Independence, Ohio – The list of CAVs injuries developed as a result of its defeat in the semi -finals of the Eastern Conference of Match 1 at the Indiana Pacers.
And coach Kenny Atkinson is not happy with it.
“Indiana deserved this. They outdated us. They were the most physical team,” admitted Atkinson on Monday afternoon after the team’s step by step procedure at Cleveland Clinic Courts. “But I will say that there were two games in this game which, I do not think that they are dirty games, but I think that has passed a line of physics. This line we have somehow talked about where it has become excessive.”
The first came around the eight -minute brand of the fourth quarter, while the stars striker Evan Mobley took a pass in the painting, dribbled towards the middle and turned into a jump halfway – a game in which Mobley landed awkwardly on the foot of Myles Turner, rolling his left ankle and entering the rest of the game.
“Turner disputes his shot in two points, comes clearly under him and the shooters need space to land,” said Atkinson. “He is unbalanced in our opinion and refine his ankle pretty badly. I think you saw him build the rest of the game. There was a big push to get him out. He wanted to stay.”
Mobley finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds. He did not score, trying a single blow, after this ankle injury.
The following game occurred a few seconds later, the reserve striker of’Andre Hunter pushing the ball in transition and passing in front of Tyrese Haliburton of Indiana before trying an arrow dunk which was blocked by Bennedict Mathurin.
Atkinson challenged the play, asking with anger an exam. The crew officiating of three people from Zach Zarba, Sean Wright and Gediminas Petraitis looked at him several times, from several angles, and remained with the call on the ground – a clean block, out of the limits against Cleveland, while the ball landed on Hunter by being on the basic line.
“I’m just in shock,” said Atkinson, reflecting on this non-appeal. “I guess I have to know the rules better. Maybe I don’t know the rules. I felt that he was absolutely erased. ”
Hunter, who immediately returned to the locker room for a quick examination, suffered a dislocated right thumb he had said to Cleveland.com to be replaced.
“It is regrettable for us,” said Atkinson, who looked at the two replay of countless times. “I don’t think it’s on Indiana. I have so much respect for the way they play. They are guys.
“I have not spoken of referees all year round. I think that the referees of this league are phenomenal and they are doing a great job, and it was a hell of a good crew that did last night, a ton of respect for these guys. But for any reason, that bothers me that we are dealing with this. At least, there should be repercussions in terms of call.”
During his rant, Atkinson used both “questionable” and “doubtful” to describe the status of game of Mobley and Hunter. Since these designations are radically different and, often predictive, if a guy will play, Atkinson has been invited to clarify.
“It’s semantics, right? A doubt is questionable. Anyway. Let’s go to this,” said Atkinson. “For me, in my world, doubtful and doubtful live in the same world. So maybe I use, I should use the official kind of the NBA. … I will not develop it. Obviously, a real concern.”
Hunter said late Sunday evening that he would be ready for match 2. Mobley admitted that he would need to see how his ankle had responded to the treatment before thinking about the possibility of missing a critical eliminatory match.
The official injury report will be published on Monday evening.
Cleveland, dragging the series of seven best 0-1, was already in digital disadvantage in this match.
The leader Darius Garland missed the last two games of the first round after re-acting an injury to the toe suffered late in the regular season. It was excluded from the opening of the semi-final about 30 minutes before the TIP and its status for Tuesday is still uncertain.
“We have just shot today, so it was difficult to really assess where he is,” said Atkinson about Garland. “So yes, he will be questionable too for tomorrow.”
Suddenly, this playoff race has become an attrition battle.
The Cavs also lose that.
