Donovan Mitchell‘s Cleveland Cavaliers are firing their cannonballs with efficiency and precision and the result is for everyone to see. With a 19-3 record and only the Hawks as Kryptonite, the Cavs are showing little to no sign of stopping anytime soon. The league’s punching bag, the Wizards found that out last night once again when the electrifying duo of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland took a backseat for Evan Mobley to shine. The Cleveland backcourt’s biggest puzzle which looked just one turn away from completion last season is now operating in an All-Star capacity. And the credit goes to a former Warriors employee.

Georges Niang had no hesitation to acknowledge and name that person. “I think the biggest thing with Kenny (Atkinson) is what he’s done is come in and have a team that obviously is playoff built, but, you know come in and l tweak some things that he felt that we needed on the offensive end, which have allowed us to play faster,” the 6’7 forward said on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back show about the HC.

Each of the successful teams in the league operates with its players playing their roles to perfection. The same is the case for the Cavs and Niang reiterated that once again. Raving about Atkinson, the 31-year-old further added, “Not every guy is gonna be a 20 point scorer and then kind of fixing the dynamic between Donovan and Darius. Not saying that there was ever, like, an issue, but, obviously, like, making sure that, you know, they can continue to play off each other and help this team go as far as it can.”

The rumors were out in the offseason about possible troubles in the 216. Donovan Mitchell had his fair share of it before his massive $150 million extension buried the trade talks. But the buzz around Garland didn’t subside, causing an uncomfortable atmosphere around the franchise.

Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland situations could’ve shattered the Cavaliers

After the Cavs’ playoff exit last season, the rumors ran rampant. Reports pointed at Donovan Mitchell being unhappy with his teammates’ lack of maturity. While the player himself crushed those rumors, the speculations changed its target and picked Garland.

Rumblings began about Garland’s agency; the Klutch Sports Group, was looking to ship him away from Cleveland. A condition had to be fulfilled nonetheless, Mitchell signing an extension. That happened, and now we’re in December with both of them still with the team, running rough shots throughout the league.

Both Garland and Mitchell are ball-dominant guards looking to lead the offense. That resulted in lower than 100 points scored in the same number of possessions for the Cavs last season. JB Bickerstaff failed to crack the code but Kenny Atkinson’s idea of fluidity did the trick. Garland is averaging 20.1 points, 6.5 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 20 games with Donovan Mitchell this season. The latter is also keeping up his numbers from last season. As things look, the Cavs have averted a major disaster and the only way for them is upwards this season.