The Cleveland Cavaliers got a first look at their 2026-27 preseason group on Thursday night, and the box score pointed straight to the problem Kenny Atkinson wants fixed fast.
Cleveland dropped its opener to the Boston Celtics, 124-113, but the bigger issue was what happened on the glass. Boston ripped down 21 offensive rebounds, while the Cavaliers managed just six of their own. By the end of the night, the Celtics had a 56-39 edge in total rebounds.
After the game, Atkinson made it clear that rebounding is already near the top of the team’s list of concerns.
“Rebounding is a concern coming into the season. We’ve got to do better,” Atkinson said, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
That kind of gap is hard to ignore, even in a preseason setting. Boston’s extra possessions kept the pressure on Cleveland and exposed a weakness the Cavaliers can’t afford to let linger once the games start counting.
There was at least one bright spot for Cleveland in offseason acquisition Peyton Watson, who signed an $88 million deal with the organization. Watson produced seven points, four rebounds, four assists and two blocks in 17 minutes, giving the Cavaliers a glimpse of the versatility they’re hoping to add to the starting lineup.
Still, the night underscored the same message from Atkinson: the Cavaliers need more from everyone on the boards, not just one player. If that doesn’t improve, the rebounding issues could turn into a bigger problem.
For now, the preseason gives Cleveland time to clean it up. The Cavaliers have two more chances before the regular season begins, starting with a home game against the Orlando Magic on Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
ET on ESPN. They’ll wrap up the preseason Tuesday against Orlando at Kia Center, with tipoff set for 7 p.m.
ET on NBC and Peacock.
In Other News...
Cavaliers May Have Found The Wing Help This Roster Needed
Mario Hezonja is back on an NBA roster, and the Cavaliers are taking a low-risk look at a player whose journey has taken him through several seasons in Europe. Cleveland brought him in on a one-year minimum deal as part of its effort to shore up wing depth, and early exhibition games have suggested there may be something worth exploring here beyond simple camp competition.
Hezonja has looked more physical and athletic in those tune-up minutes, which is exactly the sort of trait that can matter for a team trying to build a sturdier bench behind its core. If that carries into the season, he could give the Cavaliers a useful option on the wing and potentially bring more to the table than Dean Wade did in that reserve role, even as the larger question remains how much of this early promise translates once the games count. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Exposed A Cavaliers Problem Kenny Atkinson Has To Solve
The Cavaliers preseason opener offered Kenny Atkinson an early look at both the promise and the problems still waiting to be sorted out. Cleveland fell to Boston 124-113, and while the score mattered less than the process, Atkinson had plenty to like from the way Peyton Watson attacked with creativity and athleticism, along with the work of second-round pick Meleek Thomas and Craig Porter Jr.
What stood out most, though, was how often the Celtics kept creating extra chances, a reminder that the Cavs front line has some clean-up to do before the games count for real. The rebounding issues were hard to miss, and with James Harden out as a precaution because of ankle soreness, the opener became less about the final result and more about how quickly Cleveland can tighten the details that tend to decide better teams. [Read more 🡒]
Tyrese Proctor Just Made Clevelands Guard Battle A Lot More Real
Tyrese Proctor has already done the part young guards usually hear about and then have to prove later. After getting feedback from Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson, he put real work into strength training and showed notable physical improvement, a sign that Clevelands development message is landing with him. For a team trying to sort out its backcourt depth, that matters, especially with Proctor working to carve out a role in a group that also includes Craig Porter Jr. and Meleek Thomas.
Proctors case gets stronger because he is not just adding muscle, he is absorbing lessons from established scorers around him, including Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. That kind of daily education can speed up the learning curve, but the Cavaliers still appear to be looking for a very specific defensive profile before they settle the backup guard rotation. So while Proctor has made this competition more interesting, the final shape of the bench remains very much up in the air. [Read more 🡒]