Kenny Atkinson became the third Cleveland coach to earn the special honor

Officially named NBA Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for February on Tuesday, marking the third time in his career that he won the award and he earned that honor for the first time this season. Atkinson is just the third coach in Cavs franchise history to accomplish the feat, joining Mike Brown and the late, great Lenny Wilkens.

Cleveland went 8-3 last month with a league-leading average of 120.9 points per game and the highest field goal percentage (49.8%). He was also third in assists per contest (28.9).

It coincided with Jarrett Allen’s incredible dominance and the trade deadline acquisitions of James Harden, Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroeder.

“Bringing James in has given us renewed confidence, if that makes sense,” Atkinson said. “We understand that we’re the better team and that spirit, that confidence, for some strange reason makes you play harder and compete harder and compete harder defensively, and I felt like we kind of lacked that, that edge, that belief. So I feel like we’re getting that back.”

Three out of four teams the opponent’s lowest total score were recorded in February against the New York Knicks (94) and Los Angeles Clippers (91), and the Wine and Gold held the Brooklyn Nets to a season-low 84 points at Rocket Arena.

Offensively, Cleveland scored at least 130 points three times last month, which tied for second in the East. Its average margin of victory was 10.9 points, which ranked third in the conference. Additionally, from February 1-20, the Cavs went undefeated and had won five straight on the road, even with the All-Star break interrupted.

Atkinson won NBA Coach of the Month twice last year, with the honor for October/November 2024 and December 2024. To catch Brown’s leading five with the Cavs, he will need to win two more times.

San Antonio Spurs coach Mitch Johnson won the award to represent the Western Conference.

The The Cavs are already off to a good start in March despite nagging injuries that followed them throughout the campaign. They earned the next four days off before welcoming the Boston Celtics to town on Sunday afternoon.