The Cleveland Cavaliers claimed a second straight victory, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers in a dramatic contest. The Cavs took off with a 41-27 lead after the first quarter. By the end of the half, that lead condensed down to just three points. And in the locker room, a furious Kenny Atkinson awaited them.

“I ripped them at halftime you know because I think that second quarter we just completely kind of lost mental focus, our activity went way down, defensive activity,” the Cavaliers head coach admitted. But his frustrations didn’t stem from Philly making a roaring comeback twice in this game.

It has become somewhat of a theme. With a large lead, the Cavaliers tend to lose focus. “First quarter we were all over the place. Second quarter we were relaxed and this is one of our improvement areas you know doing better, playing better with the lead,” Atkinson explained. The same thing happened a few nights ago against the Atlanta Hawks, a game the Cavaliers did eventually win.

But they didn’t need Atkinson’s fury. This time, Jarrett Allen, who contributed with 24 points and 10 rebounds, felt “Everything he said, we deserved,”. Because the Cavaliers regularly showcase their quality and talent depth. Donovan Mitchell has been on a heater in the last two games. Tonight, he went off for a season-high 46. Mobley also added 23, which included a trifecta of threes. But the urgency came only after the 76ers capitalized on their complacency.

Kenny Atkinson doesn’t want that to be the team’s culture. During last season’s postseason, the Pacers staged an improbable comeback against them and stole a game. So, although the Cavs often take the lead, Atkinson wants the fight to continue until the final whistle. Because in May, such lapses potentially cost them a playoff series.

And with championship aspirations, Atkinson doesn’t want comfort to be a reason for the Cavs to drop games.

The Cavaliers receive a huge boost against the 76ers

It wasn’t an ideal game for Kenny Atkinson. He felt the Cavaliers slipped after taking a sizeable lead to open the game. But while they did recover their ways, the Cavs also received a major boost. Their ‘quarterback’ is back. Darius Garland made his season debut today, playing 26 minutes and scoring eight points.

However, Atkinson could feel the Cavaliers’ playstyle return once Garland was on the floor.

“Those first seven minutes, that was Cavs basketball. A lot of it was started by him, with the speed, his ability to get advantages, and he knows what sets we want. … He just got us in our comfort zone,” the Cavs head coach said about the starting point guard.

Garland’s return is significant for the rocky Cavaliers. The elegant guard’s playmaking acumen allows Donovan Mitchell to be a free presence. Furthermore, everybody can return to playing their normal roles, building off a 64-win finish from last season and refining their identity.

It was only his first game. Darius Garland is yet to regain full fitness. But still, having him as a resource brings stability to the Cavaliers. Their next game is against the Wizards, where the team will hope to extend their win streak. And with them slowly getting healthy, the Cavaliers will look to make a strong push in the East.