Facing a 3-0 deficit to the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals, Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson insisted Cleveland is “essentially winning” when the numbers are viewed his way—sparking immediate backlash as the team fights to survive a nearly impossible se
Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson didn’t sugarcoat the situation—his team is trailing the Knicks 3-0 in the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals—but he tried something stranger than optimism when asked about the losses.
Atkinson offered what he framed as a “glass-half-full” take from the analytics angle, claiming Cleveland was “two out of the three” in the expected score. “Analytically . . . we’re two out of three in the expected [score]. . . . We’ve won two out of the three,” Atkinson said.
The remark didn’t land. Instead of matching the desperation that comes with being down three games with one remaining to avoid elimination, Atkinson doubled down on the idea that the process still matters more than the immediate scoreboard.
“I know you’re looking confused,” Atkinson said. “But if you believe in process and all that. . . . take that layer. . . .“
Then he explained what he meant by “expected” results. “I think last night, it was, the expected score was like one point or two. Us shooting way below expected, them shooting way over. I know no one wants to hear that. I think you guys like hearing it. The general public . . . everyone’s outcome-based. Sure. I get that too.”.
Atkinson’s argument hinged on one unavoidable contradiction: yes. the public is outcome-based. because winning and losing is determined by the outcome. For a Cavaliers team staring at a 3-0 series deficit. the suggestion that they’re “winning” in expected-score terms can’t change what fans and players feel in the arena every time the clock winds down.
That’s the tension embedded in Atkinson’s message—he’s asking for confidence while presenting numbers that don’t erase the reality of Cleveland’s three straight losses. In that moment, inspiration is supposed to come from making the next play work. His pitch was that the underlying shots tell a different story.
And still, as the series grinds on with Cleveland needing a miracle, the math he cited—“two out of the three” in expected scoring—doesn’t automatically become hope. It’s just a different lens on the same outcome.
For now, the Cavaliers remain 3-0 down, and Kenny Atkinson’s strangest analytics remark keeps echoing: if you believe in process, the failures might be explainable. If you don’t, the scoreboard is the only process that matters.
Kenny Atkinson Cleveland Cavaliers Knicks Eastern Conference Finals NBA playoffs analytics expected score