Charles Barkley accuses Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving of forcing the Brooklyn Nets to fire Kenny Atkinson, as the head coach continues to prove the pair wrong with an incredible start to the 2024/25 NBA season as they amass a 15-1 record.

Atkinson had served in New York from 2016-2020 and slowly appeared to be leading the side up the standings as they finished with a .244 record in his first season, which then improved to .341 and .512, the latter earning a first appearance in the playoffs since 2014/15.

But after a challenging start to life in the 19/20 campaign, the promising coach quit in March on the grounds of mutual agreement as the general manager, Sean Marks, said it “would be in the best interest of the team”.

Atkinson then wasn’t picked for a job for four years until singing to join the Cavaliers, to incredibly success, and now for Barkley, he believes he has identified why he had to leave the Nets in the first place.

“Three or four years ago,” Barkley told ESPN NBA. “We were bragging about Kenny Atkinson doing a great job in Brooklyn.

“Then Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving came and kicked him off the ship. This guy knows how to coach.”

Durant, one of the biggest names in the sport and a two-time champion, joined the team in 2019 and stayed there until 2023 before moving on to the Phoenix Suns, whilst Irving, a 2016 champion, stayed for the same length of time before departing to the Dallas Mavericks.

Who do the Cavs play next?

Atkinson has since taken the sport by storm, with the Cavaliers racing into a 15-1 lead in the Eastern Conference, coming out of nowhere over the summer offseason to already sit in a commanding position.

They lead the defending champions, the Boston Celtics, by 2.5 games, and at this pace, they would go on to finish 11 games ahead of Jayson Tatum‘s side, who are on course for 66 wins themselves.

The Cavaliers take on the New Orleans Pelicans at the Rocket Mortgage-Fieldhouse in Ohio on Wednesday, November 20. Tip off is expected at 19:30 ET/16:30 PT.