On Friday, March 21, the Cleveland Cavaliers lost their fourth consecutive game. After dominating the regular season for months, the Cavaliers have hit a patchy streak at arguably the most inopportune time.
When speaking to the media following Cleveland’s 112-123 loss to the Phoenix Suns, head coach Kenny Atkinson opted to remain positive.
“I turned positive. I thought our spirit and our energy, and our juice was better in the second half. I loved how our bench guys came in: Ty (Jerome), Sam Merrill and Dean (Wade). I thought (Javonte Green) gave us some good minutes,” Atkinson said. “I told them we have a great team. I loved how we fought in the second half. A little adversity, probably a good thing at this point in the season.”
“That’s part of my job: Understanding the context, where we are in the season, what we want to accomplish, knowing our guys,” Atkinson said. “Sometimes, it’s not that way, you get on them.”
While losing four straight games is far from ideal, there’s no reason to believe the Cavaliers are in crisis. Not yet, at least.
During his postgame news conference following the Cavaliers’ 119-123 loss to the Sacramento Kings on March 19, All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell admitted that he’s enjoying the Cavaliers’ recent slide.
“I’m trying to refrain from using the word happy,” Mitchell said. “I’m kind of a sicko, so I enjoy this. This is what makes the season fun — going through adversity.”
A tough stretch like this is essential for building resilience within the roster. Adversity is almost guaranteed during the postseason, whether that’s during one game or throughout a series. As such, Mitchell is right to embrace the Cavaliers’ difficult period, as there will certainly be more to come.