Cavs Coach Kenny Atkinson Applauds James Harden’s Impact on Cavs’ Mentality

Kenny Atkinson praised his team's mentality in what he called a real practice before the first-round battle against the Toronto Raptors.

Apr 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts in the first quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson didn’t have a special playoff message for his team, but he expressed his happiness with the team's mood ahead of Game 1 against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday.

He was also happy that the team had a “real practice” before their first game against the Raptors, with Thomas Bryant the only player not taking part due to injury.

That alone leaves the Cavs in a good position, as Atkinson praised the overall mood and team chemistry in what has been a tricky season, littered with injuries and inconsistency in their performances for the majority.

And it stems from one man

That man is James Harden.

“I think that's part of James' personality, right,” Atkinson said. “He wants to play well; he wants the team to play well. And he knows Evan [Mobley] or [Jarrett Allen] are a big part of that cog in that wheel. James is a teacher, man.

“He's very bold, extroverted in talking with those guys, and it's a huge help. He knows the things I don't even see all the time.

“Like ‘Hey, they're going to send Don left’ and ‘Can we flip the screen at this angle?’ [and] "Can we move the ball over to this side of the court so we got more space to take away their gaps?’ Stuff you kind of wouldn't think of. And I think he translates that message to the coaches and players.”

More on Thomas Bryant

The Cavaliers had the rare luxury of having 14 players practice ahead of their first-round playoff battle against Toronto, but still not the full 15.

Thomas Bryant is not yet 100% recovered, but Atkinson revealed positive news about his health.

“I'd just say surprisingly ahead of schedule, which is good news for us,” Atkinson said. “So, we're getting to where we want to be, which would be totally healthy.”

The eight-year pro out of Indiana averages 6.2 points and 3.4 rebounds on 50% shooting from the floor in 12.2 minutes this season and showcases tremendous energy off the bench.

“We've been at it for a long time and are almost fully healthy,” Atkinson said. “We're just excited to get going. I mean, we actually had a real practice today, like real.

“One of the assistants came up to me, he is like, ‘Man, that was, that was different.’ I'm like, ‘Yeah, it was a real practice.’

“Sneakers squeaking, competition, scrimmaging, so that was nice, and then we'll kind of taper down as these next two days come.”