Will Kenny Atkinson make any lineup changes in Game 3? The Cavs coach weighs in

After going down 2-0 at Maddison Square Garden to a New York Knicks team that looks like the cream of the Eastern Conference’s crop, the Cleveland Cavaliers have to figure out some way, any way, to come out of Game 3 on top in front of a Cavs crowd eager to see another NBA Finals return to Believeland.

But how? Would the Cavs consider scaling back James Harden’s role after his recent struggles, a suggestion that, well, darn near everyone has proposed? Well, in the lead-up to Game 3, Atkinson commented on just that, noting that if he does make a change, it will probably involve adding some additional shooting to his lineups, instead of any tweaks to his starting lineup.

“You know, we’ll see. You know, I read with my staff before we go through last-minute, like, you know, FEMA-type conversations, and we’ll see,” Atkinson said. “I don’t commit till the end, you know, but you know, I’ve liked how our starters have played, you know, besides that that third quarter where they went on that run in Game 2, but overall they’ve been pretty good. You know, the question, Joe, is do we need, you know, more shooting out there? You could argue that. Do we need another shooter, especially where they’re playing us? So that’s up in the air, you know, but again, to be determined.”

In Game 2, the Cavs got exactly one 3-pointer off their bench, with Dennis Schroder, Sam Merrill, and Jaylon Tyson combining to go 0-11, while Max Strus went 1-4 from beyond the arc. If the Cavs are going to have a chance against the Knicks, they will need to get a better scoring pop from their reserves, a fact Atkinson appears plainly aware of.

Kenny Atkinson was asked if he's considering any lineup changes for Game 3:

"I liked how our starters have played, besides that third quarter where they went on that run in Game 2, but overall they've been pretty good. The question is, do we need more shooting out there?" pic.twitter.com/NP9b91ebYP

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) May 23, 2026

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