Kenny Atkinson backs Steve Kerr, calls for fewer NBA games

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson joins his peers in asking for a shortened NBA schedule.

On Monday night, before his team beat the Detroit Pistons 116-95, Atkinson went on a tangent about having three games in four nights during the first week of the regular season.

Avid fans of the league are well aware of the head coach of the Golden State Warriors Steve Kerrstrong position on current model of 82 gamesand his former assistant jumps on the bandwagon.

“We’re going to 70 games, 72 games, the league will be more spectacular, more phenomenal,” said Atkinson. “Just to double down on what Steve always said. I think about it all the time. The guys could just perform at a higher level.”

“It’s tough. Donovan Mitchell, you’re getting his best three games in four nights? You’re getting his best? I think the fans look at it like, ‘Oh yeah, oh yeah.'” It’s easy to say 34 minutes, 34 minutes, 34 minutes (in a row). What did we get last night?”

When asked what he thought about it and whether he would be in favor of reducing the number of games, Mitchell respectfully declined to answer. As much as his head coach argued, the All-Star guard’s production was off the charts to start the year, with his 31.3 points per game on 56.4% shooting.

Before laughing and apologizing for it, Atkinson talked about Cleveland’s philosophy of managing its players.

“This is what the NBA is. You really have to have a good plan going into the season, to manage the minutes,” he said. “Now, it makes it twice as hard when you’ve got guys out, right? It’s not as easy when you get a full, healthy roster. You can even rest guys, so to speak. It makes it tough, but we still have to have a plan, right? (If) you played Donovan 40 minutes last night, what’s he going to give you tonight?

“I’m always aware. Obviously, we have a game in front of us that we have to win. But I also know the schedule going forward, and we have a specific plan for that. Part of the job of an NBA coach is to manage this awful schedule.”

The Cavs will run their gauntlet by traveling to Boston next. They will unfortunately be without them Sam Merrill, dealing with a right hip contusion died Monday night in Detroit.