Ty Jerome cites ‘new coaching’ as biggest shift in Cavs/Knicks dynamic

The tables have turned.

The Cleveland Cavaliers thrashed the New York Knicks tonight in what felt like the younger sibling finally growing old enough to fend for himself. Cleveland is no longer being punked by the Knicks — and Ty Jerome cites the new coaching staff as the biggest reason for this shift in dynamics.

“We got a new coaching staff that’s helped tremendously,” Jerome said. “And yeah, that’s the biggest thing [that’s changed].”

Atkinson’s influence has been all over the Cavs breakout season. He’s the frontrunner for Coach of the Year for a reason. But Jerome’s comments do leave out some important context.

For instance, the Cavs didn’t always have Jerome himself to hop off the bench and score 19 points in just 19 minutes as he did tonight. The additional scoring and ball handling Jerome provides is a game-changer compared to what Bickerstaff had at his disposal during the last two seasons.

This is true across the board. The Cavs 2023 playoff rotation included Cedi Osman, Danny Green and Lamar Stevens. Atkinson would likely faint if he entered the postseason with those options. But that was all Bickerstaff was left to work with — while Atkinson has had a wealth of depth to turn to.

Improved versions of Dean Wade and Isaac Okoro — along with Max Strus, De’Andre Hunter (and reportedly Javonte Green) have given the Cavs more than enough playable wings to compete with anyone. The rapid ascension of Evan Mobley and the steady contribution of Jarrett Allen actually allowed the Cavs to look jumbo-sized for a change against the Knicks.

Atkinson deserves plenty of credit. He’s unlocked the Cavalier offense in a way that felt impossible under Bickerstaff. Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell have struck the perfect balance while Cleveland is scoring at a historic rate. Their 142 points tonight is the most the Cavs have scored against New York all decade.

Many things have contributed to Cleveland’s 46-10 record. Atkinson being one of the largest. But it’s important to keep in mind that this Cavalier team is very different from the one that collapsed in 2023 — and tonight was an emphatic declaration of that.