CLEVELAND, USA – Cleveland Cavaliers don already gree for championship season after dem secure top seed for Eastern Conference on Tuesday night.
The day wey dem win against the Hawks, Cavaliers don pass dem preseason goals wey coach Kenny Atkinson set for dem, wey be 50 wins and to finish among top three for the East.
Atkinson talk say, “Yeah, I mean I think you celebrate these moments. We go talk about wetin we go do next, but tonight we dey celebrate. The guys dey happy for that locker room.” This na fourth time wey the Cavaliers go enter playoffs with the best record for East.
Last time wey dem do am, na 2016, when dem collect hin first NBA championship and bring home the first professional sports title to Cleveland in 52 years.
Last season, dem finish 48-34 and make am to Eastern Conference semifinals, but dem lose to the eventual champion. Dem fire coach J.B. Bickerstaff after the season and bring Atkinson as new head coach.
Under Atkinson, Cavaliers start di season sharp, wey make dem become di fourth team for NBA history wey win dem first 15 matches. Dem also be di third team wey don get at least three win streaks of 12 matches in one season.
“We get some ups and downs dis last month, but we dey proud of di guys and di organization. E no easy to win 63 games for this league,” Atkinson continue.
As at now, dem don win 63 games with three more matches to go before regular season end, if dem win di last three, dem go equal di franchise record for most wins in a season.
Dem go play road games against the Knicks and the Raptors in di coming days before dem host di Pacers on Sunday. With di playoffs not likely to start until April 20, Atkinson dey look for balance between making sure di players dey sharp going into di postseason while also allowing dem to rest since dem don get di top seed.
“We go discuss plenty options with di players, wetin dem feel like. We fit do intrasquad scrimmages to prepare. Plenty ways dey to get ready.” Atkinson add.
Standout guard Darius Garland talk say di Cavaliers dey in same position as plenty other teams going into di playoffs with di long rest before di first round starts. “E good to use di time to rest body, get extra lift and do some good practices wey we never fit do since di All-Star break.”
Star guard Donovan Mitchell miss di last game due to ankle injury, and Atkinson talk say e prefer make Mitchell rest for di remainder of regular season. Last match, Garland shine as he come out of him shooting slump to score 28 points against di Bulls, showing how important scoring go be for di team’s playoffs run.
“E dey good to see all dis shots go through di net. My teammates push me to just be myself, and I need dis kind game,” Garland talk with smile.
Garland sabi say expectations dey high for di Cavaliers as di top seed. “E dey different because now we dey hunted. We must always play our best no matter di opponent,” he conclude.
