The Cleveland Cavaliers suffered a 114-105 letdown home defeat during Tuesday’s Game 5 Eastern Conference semifinal clash against the Indiana Pacers. Following Cleveland’s unforeseen five-game second-round exit, coach Kenny Atkinson reflected on his No. 1-seeded squad’s shortcomings, sparking backlash from Cavaliers fans.
After securing its second-best record in franchise history (64-18) and the NBA’s top offensive rating (121.0), Cleveland entered the playoffs with championship aspirations. However, the regular-season juggernaut struggled to match up with Indiana’s depth and run-and-gun play style in Round 2.
Trailing 3-1 and facing elimination in Game 5, the Cavaliers came out strong at Rocket Arena, taking a 31-19 lead after the first quarter. Their advantage then ballooned to 19 points early in the second quarter as they appeared poised to extend the series. However, the Pacers battled back, taking a 12-point lead in the third quarter before outdueling Cleveland in a tightly contested final 12-minute frame.
Indiana received critical contributions from stars Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, as well as combo guard Andrew Nembhard, with Haliburton scoring a team-high 31 points. Conversely, the Cavaliers came up short offensively in the clutch, cutting their postseason run short.
Cleveland Fans Call for Kenny Atkinson’s Job After Early Round 2 Exit
Following the Cavaliers’ Game 5 defeat, Atkinson attributed his team’s underwhelming series to its inability to combat the Pacers’ speed and physicality.
“We’ve obviously got to get physically better, arrive physically better, to compete with a team like this that plays at this high-intense pace,” Atkinson said.
The 2025 Coach of the Year added that his squad lacked the mental toughness to emerge victorious from such a grueling series.
“The mental part, we’ve gotta get over that,” Atkinson said. “I just felt like we’ve got another jump to make, kind of our mental strength.”
However, Cleveland fans weren’t having it, as many blamed Atkinson and called for him to be fired after just one year on the job.
“Fire Kenny Atkinson,” one user said.
Fire Kenny Atkinson
— I Hate Brayan Rocchio (@NovaCore__) May 14, 2025
“Shouldn’t he be fired?” another wrote.
Shouldn’t he be fired?
— Hey, its Bob! (@bobbybuilder239) May 14, 2025
“Soft coach, soft team, soft culture. Everything about this team is soft. Atkinson refuses to light the fire even when the season is leaning off the edge of the cliff. Nobody feels sorry for you @cavs,” one user commented.
Soft coach, soft team, soft culture. Everything about this team is soft. Atkinson refuses to light the fire even when the season is leaning off the edge of the cliff. Nobody feels sorry for you @cavs
— 123 (@sideshooter007) May 14, 2025
“Cleveland did not prepare for Play off. A nice run for the regular season but must learn that play off requires another level of play and coaching,” another remarked.
Meanwhile, others asserted that the Cavaliers would have been better off retaining J.B. Bickerstaff as coach.
“Fire Atkinson! He refuses to use his bench! This is disgusting! We should of just kept Bickerstaff!” one said.
Cavaliers Go 0–3 at Home in Round 2, Prompting Questions About Their Future
With Tuesday’s loss, Cleveland finished 0-3 at Rocket Arena in the second round after going 34-7 at home during the regular season. It struggled mightily offensively in Game 5, shooting just 35-90 (38.9%), including 9-for-35 from 3-point range (25.7%).
This includes star guards Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland shooting a combined 12-for-41 (29.3%) and 4-for-19 from beyond the arc (21%).
The Cavaliers now enter the offseason facing questions about how to take the next step. Given its early flameout, the organization may be forced to evaluate its core four of Mitchell, Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen’s long-term fit.
