NBA Scout Questions Kenny Atkinson's Playoff Coaching, James Harden's Fit

An anonymous NBA scout criticized Kenny Atkinson's playoff strategy against the Knicks in Sports Illustrated's Friday Cavaliers preview, which also questioned James Harden's fit at age 37.

Tom Dierberger, SI's deputy NBA news director, wrote the piece.

New York swept Cleveland in last season's Eastern Conference finals, clinching the series with a 130-93 Game 4 win on May 25 at Rocket Arena. Jalen Brunson averaged 25.5 points and earned Eastern Conference finals MVP. Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 points and 14 rebounds in the clincher, and New York pulled its starters with 7:47 left and a 35-point lead.

It was the Knicks' first trip to the Finals since 1999. They then beat the San Antonio Spurs for the championship.

The scout said he is not sure how Cleveland's pieces will fit with Harden at this stage of his career.

"I expected Cleveland to get where they got [last year]," the scout said. "I knew they would probably learn from the year before, and they did. I think the questions with them start with Kenny Atkinson. Is he a good enough coach? I didn't like how he schemed in the playoffs. They didn't have any answers for the Knicks. Now James Harden is older and I don't know how their pieces are going to match."

Entering his third season as Cavaliers coach, Atkinson led Cleveland to a 15-0 start and 64-18 record in his first season, earning the East's No. 1 seed. The 64 wins were the second-most in franchise history, behind the 66-win 2008-09 team.

The Cavaliers swept Miami in the first round, and Atkinson won 2025 NBA Coach of the Year on May 5 with 59 first-place votes. That postseason, Indiana eliminated Cleveland in the second round.

Last season, the Cavaliers went 52-30 and entered the playoffs as the No. 4 seed. They went 8-10 in the postseason. Both of their series wins went the distance, over the Toronto Raptors and then over the top-seeded Detroit Pistons, whom Cleveland beat 125-94 in Game 7 on the road.

Before Cleveland, Atkinson coached the Brooklyn Nets from 2016 to 2020. He was an assistant on Golden State's 2022 championship staff.

Harden joined Cleveland from the LA Clippers on Feb. 3 for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, when the team was 30-21. Harden was averaging 25.4 points and 8.1 assists for the Clippers at the time of the deal.

In 18 playoff games, he averaged 19.7 points and committed 4.7 turnovers per game, with at least five turnovers in 10 of those contests.

He declined a $42.3 million player option for 2026-27 in June. Harden agreed on Aug. 20 to a three-year, $97 million contract, and the Cavaliers made it official Sept. 8. The deal carries a trade kicker.

Harden is an 11-time All-Star and the 2018 MVP. He carries career averages of 24.0 points, 7.3 assists, and 5.6 rebounds.

At media day on Sept. 28, Jarrett Allen said there is more to unlock in his pick-and-roll work with Harden. Allen also said a championship would give the Cavaliers an identity of their own.

Harden enters his 18th NBA season. His contract includes a player option for 2028-29.