Kenny Atkinson notices others in Cavs’ orbit, but potential playoff matchups can wait

CLEVELAND — Kenny Atkinson has been around long enough to know how fast playoff plans can blow up.

That’s why the Cavaliers coach isn’t getting caught staring at the Knicks, the Celtics, or any single potential postseason matchup. He’s already made that mistake once.

“You have to be careful,” Atkinson said Tuesday. “I know last year we were thinking ‘Boston, Boston, Boston,’ and we got Indiana. The roulette wheel could just drop on another team.”

The message is simple: Focus on what’s in front of you, not what might be waiting two months down the line.

Atkinson admitted he keeps tabs on teams in Cleveland’s orbit, naming New York, Boston, and East-leading Detroit. But he also made clear that zeroing in on one opponent is a trap, especially in an Eastern Conference that’s shifted quickly.

The Knicks and Cavs opened the season as favorites. Now the Pistons and Celtics are sitting atop the standings as February winds down.

That mindset showed up on the floor Tuesday night.

Cleveland’s 109-94 win over New York wasn’t about hype or highlight plays. It was about defense and physicality, particularly in a third quarter that effectively ended the game. The Cavs held the Knicks to 11 points in those 12 minutes, forcing them into a miserable three-for-24 shooting stretch.

The difference was collective. Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, Dean Wade, and a rotating cast of wings all held their ground. Rebounding was even. Toughness didn’t waver.

Atkinson called it a point of emphasis, noting that winning spots on the floor was an issue for the Cavs in last year’s playoffs. This time, when the Knicks tried to lean on them, the Cavs didn’t bend.

That’s no small thing. And it’s exactly why Atkinson isn’t spinning the bracket wheel yet.

There’s time for that later.

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