After Kenny Atkinson challenged the Cleveland Cavaliers to take another step in their playoff growth, a heartbreaking Game 6 loss to the Toronto Raptors proves they still have much to learn.
Kenny Atkinson took some pride in the fact that his team seemed to grow up right before his eyes in Game 5 earlier in the week.
Trailing by three entering the fourth quarter, the Cleveland Cavaliers produced some of their best basketball of the series. They didn't commit a single turnover in the game's final stanza, played tighter defense en route to holding the Raptors to 25% shooting from the floor, all the while outscoring them 25-17 to win 125-120.
It certainly felt like a moment of growth, or – as Atkinson called it – overcoming a mental challenge for a Cavs team that has struggled in some of the most pivotal moments of games this time of year. That included three days prior, when they had blown an eight-point lead with just under five to play in regulation to fumble away Game 4.
In the same breath that Atkinson praised his team, though, he also issued a new challenge: take the next step by winning a closeout game on the road in Toronto in Game 6.
The Cavaliers failed to take it.
Early on on Friday night, it looked like Atkinson's message had been well received. The Cavaliers looked comfortable inside Scotiabank Arena for the first time all series and with every punch Toronto threw, they had one of their own.
In his pre-game presser, Atkinson made it clear that winning the rebound battle and the possession battle were the keys to setting the tone early and Cleveland did that. With the game tied after one, it had an 11-4 advantage on the boards and a 24.28-to-23.88 advantage in possessions.
Thing is, there were five turnovers that the Raptors had turned into seven points that allowed the game to stay even. That's been a common trend throughout the series, and it didn't stop throughout the rest of Game 6.
Those five turnovers became 10 by halftime, leading to 14 Raptors points. The turnovers ballooned to 15 by the end of regulation for 22 Raptors points. Then, in the most pivotal moment of the game, it reared it's ugly head again.
With the Cavs leading by one with 10 seconds to go in overtime, Evan Mobley inbounded the ball to Dennis Schroder in the backcourt and setup in the right wing. Schroder, however, cut off by A.J. Lawson, struggled to advance the ball, and just as he crossed the mid-court line racing toward the far sideline, zipped a pass to Mobley, who lost it out of bounds after a swipe from Collin Murray-Boyles.
The officials ruled Mobley touched it last. Mobley disagreed. Kenny Atkinson had already burned his challenge in the first half. And it went down as turnover No. 18. A backbreaking one at that.
Nine seconds later, Raptors swingman R.J. Barrett knocked down a three-pointer for the ages, sinking the Cavs 112-110 to even the series at three games apiece.
It all felt too familiar. Probably because it was. A similar inbound flub in last year's Eastern Conference Semifinal with the Indiana Pacers led to a pivotal turnover and ultimately a gut-wrenching Tyrese Haliburton three to steal Game 2 of that series.
Everything down to the shots themselves: off back iron, bouncing what seemed 50 feet high, then swirling back down through the net to break all of Cleveland's hearts simultaneously, were eerily identical.
On Friday night, it didn't matter that Cleveland had dominated the areas Atkinson highlighted - it out-rebounded Toronto 52-38 and ultimately won the possession battle 103.88 to 103.12.
A pivotal turnover cost the Cavs when it mattered most, as they have all series. It's even more concerning that they're mostly coming from the Cavs' biggest stars. James Harden had four more in Game 6, bringing his total for the series to 34. Donovan Mitchell added three of his own, as he continues to look flummoxed by the Raptors defense for long stretches of every game.
Despite all that, Cleveland almost found a way to close the series out, scratching and clawing back in the fourth quarter after trailing by 15 in the second half.
But in that final moment of the game, a team that just two days before had taken a big step in the eyes of its coach slipped before it could take another. The Cavs are now 4-11 in the Donovan Mitchell era in road playoff games.
A seismic Game 7 at home looms large on Sunday. It feels like a monumental moment for the NBA's most expensive franchise, which is still, somehow, learning how to walk in the playoffs.
Cavs Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Cavs. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.