Kenny Atkinson Reveals His Thoughts On Cavs’ 9-0 Start

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been knocking on the door of contention for years.

They were a playoff team, but not even the most optimistic fan thought they could realistically take down teams like the Boston Celtics, much less win in the NBA Finals.

Either because of youth, a lack of experience, or not having as many stars as other teams, the Cavs looked like a perennial No. 4 seed at best.

However, this season, this team has taken a significant leap forward with Kenny Atkinson.

The Cavaliers are riding the best start in franchise history, even better than during both of LeBron James’ tenures with the organization.

When asked about that, Coach Atkinson tipped his hat to his players (via Dylan W. Design):

“I’ve been fortunate to land with a really good group. A group that has been really successful in the past. I’m happy for them and I think they were happy for me in the locker room. It’s a bond between a head coach and a team. You gotta celebrate those moments,” Atkinson said.

The Cavaliers have a lot of talent in their starting lineup.

Kenny Atkinson on the Cavs Being 9-0:

“I’ve been fortunate to land with a really good group. A group that has been really successful in the past. I’m happy for them and I think they were happy for me in the locker room. It’s a bond between a head coach and a team. You gotta… pic.twitter.com/lu3ptJXZx8

— Dylan🔮🪼🎃 (@DylanWDesign_) November 7, 2024

One could argue that four of their starters are All-Star-caliber players, with Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland being close to locks.

The team could stand to add more depth, but Atkinson has done a great job leading the squad so far.

J.B. Bickerstaff did a solid job of fixing their defense, but it became more than evident that the team needed to go in a different direction.

They weren’t responding to him anymore, and his postseason adjustments often left much to be desired.

With Atkinson, the team still plays that hard-nosed defense, adding a free-flowing offense that they haven’t experienced in the past.