If you had watched the Cavaliers during any of their previous four games before Sunday, you would have had one question. How is this team sitting clear at the top of the Eastern Conference? The mid-March period has been dreadful for Cleveland, four defeats on the bounce, and it appeared that the team that is on track to the No. 1 seed is simply getting tired. With concerns mounting, the team knew they needed a reset before facing the Utah Jazz. So, they switched things up. Sam Merrill claimed victory in a spirited game of H.O.R.S.E., and players took a trip down memory lane, reliving their NCAA Tournament glory days on film on Saturday. The goal? To shake off the weight of recent struggles and rediscover their rhythm. Yet, when the Cavaliers finally hit the court at the Delta Center, that fresh mindset didn’t immediately translate into their signature swagger.

The Cavaliers looked pretty worn down during the first half of their visit to Utah on Sunday, as they led by six. At one point, it even seemed like they might just extend their losing streak to five by falling to the West’s 15th-seed Jazz! But then came the second half. And surprise! They dramatically flipped the script. The ball zipped around the court with precision, and they rediscovered their mojo. Donovan Mitchell and his backcourt partner, Darius Garland, moved with their signature freedom, dictating the pace and creating opportunities with ease as they raced to a 120-91 victory. So, what changed? Head coach Kenny Atkinson revealed the secret in the presser.

It turns out Garland had an idea. “I think DG was on it,” Atkinson said during the post-game press conference. “He said during one of the timeouts, he goes, ‘Coach, what about fun?’ I kind of made a little whatever tactical change and he goes, ‘What about fun?’ Let’s enjoy this man, let’s have fun, let’s compete hard.’ I said okay, let’s have fun. Put a smile on your face. We love this game. I do think we’re in that little bit of a patch here. We’re just in a little patch.. where we maybe haven’t had that joyous spirit. So it was good to see us get back to that.”

This advice from Garland worked like a charm, and the Cavaliers were an entirely different team in the second half. They played with the same free-flowing spirit that has defined much of their season and battered the Jazz 37-19 in the third quarter. Evan Mobley found his dominance once again alongside Jarrett Allen and also highlighted the impact of Garland’s words.

“It’s a big part (having fun). I feel like that’s kind of how we play basketball, and that’s a big reason we’re where we are right now,” Mobley told the reporters. “And we’re going to continue having fun, and we’re going to make that an emphasis.” Mobley had 11 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks as he helped the Cavaliers get back to winning ways. Meanwhile, Sam Merrill also vouched for Garland.

“I vaguely remember. But yeah, DG’s been saying that. Like he said it at halftime the other night, like said it again today. Just like that, you know, that’s obviously when we’re at our best, and we’ve been doing that all year. So, it’s just a matter of seeing a couple shots go through, getting a couple steals and dunks and what not, and that’s, that’s when we can get our swagger and get going.” That’s what confidence does: it rewards those who carry it.

While it was expected that they would beat a tanking Jazz team, their play in the second half would’ve left Atkinson pleased, especially after a difficult start to the game. At one point, the Jazz were even ahead in the second quarter, having clawed back a 12-point deficit, but thankfully for Atkinson, his team was able to find some of that old swagger.

During the run of four straight defeats, what was more concerning for the head coach was the manner in which his team had gone down in each of those games. After leading against the Magic at halftime, they capitulated at home. Losing a tightly fought contest against a good Clippers team may not have been cause to worry, but the defeat to the Kings was frustrating, as was the double-digit loss to the Suns.

A slump for a top team during the course of a lengthy NBA season is expected. But for a while, it seemed the Cavaliers had run out of steam and perhaps were waiting for the playoffs to start, having built a considerable gap between themselves and the second-placed Celtics. But Atkinson and his players know they cannot allow complacency to set in as the season moves toward the playoffs. Some might even say that it is better to have a bad run right now, when you are sitting comfortably at the top, rather than suffer from a loss of form in the postseason. If it is a wake-up call the Cavaliers wanted, they might have gotten it just in time. Of course, they wouldn’t want a repeat of what happened with the Jazz in 2021.

Utah dominated the regular season and finished as the top seed in the Western Conference. However, their touch deserted them in the playoffs, and they lost in the second round to the Clippers. The Cavaliers might have woken up just in time. Just when some doubt might have been creeping in, they delivered a carefree performance thanks to Garland.

When the man himself was asked about it, he gave a clear explanation, “It’s a kids’ game, so just trying to make sure we all have fun doing and that just uplifts everybody.” For Garland, the key to successfully playing the game is simple. Pass the ball, talk it out on defense, and bring the energy. That’s when the fast breaks, dunks, and alley-oops can happen. And who doesn’t want to have fun while dominating the game?

“We knew that we were going to hit a stretch and we were going to hit a wall one day. That’s just how the world works, unfortunately, so those four games were our days that we didn’t look great or didn’t have a great game. So just trying to get back on track over here and lead on to another 16 [wins], hopefully,” Garland mentioned. The Cavs sit 57-14 and are up by four games on the Boston Celtics, and with them slowly getting back to their best, they will be eager to prove themselves on the big stage.

While Darius Garland’s fun approach saved the day for Kenny Atkinson, the coach better lace up those shoes because the competition for COTY is heating up, with a national reporter predicting some tight race ahead.

ESPN reporter hints at potential setback for Kenny Atkinson

After taking over from J.B. Bickerstaff, Kenny Atkinson made a huge impact on the Cavaliers. From the start of this season, the franchise sat comfortably at the top of the Eastern Conference. But as the end of the regular season approaches, the Cavs seem to be slipping. At least based on their performance in the last four games. With everything on the line, Atkinson can’t afford to let this slide, or his predecessor might swoop in and snatch the COTY title right out from under him.

On The Hoop Collective podcast, Tim MacMahon stated, “Old, old JB, Bickerstaff, you know, plus 25 wins, the Pistons are going to win three times as many games, and then some, as they did last year. If Cavs corner doesn’t turn it around, old JB’s going to zoom right past Kenny Atkinson for that Coach of the Year, baby.”

Bickerstaff might not have delivered the desired results with the Cavaliers, but he’s been a game-changer for the Pistons. Last season, the franchise finished at the very bottom with a rough 14-68 record, but under his leadership this season, they’ve climbed all the way to the 6th seed in the East with 40 wins. That’s a huge turnaround! His success in Detroit has made him a solid contender for the NBA Coach of the Year title. While Atkinson is still the favorite for the award, a few more losses could make it Bickerstaff’s game, according to MacMahon.

Now it all boils down to the upcoming games for the Cavaliers. How they perform in the next stretch will determine whether Atkinson can clinch the COTY title or if Bickerstaff’s impressive turnaround with the Pistons will give him a late shot. Who do you think has the opportunity this year? Let us know in the comments below!