Why Kenny Atkinson called the best players first in the film room

When is it The Cleveland Cavaliers began their “reset” week with an awkward film sessioneach man took responsibility for his shortcomings. However, according to Darius GarlandStudy Rating, Cavs Head Coach Kenny Atkinson aimed at the top of the list to set an example.

“Everybody needs that. He started with his ‘best players,’ and it really went downhill from there,” Garland told ClutchPoints with a smile at Thursday’s post-practice media availability. “It was really good for all of us to see what we were doing there. The movie doesn’t lie. All the things we talked about, it was actually shown, and it was in front of everyone.”

“He’s holding everyone accountable, which is what you really need. We definitely got better just from that film session. The last few days have really helped us, too.”

Garland is undoubtedly one of the most talented members of the team, so it sounds like Atkinson’s message came through loud and clear. His words echoed the same sentiments of De’Andre Hunter, another starter who didn’t sugarcoat what appeared on tape.

“I feel like anything negative, if you look at it and try to actively work on it, you should get better at it,” Hunter said Tuesday. “You need those things. You can’t just brush them aside and say we’ll be better later in the season because that’s not necessarily true.”

Atkinson believes tough love with veterans and stars “a big part” of his coaching philosophy.

“I think you have to have real empathy for your young players because they’re going to make mistakes. Older players, you have a little bit less tolerance in terms of performance, effort, all of that,” Atkinson said. “Sometimes it’s a reset for them too, right? They slip; five (games) in seven (nights), you don’t practice, they slip a little bit. So we had to remind them.

“The best players want to be coached hard. I really think that, and that’s the case with our guys. They want it for them first. So I feel comfortable doing it because they accept to coach.”

After a disappointing 99-94 loss to the Golden State Warriors in the last contest, both Garland and Donovan Mitchell drew attention to the Cavs’ features: their inconsistency. Looking back on the games, Garland is still of the same opinion.

“We all have to be on the same page,” Garland said. “Everyone has to have the same goal, everyone has to have the same way of thinking.”

“We all have to play harder. The league is playing harder. We can’t just match everyone’s energy; we have to be above it, especially with the talent we have. They’re going to play a lot harder than they think we will, but we have to raise our standards and play a lot harder.”

With a 14-11 record, Cleveland will return to action on Friday night on the road, visiting the Washington Wizards. We’ll see if Garland, Hunter, and even Atkinson can live up to their promise in Washington