No Eastern Conference team has the look of a viable challenger to the Cavaliers, who have always seemed to be the most talented. But never have they appeared more unified in their quest. This postseason is about proving something to themselves, not the teams they’ll face trying to reach the NBA Finals.
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LOOK AHEAD
The Hawks changed their starting lineup and rotation, Al Horford and Kyle Korver showed up, and the team threw everything it had at the Cavaliers in Friday’s Game 3. None of it mattered. In the end, the Cavs were just too much and are within a win of sweeping Atlanta in the postseason for the second consecutive season.
LeBron James and Kyrie Irving had their usual stellar performances. Kevin Love came up big too. But when Channing Frye turned in the best playoff game of his career, the Hawks didn’t stand a chance. Atlanta turned in a much more respectable showing after getting blown out in Game 2. That was expected, but in the end, it was the same result for a team that has lost 10 straight to the Cavs going back to last year’s conference final.
INJURIES
Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer said point guard Jeff Teague had been bothered by an Achilles issue but was “close to 100 percent, if not 100 percent.” It might not matter for Sunday’s contest. Teague may face some discipline from the NBA office after his flagrant foul on James late in the fourth quarter.
KEY MATCHUP
Seven games into their 2016 playoff run, the Cavs have yet to lose. And that has LeBron James feeling pretty good about his team. After the Cavs came back from a fourth quarter deficit to defeat the Hawks in Game 3 on Friday night, James flat-out said that Cleveland is “destined for greatness.” Now, we don’t know whether James is right or wrong in his assessment. But one thing is for certain – the Cavs are at the top of their game.
It helps, of course, to have one of the best players in the league, as the Cavs do in James. But Cleveland is helping itself by putting its best players on the floor together, regardless of position, and letting their skill and cohesion make up for any shortcomings. That’s where the game is trending. And the Cavs, like their fellow championship contenders, are simply ahead of the curve.
QUICK PICK
The Hawks were desperate and Budenholzer pulled out all the stops in Friday’s Game 3. Thabo Sefolosha started in place of Kyle Korver and seldom-used Kris Humphries was the first player off the bench. Sefolosha was supposed to provide more defense, but the Cavs scored 31 points in the first quarter. The moves worked for awhile and Atlanta got some breaks it hadn’t seen in the first two games.
But once again, the Hawks fell apart in the fourth quarter. Irving and James directed a 20-3 run, often finding Frye open for one of his seven three-pointers. Before the Hawks knew what had happened, they were down by nine with 3:34 to play. And to show that Atlanta has tossed in the towel, a frustrated Teague banged James into the seats, drawing a flagrant foul with 30 seconds left. Cleveland likely finishes off the sweep on Sunday afternoon.
NBA Odds: Atlanta 108, Atlanta 97
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