While the Cleveland Cavaliers' season ended with two brutal losses at home and a disappointed fan base after a sweep, it's not enough to consider firing head coach Kenny Atkinson, according to Ideastream Public Media sports commentator Terry Pluto.
Pluto believes Cavs fans need to give more credit to the New York Knicks rather than dwell on what Atkinson and the Cavs did wrong.
"The Knicks are 12-2 in the playoffs ... and they've won 11 consecutive playoff games," Pluto said. "They are a machine right now."
The Game 1 loss and blown 22-point lead is brutal and "sticks like gum to the bottom of your shoe," but a win wouldn't have changed the series, according to Pluto.
"Maybe you steal another game, maybe you don't," Pluto said. "Maybe (Knicks star) Jalen Brunson gets abducted by Martians ... there are times you see teams go on a run and they're really good."
Pluto said Atkinson certainly made mistakes in that game and the series, along with a media session that was heavily criticized when Atkinson, in a 3-0 hole, said the Cavs won two out of three games "analytically."
"He wandered deep into the swamp of analytics," Pluto said. "You don't say that to the media, because first of all, you hear 'analytics' and people's heads fall off. Secondly, it doesn't make any sense because you don't have the full context ... but are those firing offenses?"
Pluto looked at the coach the Cavs beat in round two, J.B. Bickerstaff, and the coach that beat them in the conference finals, Mike Brown, two former Cavs coaches.
"Who was the '26 NBA Coach of the Year? J.B. Bickerstaff," Pluto said. "Fired by the Cavs. Poor Mike Brown, fired twice by the Cavaliers, he also was the Coach of the Year for the Cavs in 2009 and with the Sacramento Kings (22-23 season) ... and a year and a half later, he was fired. The NBA is nuts.
"So, if they fire Kenny Atkinson, stick with me, they will have fired the '25 Coach of the Year ... the guy who became the '26 Coach of the Year, and they lost to the guy they fired twice," Pluto said. "This is the NBA, and sometimes you have to take a step back when you're in that and (say) 'What about the guy we have?'"
Pluto said the Cavs brought Atkinson in to reach the conference finals, which he accomplished. Pluto also said if the Cavs fire Atkinson, their options are to bring in another coach who has been fired or hand the team over to an unproven coach.
The team should look at the roster instead and seek to get younger and more athletic, according to Pluto. But the two names debated most as the Cavs head into the offseason are James Harden, who will turn 37 in August, and LeBron James, who will turn 42 in December. While Pluto would rather bring back James a third time than have Harden, the midseason trade for Harden likely included a guarantee from the team.
"Still hasn't come out, but there's something about guaranteeing that deal and there might even be an extra year of some sort after that," Pluto said. "Thirty-six-year-old James (Harden) is going to be back at 37.
"It's not a fantasy league where you just go for names," Pluto said.
Pluto expects Atkinson and Donovan Mitchell to return, and Mitchell to possibly sign another contract based on his postgame comments, but the rest of the roster, including if big men Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen work together, is a question.
"Dan Gilbert, he owns the team, he has money, he's not just going to sit there and say 'Oh, we're fine,'" Pluto said. "They're going to look at a lot of stuff. (General Manager) Koby Altman's done a really good job in rebuilding the team after LeBron left (in 2018). I mean, I've got a lot of confidence in them."
