Cavs' Kenny Atkinson refuses to bench James Harden and refuses to play Jaylon Tyson

Kenny Atkinson's stubbornness could cost the Cleveland Cavaliers their season. 

The head coach didn't want to use up too many timeouts on Tuesday night even as the New York Knicks went on one of the greatest runs in NBA playoff history.

He also refused to bench James Harden, and he still refuses to play Jaylon Tyson.

It's all a bit bizarre, and it's got the feeling of a messy ending.

burying tyson after he was a key piece for you all year is just so shortsighted by kenny

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This isn't a call to permanently bench Harden, but the aging guard was getting absolutely cooked by Jalen Brunson over and over -- with analytics showing that he allowed 1.9 points per possession as the primary defender down the stretch. It's hard to do much worse.

Atkinson wouldn't call timeout, wouldn't call out a different defensive assignment, wouldn't ask Harden to come take a seat next to him.

The Cavs' head coach just decided to watch the demise happen from the sideline, as if there was nothing to be done.

And while Tyson isn't a direct tie-in here -- although he could've been subbed in for Harden -- it feels like it fits the theme.

Tyson spent much of the regular season in the starting lineup.

On Tuesday, he didn't play a single second.

The Cavs actually gave Keon Ellis rotation minutes for the first time in weeks rather than play Tyson.

Sure, Tyson got a bit hot-headed midway through the Pistons series, but this has to be about talent and upside, too. Cleveland's best chance of winning the title would include Tyson getting minutes.

Instead, everything about Game 1 against the Knicks could come back to haunt the Cavs for years to come. And Atkinson's stubbornness seems to be right at the heart of that.

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