Look, if you thought Kenny Atkinson was about to throw the Cavs into a new identity blender for Round 2, think again. The man just pulled up to the podium and basically said, “We are who we are—deal with it.”

Yeah, the Cavs are staring down a track meet. Opponents got wheels, Pascal’s going to run the fourth time, Tyrese is getting the high outlet on the fifth—this ain’t your uncle’s slow-paced playoff grind. It’s full-on cardio season. But Kenny? He’s not reaching for the brakes. He’s reaching for receipts.

“They run more than anybody in the league… that’s not just from a visual. That’s—there’s facts behind that. Physical facts.”

Translation: Kenny watched the tape. Kenny read the stat sheets. Kenny knows they’re sprinters. But that doesn’t mean the Cavs are suddenly about to turn into a slow, plodding team with a walker and some Bengay. That’s not how this works.

He even brought up last year’s Knicks-Pacers series as a cautionary tale. “They wore them out,” he said, noting how New York couldn’t keep up with Indiana’s relentless tempo—especially as injuries piled up and the Pacers turned every missed shot into a sprint drill..

But, here’s the thing—Kenny knows better than anyone that the Cavs don’t have to completely change their pace to beat a fast team. In fact, they don’t have to change at all. They just have to stay smart.

Coach Kenny Atkinson Stays Firm on Cavs’ Identity: It’s About Smarts, Not Just Speed

Now here’s where Coach Kenny Atkinson  really leans into it: identity.

“Can’t change who we are, right?” he says, like someone trying to explain to Twitter why he’s still starting Caris LeVert. “All of a sudden we’re going to become a slow-up team? Nah. We still have to keep our identity.”

He’s not asking for a 94-possession mudfest. He’s asking for brains over burners. Defensive IQ, not track shoes. Transition reads. Gap discipline. Win the first three steps.

And then he drops the coach-nerd hammer with a nod to Mike D’Antoni’s philosophy: “That was his thing—offensive win? Well, they can’t beat us those first three. They can’t beat us out of the blocks, you know.”

That’s strategy with teeth. If you win the start of the play, you can control the rest. Beat ‘em to the punch and they’re reacting, not dictating.

Cleveland’s ability to handle fast-paced teams goes beyond just scoring. They control the tempo, seizing opportunities and executing efficiently. With an offensive rating of 136.2, they capitalize on fast breaks and half-court sets without getting caught in the chaos.

Defensively, the Cavs excel at stifling transition plays. With Evan Mobley’s DPOY defense and Jarrett Allen’s shot-blocking, they disrupt fast breaks before they even begin. Dominating the paint (46.7 points per game), Cleveland shuts down fast-paced opponents without sacrificing their game plan. They handle the speed and turn it into an advantage.

In the end, Cleveland isn’t just trying to keep up with a track team—they’re setting their own pace. While opponents may try to force the issue and push the tempo, the Cavs are playing to their strengths. They know when to run, when to slow things down, and how to control the flow without getting trapped in someone else’s race. With a high-powered offense and a defense built to shut down fast breaks, Cleveland’s ready to meet the challenge head-on. So, if you thought the Cavs were going to fold under pressure, think again—they’re not just surviving the speed—they’re mastering it.