Like fans of the team, Kenny Atkinson isn’t very happy with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Although he was disappointed by his squad’s disheartening and surprising loss to the Charlotte Hornets, he was pleased with how well the bench players performed.
Speaking to Camryn Justice and the rest of the media on Monday night, Atkinson tipped his hat to the second-unit stars in Cleveland, while calling out the starters and how poorly they played.
“I want to start with the positive, and that’s that last group that came in and played with the requisite energy, passion, toughness. It was really indicitive, the contrast between that group and the energy our main group had,” Atkinson said.
#Cavs Kenny Atkinson:
"I want to start with the positive, and that's that last group that came in and played with the requisite energy, passion, toughness. It was really indicitive the contrast between that group and the energy our main group had." pic.twitter.com/2DEdsNEdMY
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) November 10, 2026
Sure enough, Cleveland’s bench players were ready for victory on Monday. Thomas Bryant produced 11 points in 15 minutes, while Mario Hezonja put up 10 points. Most impressive was Meleek Thomas, who had 18 points, three assists, two steals, and two blocks.
Meanwhile, the starting five were once again lacking. Peyton Watson had 13 points, Jarrett Allen had 12, while Donovan Mitchell and James Harden both produced 11, and Evan Mobley only had nine. Those are not the numbers that such a promising unit should have. These are supposed to be the leaders of the team, the ones who can be relied on to start things off on the right foot. Instead, they needed the bench players to help them out.
Atkinson’s public comments are a bit eye-opening. He is obviously not satisfied with how his team is playing, and he probably let them hear it after this press conference. The Hornets were already underdogs coming into Monday’s game, but most people agreed the Cavs would waltz away with an easy win when it was reported that Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller were out.
The Cavs’ loss to the Hornets is a brutal one, and it highlighted multiple problems up and down the roster. However, it did showcase the talent of some supporting stars who are ready to do more.
If the team’s starting five had done as well as the backup players, Cleveland could have earned a much-needed win.
NEXT: Key Cavs Player Is Questionable For Hornets Game
