Series Thread: 4 Atlanta Hawks (48-34) vs. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers (57-25)

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Most 3 Pointers Through First 6 Games of Playoffs

• 97 - 2016 Cavs
• 70 - 2013 Rockets
• 69 - 2016 Warriors
• 68 - 2014 Hawks
• 67 - 2015 HAwks
• 67 - 2015 Bulls
• 66 - 1997 Rockets

Cavs made more 3s then 2s.
That's probably never happened before.

 

[gordontrue]

I think they should stick with clogging the lane, but they need to get to the 3 point line quicker rather than just let them have them like they did early in the game. What the Cavs did was an anomaly and the Hawks need to make sure they don't overreact.

Once the Cavs got hot, it didn't matter what the Hawks were doing anymore. When I saw JR hit about a 30 footer with Horford right in his face I thought, this just isn't the Hawks night.

The thing with the 3's is that it's a cool record, but the Cavs are at their best when Lebron and Kyrie are driving the lane and either taking it to the basket or kicking it out.

The Cavs don't have any Curry or Thompson level shooters, but they have several streaky shooters who can get hot at the same time like they did last night. But they aren't winning any titles from the 3 point line.

JR is the streaky shooter. He hit some crazy contested shots. The rest of them were from driving/kick outs, moving the balls, pick and pops, etc.

I'm not saying there wasn't some streakiness/luck/getting hot involved. Of course there was. But 10 different Cavs hit 3 pointers. Outside of JR... this was more about good offense than streakiness to me. (some of JR's were wide open on kick outs).

 

[gordontrue]

The first half was amazing.
After that it was just a force fed attempt to break a record.
I'm pretty sure that if the Warriors sole purpose in a game was to make more then that, then they could.

Last five minutes was force fed.

They still shot 39% from 3 in the 2nd half (7-18).

 

[Shanemansj13]

I think they should stick with clogging the lane, but they need to get to the 3 point line quicker rather than just let them have them like they did early in the game. What the Cavs did was an anomaly and the Hawks need to make sure they don't overreact.

Once the Cavs got hot, it didn't matter what the Hawks were doing anymore. When I saw JR hit about a 30 footer with Horford right in his face I thought, this just isn't the Hawks night.

The thing with the 3's is that it's a cool record, but the Cavs are at their best when Lebron and Kyrie are driving the lane and either taking it to the basket or kicking it out.

The Cavs don't have any Curry or Thompson level shooters, but they have several streaky shooters who can get hot at the same time like they did last night. But they aren't winning any titles from the 3 point line.

Honestly, they did give the Cavs open looks especially when things started getting out of hand but it didn't matter if they were contested especially when JR was shooting. When Kyrie and JR are on it really doesn't matter what you do unless you pull their shorts down or block the shot, it's going in...kinda like Steph and Klay are when they get on hot streaks. Overall they need a better strategy though or this will be a clean sweep. And yes when Lebron and Kyrie driving they are at their best and last night they were moving the ball well but Atlanta was clogging the lane so driving was limited some of the time. Lebron still attacked though but even he was hot from 3 lol

 

[WiggyRuss]

The first half was amazing.
After that it was just a force fed attempt to break a record.
I'm pretty sure that if the Warriors sole purpose in a game was to make more then that, then they could.

did you watch the game? they didnt start forcing it until less than 4 minutes left when they TIEd it and the crowd started going crazy every time the Cavs had an offensive possession.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Last five minutes was force fed.

They still shot 39% from 3 in the 2nd half (7-18).

whenever they tied it- i thought it was with like 4 minutes left- they started forcing it to try and break it ....

 

[WiggyRuss]

Cavs made more 3s then 2s.
That's probably never happened before.

Golden State has the 2 best 3 point shooters in the league in Curry and Thompson--- but the Cavs have more 3 pt shooting depth- that is for certain.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Most 3 Pointers Through First 6 Games of Playoffs

• 97 - 2016 Cavs
• 70 - 2013 Rockets
• 69 - 2016 Warriors
• 68 - 2014 Hawks
• 67 - 2015 HAwks
• 67 - 2015 Bulls
• 66 - 1997 Rockets

It's GS's turn to beat the record again. I dare ya

 

[Wamu]

That game was so 1 sided I turned it before the 3rd quarter was over. Blowouts like that are unwatchable.

 

[trojanfan12]

I'm not saying there wasn't some streakiness/luck/getting hot involved. Of course there was. But 10 different Cavs hit 3 pointers. Outside of JR... this was more about good offense than streakiness to me. (some of JR's were wide open on kick outs).

