This uninspiring stretch may have just hit rock bottom for the Cleveland Cavaliers. At the very least, every member of that franchise will hope it does not get worse than what happened on Wednesday night.
The Cavaliers lost a brutal 127-111 ball game to the Chicago Bulls, waving the white flag in the fourth quarter before time had officially run out on Cleveland. It was their third loss in four games, and their seventh in the last 10 overall. The Cavs have now plummeted to 15-13 during the 2025-26 season.
Kenny Atkinson tried to shake things up by starting Dean Wade. The change was warranted given the struggles of De'Andre Hunter. It just did not pan out. Atkinson was asked by reporters after the loss if, from a coaching standpoint, if he is ever forced to just question what else can be done.
"No, I never think that way," Atkinson said. " I think that's our job is to keep trying and keep tweaking. ... I always say during these times, you discover a lot about yourself, discover a lot about your team, and then you can find things, too, find things that can help you down the line."
Cavaliers keep clinging to the hope of a better tomorrow
Atkinson's message is a bit cliched, but ultimately what is needed for both him and his team. After being giftwrapped a mini-break and favorable stretch to follow, the results just have not been there for the Cavaliers.
Somehow, some way, it just keeps growing more unsettling too.
The disturbing part about this slump has undoubtedly been the highly-publicized lack of focus. The injuries can be held up as justification, and the absences certainly don't help, but it goes beyond that.
It's the controllable areas that are lacking too often, and the Cavaliers have known it too.
This game, it was the turnovers. The Cavaliers served up 20 total turnovers to the Bulls, and ended up getting punished for it. Atkinson was not shy about bringing that up at the postgame too.
Kudos where it is due, the Cavaliers head coach is keeping his head above water. Atkinson mentioned moving lineups around, trying different guys out, tinkering with the lineups, etc. as ways of attempting to get his player out of a funk.
It hasn't happened just yet. With every loss, ugly win, and anything of the sort, Clevelanders can only hope Atkinson can accumulate the little things necessary to righting the ship.