The Cavaliers beat the Magic on Tuesday night, 136–131. Cleveland fell behind in the early going but battled back and clung to a late lead to pull out the win. Donovan Mitchell starred with 42 points and James Harden enjoyed an efficient 26-point night while dishing out seven assists. It was the Cavs’ fourth win in a row, seemingly a sign the team is gaining momentum at the right time with the postseason just around the corner.
You couldn’t tell that was the case based on coach Kenny Atkinson’s postgame comments. Quite the opposite, in fact. Instead of offering up the standard praise many would amid a win streak, Atkinson instead took the opportunity on Tuesday night to deliver a harsh warning to his team about their defensive effort of late.
