Your Cavs coach did what this season?
Okay real quick— I’ve gotta talk about Kenny Atkinson. Yeah no, I know, everyone’s focused on the Guardians prospects and the Browns draft, but Terry Pluto, God bless his soul, just dropped a line in his column about our Cavs coach, Kenny Atkinson, that I had to read twice. He says the Cavs were 17-16 near the end of 2025. And since then? They’re 34-15. That’s a massive swing.
So this is the thing— a lot of us, myself included, have been scratching our heads over the Cavs this season. You watch a game, especially when they’re playing like a bunch of uncoordinated folks at a church picnic, and you wonder what the plan is. But then you look at the numbers, and Pluto’s got a point. That kind of turnaround, going from just barely over .500 to a dominant force, doesn't just happen. Someone’s coaching, and someone’s listening. It's a quiet resilience, kinda like Cleveland itself. We don't always get the flashy headlines, but we just keep showing up and doing the work.
### What This Means for Cleveland
* **Playoff Push:** This isn't just about winning games; it’s about building momentum for a real playoff run. The energy downtown on Euclid Avenue and around Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse when the Cavs are playing well? It's electric. * **Coach's Credit:** Maybe Atkinson isn't as flashy as some, but he’s clearly getting results. This isn't some fair-weather team; they’re gritty. * **Belief in the System:** This kind of improvement shows that the players are buying into what he’s selling. And honestly, after the rollercoaster we've been on since 2016, we need that stability.
It’s easy to get caught up in the daily drama, the missed shots, the bad calls. But sometimes you gotta step back, look at the big picture, and see what's actually happening. Kenny Atkinson has quietly turned this team around, and it's a testament to the kind of steady, unflashy effort that Clevelanders appreciate. We've been here the whole time, watching. And it looks like the team finally caught up.
Cleveland on the wire — we've been here the whole time.
You gotta hear the morning crew chew on this one. My pals on the Morning Wire show are live every day at mornings.live.