The Cleveland Cavaliers have been one of the biggest stories in the NBA all season. Less than a year ago, there was a chance they could lose their star, Donovan Mitchell, and be forced into a semi-rebuild. Fast forward to today and the Cavs own the NBA’s second best record at 64-18 and are beginning what they hope will be a special playoff run under the guidance of head coach Kenny Atkinson. In just one season he’s managed to transform Cleveland from a team who might struggle to win a playoff series into juggernauts. Atkinson has long been considered one of the league’s most underrated coaches, but that all changed this weekend.
While this isn’t the official award that the league gives out, it might be that much more special being respected and rewarded by your peers. Atkinson was selected as the Coach of the Year, which isn’t surprising considering the vast improvements Cleveland has made on both sides of the ball. The former NBA champion has done a tremendous job unlocking the Cavs offensively by having All-Star Evan Mobley shoot more threes to open up the paint. He’s also managed to create the perfect defensive scheme that allows his team to play two big men at the same time and not sacrifice perimeter defense. All these tweaks and adjustments translated into a 16-win improvement from last year and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Atkinson was already a great coach with the Brooklyn Nets about a half-decade ago, but was fired because of NBA politics.
Instead of sulking, he joined the Golden State Warriors’ coaching staff and added even more knowledge and tactics to his arsenal. Now, with the opportunity to lead a team again, Atkinson is showing just how much he’s improved since his last stint as a head coach. Cleveland as a team might have a lot left to prove, but their head coach’s efforts have already been validated.