Yes and no. JR is definitely streaky and he went 7-13 from 3. Thing with him is that in the next game, he could just as easily go 2-10 from 3. Lebron was 4-6 from 3, Kyrie was 4-5 from 3, Love was 3-4 from 3...Heck Jefferson was 2-2. The Cavs shot 45 3's last night and hit 25...that is streaky shooting and unlikely to happen again (hence, it being a record). The only ones on that list that you would want to see shooting a bunch of 3's are JR and Love and you still don't want JR shooting 13 of them.

At the beginning of the game, Atlanta was packing the paint and saying "beat us from the outside." So, it wasn't as much driving and kicking as it was, guys were being left open. Then, the Hawks did try to adjust and chase guys off the 3 point line, but it was too late. The Cavs were in a rhythm and that's when the driving and kicking started as well as moving the ball around the perimeter.

It was an incredible performance. These are NBA players. The worst guy on the end of the bench is still one of the best players in the world. These kinds of games are going to happen from time to time.

It would be a mistake, imo, for either the Hawks or the Cavs to read too much into it. Heck, if I'm both of those coaches...I don't even let my players watch the tape of that game. But for different reasons for each.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Golden State has the 2 best 3 point shooters in the league in Curry and Thompson--- but the Cavs have more 3 pt shooting depth- that is for certain.

It's crazy. Basically their whole roster is shooting over 35% from 3 other than the big guys. Even Lebron is at 35%

Guys that actually play qualities minutes and their %:
Jefferson 53.8
JR 52.8
Kyrie 52.3
Love 41.7
Shump 37.5
Frye 37.5
Delly 35.7

That's with 3 guys being in the top 20 in attempts and 2 in the top 10. Also, Delly hasn't been shooting too well of late.

 

[trojanfan12]

It's GS's turn to beat the record again. I dare ya

GSW be like:

 

[bksballer89]

That game was so 1 sided I turned it before the 3rd quarter was over. Blowouts like that are unwatchable.

I turned it at the 9 minute mark of the 2nd. Never turned it to TNT for the rest of the night

 

[Shanemansj13]

J.R. is feeling it and hopefully he stays on fire. Please lol

He has 18 attempts less than Klay and only 3 less makes. That's how hot he is right now.

 

[trojanfan12]

Honestly, they did give the Cavs open looks especially when things started getting out of hand but it didn't matter if they were contested especially when JR was shooting. When Kyrie and JR are on it really doesn't matter what you do unless you pull their shorts down or block the shot, it's going in...kinda like Steph and Klay are when they get on hot streaks. Overall they need a better strategy though or this will be a clean sweep. And yes when Lebron and Kyrie driving they are at their best and last night they were moving the ball well but Atlanta was clogging the lane so driving was limited some of the time. Lebron still attacked though but even he was hot from 3 lol

Agree with all of this. Lebron was 4-6 from 3. You know it was the Cavs night when he does that. Most teams would beg Lebron to shoot 3's.

 

[trojanfan12]

That game was so 1 sided I turned it before the 3rd quarter was over. Blowouts like that are unwatchable.

Normally, I would have turned it too. But that shooting performance by the Cavs was too good. By the 3rd quarter, I was just shaking my head and laughing every time the Cavs hit another 3.

 

[gordontrue]

There is - of course - a degree of fluke-iness to last night's game. But not as much as some think.

The Cavs were averaging 15 3P/g in the playoffs before last night.

They were 2nd in the regular season in 3P/g behind the Warriors.

Delly, JR, Jefferson, Frye, all had a season-long 3P% > 38%. Love was at 36%. Kyrie had a bad year from 3... but that has drastically changed over the last couple months and he is the best shooter after JR on the team.

The Cavs will very likely never have another night like they had last night. But if your plan is to dare the Cavs to shoot 3's... you are going to have a very low success rate. The narrative that the Cavs are "trying to be like the Warriors" or "will never beat the Warriors playing like that" is very overrated imo.

 

[Wamu]

Normally, I would have turned it too. But that shooting performance by the Cavs was too good. By the 3rd quarter, I was just shaking my head and laughing every time the Cavs hit another 3.

I think I fell asleep @ HT from boredom.

 

[Shanemansj13]

What is a really good sign to this point is:

Turnovers per game

1. Cavs 8.7
2. Hornets 9.4
3. Clippers 9.7
4. Pistons 10.5
5. Mavs 11.8
6. Spurs 12.3
7. Blazers 13.1
8. Heat 13.1
9. Warriors 13.3
10. Thunder 13.3

 

[trojanfan12]

The Cavs were averaging 15 3P/g in the playoffs before last night.

They hit 25. That's 10 more than they have been averaging. That's very flukey. It would even be flukey if the Warriors did it.