Kenny Atkinson knows when to push his team and when to pull back. After the Cavaliers got torched by the Suns on Friday, he originally planned to put them through the wringer in practice before heading to Utah. But after some conversations behind the scenes, he scrapped that idea entirely. Instead of an intense workout, the Cavs spent Saturday’s practice playing HORSE. The result? Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, the team’s primary playmakers, struggled to connect from deep against the Jazz. The rest of the squad didn’t fare much better, leaving the Cavs ice-cold from beyond the arc.
But it turns out, a little fun was exactly what they needed. Cleveland hit the floor looking refreshed and locked in after the first half, defeating the Jazz 120-91 to snap their losing streak. The Cavs couldn’t hit a three to save their lives in the first half. Their starting five combined for a miserable 1-for-15 from deep, and to top it off, Garland even air-balled one. On most nights, that kind of shooting meltdown would’ve put them in a deep hole.
So what changed? Garland made sure to remind everyone what the game is all about. Atkinson revealed that during a timeout, Garland stepped up with a simple but powerful message. “I think DG was on it, you know,” Atkinson told reporters postgame. “During one of the timeouts he goes, ‘Coach, you know, I kind of made a little whatever tactical change,’ and then he goes, ‘What about fun ?’”
Garland’s words struck a chord with Atkinson, who admitted that the team had been missing that spark.
“Like, like, let’s, let’s enjoy this man. Let’s have fun. Let’s compete hard,” Atkinson recalled Garland saying. “And I said, ‘Okay, let’s have fun. Put a smile on your face. We love this game.’”
Dec 30, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images
Atkinson acknowledged that the Cavs had fallen into a bit of a rut, not necessarily due to boredom, but something had been missing.
“I do think we’re in that little just a little bit of a patch here where we’re, maybe lost a little at uh, I don’t think—I don’t think bored’s the right word, but, just a little patch where we haven’t maybe had that, that joyous spirit,” Atkinson explained. “So it was good to see us get back to that.”
But it wasn’t just the 2x All-Star’s let’s have fun message which got them the win. Coach Atkinson kept things simple at halftime during Sunday’s game against the Utah Jazz. Despite struggling offensively early on, Atkinson made it clear to his players that defense would be the key to turning things around.
When asked if he delivered any specific message during the break, Atkinson downplayed the idea of a major speech.
“No, yeah, it was just, ‘Listen, keep defending. Keep defending. We’re not making shots. We’re getting good shots. We’re not making them,’” Atkinson told reporters postgame.
Rather than dwelling on missed opportunities, Atkinson urged his team to stay locked in on the defensive end and control the boards.
“Just keep defending and rebounding,” he emphasized. “Guys took that to heart and, uh, you know, locked in defensively. We started making some shots.”
The Cavaliers responded in a big way, tightening up their defense and finding their rhythm on offense in the second half. The result? A commanding 120-91 victory that snapped their losing streak.
The win against Utah wasn’t about making a statement—it was about getting back on track. The Jazz may be one of the worst teams in the league, but for a Cavaliers squad that had been struggling, this victory meant more than just another tally in the win column.
Problems haven’t ended for Darius Garland and the Cavaliers
Cleveland had looked disconnected during its skid. The energy wasn’t there, the offense lacked flow, and they just didn’t seem like themselves. But something clicked in the second half. The Cavaliers responded in a big way, tightening up their defense and finding their rhythm on offense. The result? A commanding 120-91 victory that snapped their losing streak.
That said, the first half exposed lingering issues. A slow start against a stronger opponent could have been a disaster. They relied too heavily on three-pointers, which isn’t always a winning formula. When the shots didn’t drop, they struggled to create offense, something they need to fix moving forward.
Apr 12, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) and guard Darius Garland (10) talk in the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Donovan Mitchell’s shooting slump didn’t help either. He went 0-for-5 from deep, but at least he adjusted by attacking the rim and looking for better opportunities. Still, the Cavs need him at his best if they want to be a real playoff threat.
It wasn’t a perfect win, but it was necessary. Winning builds confidence, and Cleveland needed a reminder of what it feels like to dominate. There’s still work to do, but this was a step in the right direction.
The post Eyewitness Confirms Darius Garland’s Reminder to Teammates as HC’s Cavs Locker Room Message Helps Snap Losing Streak appeared first on EssentiallySports.