Kenny Atkinson returns to Brooklyn with league-best Cavs

The Brooklyn Nets hired Kenny Atkinson for his first head coaching job in 2016. He lasted three-plus seasons before not being able to mesh with superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

The Cleveland Cavaliers tapped Atkinson for his second head coaching job over the summer to help take the team even further after consecutive postseason appearances.

Heading into Monday's visit to Brooklyn, the Cavaliers have equaled the best start in team history with 22 wins through their first 26 games (also in 2008-09).

Atkinson and the Cavaliers are facing the Nets for the second time this season after overcoming a 12-point deficit through three quarters and earning a 105-100 win in Cleveland on Nov. 9. The Cavs outscored the Nets 35-18 in the fourth quarter and the win was their 11th as part of their season-opening 15-game winning streak.

That win also resulted in a moment of reflection for Atkinson, who was 118-190 with the Nets before being fired March 7, 2020. After spending one season as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers and three assisting Steve Kerr with the Golden State Warriors, Atkinson was hired to succeed J.B. Bickerstaff following a 51-win season in 2022-23 and last season's 48-win showing.

"I've grown a lot. I've changed a lot as a coach, which is a good thing. I've progressed. I've developed," Atkinson said last month. "Definitely not the same coach I was in Brooklyn."

Cleveland is 7-4 since winning its first 15 and has won five of six since dropping consecutive games to the Atlanta Hawks by a combined 27 points. Cleveland has scored at least 110 points in 24 games, and the latest was Friday's 115-105 win over the Washington Wizards.

Cleveland shot a season-worst 39.6 percent but offset its lowest percentage by getting to the foul line 40 times and hitting 28 free throws.

"I think we can be better," Cleveland star Donovan Mitchell said. "I know we can. I don't think we're going to say we're a finished product, and I think we have moments defensively and offensively where it clicks. But I think there's always going to be something that we can continue to work on and get better at. To our credit, we're doing it."

Cleveland was without Evan Mobley due to an ankle injury he sustained in a loss to the Miami Heat on Dec. 8, a day after scoring 41 against the Charlotte Hornets.

Brooklyn is hoping its struggling defense can start improving after some rough performances. Since winning three straight and four of five in late November, the Nets are 1-5 in their past six and allowing 115.7 points in those games.

The Nets have allowed teams to shoot at least 50 percent four times in their past seven games and 10 times overall. The latest instance was Friday's 135-119 loss at Memphis, which occurred after Brooklyn allowed a season-worst 57.4 percent from the floor in a 118-113 home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec. 8.

"We just did not deserve a better outcome. Playing defense, you give up 135 points, you don't deserve to win, that's for sure," coach Jordi Fernandez said after his team allowed 17 3s and yielded its third-most points this season.

Brooklyn is still waiting for Cam Thomas to return from a hamstring injury that has cost him seven games and when its leading scorer returns, he will not be in the starting backcourt with Dennis Schroder.

Schroder, who was Brooklyn's third-leading scorer at 18.4 ppg, was traded to the Golden State Warriors for three second-round picks, De'Anthony Melton's expiring contract and two-way guard Reece Beekman. Melton tore an ACL last month and had season-ending surgery.

--Field Level Media