Cavaliers Coach Drops Honest Admission on Eastern Conference Rival

Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson has revealed a tough admission on one of the team's Eastern Conference rivals.

Matthew Schmidt | Mar 17, 2025

Feb 28, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson directs his players during the second half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images / Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

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The Cleveland Cavaliers' winning streak is over, and it's courtesy of the team that the Cavaliers defeated in the first round of the playoffs last year: the Orlando Magic.

The Magic defeated the Cavaliers by a score of 108-103 on Sunday afternoon, thwarting Cleveland's historic run of 16 straight victories. Orlando held the Cavs to just 43 points in the second half, an anomaly for a Cavs team that has been one of the best offensive squads ever this season.

Afterward, Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson delivered a painfully honest admission concerning the Magic and their stingy defense.

“We did not have our normal ball movement tonight, got iso-heavy,” Atkinson told reporters. “And they kept us out of transition. So, I think they, again, huge credit to them. That’s their identity. But this league is humbling, and if you think you’re like, you’ve won 16 in a row, whatever, right around the corner is, obviously, this is a playoff team and a tough team to play.”

Orlando has actually been embroiled in a brutal stretch lately, as the Magic had lost seven of their last nine games entering their matchup with Cleveland. But they definitely resembled their 2023-24 selves on Sunday afternoon and looked very much like the team that pushed the Cavs to seven games last spring.

The Cavaliers could very well see the Magic in the first round of the playoffs yet again next month, as Orlando is currently eighth in the Eastern Conference standings.

Of course, this time around, Cleveland—which boasts the NBA's best record—would not be nearly as concerned about the Magic. Still, Atkinson clearly seems guarded when discussing them.

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