Just reward for Kenny Atkinson. Before perhaps applying for the title of coach of the year, the Cavaliers coach will be the “representative” of the East at the next All-Star Game. The defeat of the Celtics on the Lakers floor Thursday night guarantees Cleveland a better record, and Kenny Atkinson to be preferred to Joe Mazzulla.
This is a first for Vincent Collet's assistant on the French team at the last Olympic Games, in his first season on the Cleveland bench. Authors of one of the best starts to a season in history, the Cavs have 36 wins and 7 defeats, and are 6 games ahead of the Celtics, who are reigning champions.
A real leap forward after two seasons among the solid teams of the East, without yet managing to make the connection with the big names, and to go beyond the stage of the conference semi-finals. Kenny Atkinson is the first Cleveland coach since Tyronn Lue in 2015/16 to earn All-Star Game honors.
He will take charge of one of the four teams that will compete in the brand new All-Star Game format, when one of his assistants will lead a second. The Thunder coach Mark Daigneault and one of his right-hand men had already validated their place a few days earlier for the festivities in San Francisco.
The All-Star Game starters, and possible future one-night players for Kenny Atkinson, were also announced with Donovan Mitchell as another member of the Cavaliers guaranteed to be in the party.
