Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson minced no words on Wednesday regarding the NBA's $100,000 fine for resting Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley last week. Asked multiple times about the punishment, Atkinson initially left well enough alone before expressing his disagreement with the league's decision.
“I've got to look at the Cavs' best interest,” Atkinson said in his pregame press conference before the Cavs' matchup with the Houston Rockets.
“Fifteen games in 27 days, let that sink in to everybody. We're sitting here in our seats. But three back-to-backs. We're going into a fourth back-to-back. I think my No. 1 job is to continue to protect the health of our players. So, [it’s] kind of that simple.”
In the middle of a five-in-seven stretch, Atkinson shared that he wouldn't change his approach to last week's game in Miami, which the Cavs won 130-116. Cleveland showcased its depth and developed players while coming out victorious.
“From a competitive standpoint, I mean, we won that game, too,” Atkinson said. “So to me, you throw that on top of it, and it's like, wait a second, are you discrediting the guys that played that night?
“We get penalized for it? I don't know if that makes sense to you guys; it doesn't make sense to me. I understand the league has their policies, but again, I'm just looking at it from my perspective and my team and our organization. I’m sure the NBA doesn't agree with everything I do. It’s a great league, it’s a great product. I've gotta [look out for] our guys.”
Immediately after the win over the Heat, the team boarded a flight back home and landed at 3:30 a.m. ET on the same day that it had to host the Toronto Raptors on the second night of a back-to-back.
Managing players and prioritizing their physical health have become paramount for NBA coaches nowadays. Atkinson and Cleveland's performance staff will continue to act in the best interest of the roster's well-being. Atkinson believes that basketball is a different game now, with not just pace, but intensity of play. That, combined with the tight schedule, has emphasized the need for extra caution throughout a long season.
“It's not just running up and down the court, it’s how do you do that,” Atkinson said. “Teams are pressing farther up the court, which means we’ve got to cover more ground to turn guys. More teams are offensive rebounding; the rate is higher than ever. So, physically, you've got to go crash and then you got to get back right before you just got back. So add that onto the ledger.
“Everybody knows transition possessions are the most valuable possessions in the game, so everybody's seeking that out. It's like baseball. Everyone's trying to be so efficient in what we do, which is our job. Every pitcher's trying to throw a hundred whatever [innings]. Now, obviously when you look for efficiency, sometimes you've just got to do it intelligently. I'm not saying the league isn't, but we've got to figure this out.”
The Cavs want to be at their strongest when the playoffs roll around, and this strategy gives them the best chance to achieve that goal.
