The Cavaliers may have delivered the knockout blow in Wednesday’s Game 2 thrashing. If the Hawks don’t get off the mat for Friday’s game, they just might experience a four-game sweep by Cleveland for the second straight year.
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LOOK AHEAD
It appears as though the Cavaliers are trying to send a message – to the Golden State Warriors. Cleveland has been the Eastern Conference’s clear favorite since dropping last year’s NBA Finals to the Dubs in six games. After six wins in their first six playoff games, if any doubt over the Cavs supremacy remained, it surely has disappeared by now. The Cavs are clearly the best team in the East, and it’s not very close.
Game 2 confirmed Cleveland’s superiority in one of the most devastating offensive displays in NBA history. The Cavs recorded the most three-pointers in one half of a playoff game, set a new record for most threes in a playoff game, and set a new NBA record for threes in a game of any kind. They led 74-38 at the half for the second-largest halftime margin in the shot-clock era and cruised to a 123-98 win to grab a 2-0 series lead. The Hawks look like they would be fortunate to compete in another game in the series, let alone win one.
INJURIES
The Cavaliers might have sore arms after launching 45 three-pointers and making a record 25 on Wednesday. At least the starters, who combined to go 18 of 28 from distance, got to rest the final 12 minutes.
No Atlanta starter played more than 27 minutes in Game 2 as coach Mike Budenholzer tries to regroup for Game 3.
KEY MATCHUP
J.R. Smith started the onslaught and the rest of the Cavaliers kept it going on Wednesday. Smith made six of his seven three-pointers in the first half as Cleveland built a 38-point lead over the stunned Hawks. And there was little Atlanta defenders could do against the Cavs, who stood behind the line, took aim and dropped shot after shot. “When J.R.’s making shots, it’s contagious,” coach Tyronn Lue said.
Smith drained 7 of 13 three-pointers and also made his only two-point field goal, to account for 23 points on the evening. His early spree set the tone for what was to come and the Cavs looked like the East’s version of the Warriors. Smith has made 11 of 20 three-pointers in the two games and is shooting a blistering 52.8 percent from distance in the postseason.
QUICK PICK
There is no silver lining for the Hawks following Wednesday’s beatdown. Atlanta allowed open shots, failed to improve their defense at any point, and didn’t do much offensively to keep the Cavs from getting out in transition. Cleveland’s shooting display did a lot to make it look like Atlanta was standing around, but the Hawks failed to help themselves and Game 2 got out of hand quickly. Paul Millsap summed up the night when he repeatedly said “I’m speechless” to reporters following the game.
Now this was just one game and it’s unlikely Cleveland replicates its Game 2 performance on Friday. The Hawks will get a boost playing in front of their fans, but the bottom line is the Cavs are a better team. They won’t have to make 25 threes and shoot 55.6 percent from the arc. And they have the Hawks number, winning 10 straight playoff games against them.
NBA Odds: Cleveland 107, Atlanta 100
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