The start of the Kenny Atkinson era in Cleveland could not have started much better following the Cavs’ 136-106 domination of the Toronto Raptors. Following the game, Coach Atkinson had some encouraging comments during postgame. He discussed his team but also the future of the sport.
Kenny Atkinson’s Comments on the Future of Basketball
Future of the Game
Despite being asked about the game at hand, Atkinson was also questioned about his thoughts on the ever-changing landscape that is basketball.
“The game is changing so quickly, the last two years pace obviously is the number one thing.” Atkinson said. “The game is faster it’s been analytically proven. But, I think what you’re seeing with these bigs handling the ball with these ‘inverted’ pick and rolls.”
Pace is a big part of Atkinson’s offense. The Cavs played at the sixth fastest among teams that have played a game already this season. Cleveland’s pace was 102 on the night, for comparison, the Detroit Pistons led the NBA in pace in 2000-01 at 96.15. The game is speeding up, leading to the higher scores we see on a nightly basis.
Additionally, Atkinson mentioned the skill of the big men in today’s game. His team boasts two with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, but Mobley specifically is a modern big.
“I don’t think they were running pick and rolls for Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] back in the day.” Atkinson said. “I think you are seeing more and more of that. We ran a bunch tonight, and it’s really hard to guard.”
Mobley led the Cavs in points with 25. He was also able to create on his own, receiving screens from guards.
Grab-and-go + early PnR + 1v1 attack for Evan Mobley.
If he's just allowed/able to take early ownership with some of these hybrid units… pic.twitter.com/3GqvIRhxWh
— Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) October 24, 2024
Mobley is far from the only big man to be able to play like this. However, it is more apparent that big men are able to generate their own shots off the dribble. The benefits of using the big as a ball-handler in the pick and roll are keeping the defense on their toes. Switching will always cause a mismatch, while dropping will allow the guard more space to shoot. It is something that was inconceivable years ago but is prominent today.
Staying Ahead Of The Curve
Atkinson was also asked about how he plans to stay ahead of the curve with the game-changing so rapidly.
“That’s part of it, seeing trends in the league early.” Atkinson said. “We keep an eye on the league and what’s going on, quite honestly we keep an eye on Europe and what’s happening in FIBA basketball. You’ve got to be ahead of it, if you’re too late to the game then there’s no competitive advantage.”
With Atkinson’s openly analytical approach, he sides with the future and is more likely to be ahead of the curve with how he views the game. He has been a massive advocate for pace dating back to his days as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, where his 2016-17 team ranked first.
This Cavs roster is by far the most talent he has had at his disposal as a head coach. While playing at a quick pace, Cleveland had an offensive rating of 134.7, a remarkable feat. While not sustainable, it is a depiction of where the Cavs can be with Atkinson at the helm.
