
Is Kenny Atkinson coaching for his job in the Eastern Conference finals? Hey, Chris!
From Wine and Gold Talk Podcast by cleveland.com - Advance Local
May 21, 2026 · 41 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the Cavs' Game 1 loss and the implications for coach Kenny Atkinson's job security.
In this episode of the Wine and Gold Talk podcast, Ethan Sands, Chris Fedor and Jimmy Watkins answer Subtext subscriber questions as they rehash the Cavs' Game 1 loss against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. A major focal point is head coach Kenny Atkinson’s questionable late-game defensive decisions, heavily criticizing his switch-heavy scheme that allowed Jalen Brunson to consistently exploit matchups against James Harden. The conversation also touches on whether Atkinson's job is in jeopardy under owner Dan Gilbert, the integration challenges of balancing two ball-dominant guards in Harden and Donovan Mitchell, and the overall clutch-time struggles and fatigue plaguing the team as they navigate the deepest playoff run of Mitchell's career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
People in this episode
Hosts: Ethan Sands, Chris Fedor, Jimmy Watkins
Topics covered
- coaching decisions
- Eastern Conference Finals
- Cavs analysis
- playoff performance
- defensive strategies
Keywords
- Kenny Atkinson
- Cavs
- Eastern Conference Finals
- James Harden
- Donovan Mitchell
- Jalen Brunson
- defensive decisions
- playoff struggles
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Cavs, Dan Gilbert, New York Knicks
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