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

[Wamu]

To balance things out the Cavs shouldn't even attempt a 3 during game 3.

 

[gordontrue]

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

Saw a stat that the Cavs are on pace the break the playoff record for assist-to-turnover ratio. Of course... they're only 6 games in... so take that for what it's worth .

Point is... its another sign that ball movement and player movement has at least as much to do with their success as "getting hot" does.

 

[trojanfan12]

I think I fell asleep @ HT because I'm a curmudgeonly old Celtics fan.

 

[gordontrue]

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.

Yes of course.

Regardless of how many 3s they hit yesterday, though... 15 3P/G is a TON. That would be good for the all-time record. They were averaging that before yesterday.

Of course I'm not saying that last night was typical of what we should expect to see. It was a once-in-long-time type of game.

But making a lot of 3 pointers at a high rate is not unexpected for this team right now.

 

[Wamu]

 

[trojanfan12]

Yes of course.

Regardless of how many 3s they hit yesterday, though... 15 3P/G is a TON. That would be good for the all-time record. They were averaging that before yesterday.

Of course I'm not saying that last night was typical of what we should expect to see. It was a once-in-long-time type of game.

But making a lot of 3 pointers at a high rate is not unexpected for this team right now.

Agree. That is pretty unexpected. Do you think it's sustainable? I'm not sure it is, but I'm not sure they can beat GSW if they don't keep shooting them at that clip.

 

[Wamu]

It would even be flukey if the Warriors did it.

It would be flukey if the Lakers did that...'cause they couldn't!






goodbye...

 

[gordontrue]

Agree. That is pretty unexpected. Do you think it's sustainable? I'm not sure it is, but I'm not sure they can beat GSW if they don't keep shooting them at that clip.

Not sustainable quite at that rate, I don't think. I mean... its just a 6 game sample size... so I think there is definitely some level of "getting hot" going on.

I expect them to slow down some. The thing that entourages me is that - outside of JR (the anomaly) - the 3 point attempts have been great looks. Mostly coming on drive and kicks and pick and pops.

How much of that is on the Cavs offense and how much is on the Pistons/Hawks defense is hard to know. GSW and SAS are on a different level, defensively.

Apart from taking a high number of 3's... I still see the Cavs and Warriors offenses as different styles.

 

[trojanfan12]

It would be flukey if the Lakers did that...'cause they couldn't!






goodbye...

The hell you talkin' bout?

The wrath of Swaggy P would be unleashed and records would fall!!

 

[Wamu]

The hell you talkin' bout?

The wrath of Swaggy P would be unleashed and records would fall!!

View attachment 114641

Swaggy P > Steph Curry



bombs away!!!

 

[trojanfan12]

Not sustainable quite at that rate, I don't think. I mean... its just a 6 game sample size... so I think there is definitely some level of "getting hot" going on.

I expect them to slow down some. The thing that entourages me is that - outside of JR (the anomaly) - the 3 point attempts have been great looks. Mostly coming on drive and kicks and pick and pops.

How much of that is on the Cavs offense and how much is on the Pistons/Hawks defense is hard to know. GSW and SAS are on a different level, defensively.

Apart from taking a high number of 3's... I still see the Cavs and Warriors offenses as different styles.

Yeah, that rate is probably unsustainable...and as you point out, GSW and the Spurs are a different level defensively.

I think if they can hit about 8-10 a game, it will give them a solid chance against either of those teams as long as the rest of their offense is still clicking.

 

[Shanemansj13]

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.

Of course, they kept shooting them bc they were up by so much and were hot. I don't think you will see them attempt that many ever and definitely not in the playoffs. JR attempting 13 is sorta along the same lines and he is definitely streak but Lebron said he will feed him no matter what. Bc even if he is cold it only takes one shot to get him started but that's exactly right

 

[Shanemansj13]

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.

To be fair his jumpshot is looking better but still needs improvement, hopefully the last few games gives his confidence but I think he knows he starts in the paint and then kick it out to shooters, that's him at his best.

The last two games from 3:

2-4
4-6

Can you say HOTSTREAK!

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Agree. That is pretty unexpected. Do you think it's sustainable? I'm not sure it is, but I'm not sure they can beat GSW if they don't keep shooting them at that clip.

No, it's not sustainable imo...but the fact that many of them were open looks was concerning...yeah, it's easy for the Hawks to wipe the slate clean after that one, but I might have to retract the "not getting swept this time" comment.

The Cavs have only held serve, but they look the more confident team right now....Hawks need to win FRI or they will get swept.

 

[Shanemansj13]

To balance things out the Cavs shouldn't even attempt a 3 during game 3.

 

[Shanemansj13]

No, it's not sustainable imo...but the fact that many of them were open looks was concerning...yeah, it's easy for the Hawks to wipe the slate clean after that one, but I might have to retract the "not getting swept this time" comment.

The Cavs have only held serve, but they look the more confident team right now....Hawks need to win FRI or they will get swept.

Well what team doesn't get open looks, some will always be contested especially if the main strategy is contain the 3 ball. The Pistons contested a lot of 3's and the Cavs still knocked them down. What would be more concerning is if they were missing open 3's. The Warriors have been missing shots but they are so good at moving the ball and controlling the offense if shots aren't falling that they can go without making 3's. And the fact they get so many possessions lol

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Well what team doesn't get open looks, some will always be contested especially if the main strategy is contain the 3 ball. The Pistons contested a lot of 3's and the Cavs still knocked them down. What would be more concerning is if they were missing open 3's. The Warriors have been missing shots but they are so good at moving the ball and controlling the offense if shots aren't falling that they can go without making 3's. And the fact they get so many possessions lol

That goes w/o saying...they had far too many I thought last night...then fluke stuff like a richocet to a guy in the corner...another 3! I turned it in disgust after that one.

However you look at it...the CAVS are just a better team, but had a unreal shooting % from 3.

 

[gordontrue]

Lebron was 4-6 from 3, Love was 3-4

 

[Demonjoe93]

Actually, I take back what I said last night. Instead of giving Muscala the job, just give it to Humphries. He's not great, but he'll do an okay enough job next season until we get someone better (assuming we don't get Whiteside).

 

[trojanfan12]

View attachment 114670

Dude!! Not cool. I was drinking coffee.

Coffee out the nose = Not fun.