Kenny Atkinson bizarrely claims Cavaliers are ‘analytically’ beating Knicks — despite being on brink of elimination
Kenny Atkinson, head coach of the Cavaliers, has made an unusual claim that his team is performing well against the Knicks based on analytics, despite being down 3-0 in the series. He suggested that the Cavaliers could have won two of the first three games if expected scores were considered. Atkinson acknowledged that fans may not appreciate his perspective, as they focus on outcomes rather than processes.
- ▪Kenny Atkinson claims the Cavaliers are performing on par with the Knicks according to analytics.
- ▪The Cavaliers are currently facing a 3-0 deficit in the Eastern Conference finals.
- ▪Atkinson mentioned that the Cavaliers shot poorly in Game 3, hitting only 29 percent from three-point range.
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NBA Kenny Atkinson bizarrely claims Cavaliers are ‘analytically’ beating Knicks — despite being on brink of elimination By Christian Arnold Published May 24, 2026, 9:54 p.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The New York Post on Google Kenny Atkinson is taking looking on the bright side to another level. The Cavaliers’ head coach tried to put a positive spin on their current 3-0 deficit to the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals by claiming that Cleveland had actually been playing on par with New York, according to the analytics. At one point, Atkinson event went as far as to say that the Cavaliers would’ve won two of the first three games based on the expected score. Kenny Atkinson reacts during Game 3 on May 23.
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