinson wasn’t downplaying the loss, nor were his players aiming to mask their disappointment. The Cavaliers appeared poised for a significant advantage, having controlled the game until the final quarter when the Knicks seemed to find their rhythm.
“I think we had it for about 90 percent of the game,” said backup guard Dennis Schroder. “Honestly, we were in the driver’s seat. But you have to hand it to them for not giving up and converting those crucial shots at the end.” Just moments before everything unraveled, Donovan Mitchell had a strong game with 26 points on 11-of-17 shooting, and the big men, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, dominated the paint. It really felt like they were the stronger team, at least for a while.
“I want to focus on the positive,” Atkinson expressed. “We had some fantastic stretches, and I genuinely think we played our best basketball of the playoffs during those three quarters.”
Looking ahead, the Cavaliers hope that their playoff experience will carry them through the challenges. They have already bounced back from a 2-0 series deficit against the top-seeded Pistons in the Eastern Conference semifinals and came back strong to win Game 7 decisively in Detroit.
“Sure, we didn’t put our best foot forward last night,” Allen acknowledged. “But we need to set the tone for how we respond on Thursday. We’ve got to be confident in ourselves and get that win in Game 2.”
