Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson said his team remains confident despite trailing the New York Knicks 0-3 [1] in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The deficit puts Cleveland in a precarious position, as few teams in NBA history have recovered from a three-game hole to win a series. The Cavaliers must now win four consecutive games to advance to the NBA Finals.

Atkinson addressed the challenge of the current scoreline during the series, which has featured matchups at Madison Square Garden in New York and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. He said that the team will not abandon its strategy despite the losses.

"Being down 0-3 is a huge challenge, but we believe we can turn this around if we execute our game plan," Atkinson said [1].

The coach pointed to the mental toughness of his roster as the primary tool for a potential comeback. He said that the team's identity is built on the ability to withstand pressure and maintain a specific style of play regardless of the opponent's momentum.

"Our process is about resilience; we’ll stay focused and keep playing our brand of basketball," Atkinson said.

While some reports previously indicated a 0-2 deficit, current data confirms the Cavaliers are now down 0-3 [1]. The team is preparing for Game 3, which is scheduled for May 28, 2026 [2].

Atkinson said that the team's internal belief system remains intact. He said that the coaching staff and players are not deterred by the historical difficulty of overcoming such a lead.

"We’re still confident in our process and we’ll keep fighting, no matter the score," Atkinson said.

“"Being down 0-3 is a huge challenge, but we believe we can turn this around if we execute our game plan."”

A 0-3 deficit in a best-of-seven series is statistically one of the most difficult hurdles in professional sports. For the Cavaliers, the focus shifts from tactical adjustments to psychological endurance. Their ability to avoid a sweep depends on whether they can disrupt the Knicks' momentum in Game 3 and sustain that energy through a required four-game winning streak.