Cavs thrive while slowing the tempo under Atkinson
cavs-thrive-while-slowing-the-tempo-under-atkinson
The Cleveland Cavaliers are winning games at a deliberate pace, and head coach Kenny Atkinson sees no reason to speed things up.
In Wednesday night’s 122-116 victory over the Atlanta Hawks at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland dominated the third quarter 44-20, repeatedly turning defensive stops into half-court offense. The performance continued a trend that began after the midseason arrival of James Harden.
According to ESPN’s Zach Kram, Cleveland has slipped from eighth to 24th in league pace since Harden joined the roster, yet the club has climbed to fourth in offensive efficiency over the same span. Atkinson said the numbers validate the approach.
“Yeah, we’re playing slower, but we’re still an efficient offensive team,” the coach told reporters. “It’s not like I’m in the locker room saying, ‘We’ve got to get back to playing fast.’ None of that.”
With Harden directing the offense, the Cavaliers have emphasized ball security, patient half-court sets and selective transition opportunities—an approach that paid off against Atlanta. The Hawks currently sit fifth in the Eastern Conference, one position behind the fourth-place Cavaliers, making Wednesday’s game a potential first-round preview. The teams will meet again Friday in Atlanta.
Cleveland trails the New York Knicks by one game for the No. 3 seed with two contests remaining. After the rematch with the Hawks, the Cavs close the regular season Sunday at home against the Washington Wizards.
While Atkinson credits the offense’s efficiency to the new tempo, he noted that matching production on the defensive end will be essential as the postseason nears.
Source: Hoops Wire
