Official Game Thread: Hawks - Cavaliers GAME 2 (8:30 PM Tip!)

[lethalweapon3]

“You trying to get the pass?”

A Stay of Execution. That’s not what’s happening in the literal sense with these Atlanta Hawks, at least not yet. They’re hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight in the Eastern Conference Finals at the Highlight Factory (8:30 PM Eastern, TNT, 92.9 FM in ATL) for what hopefully is not the final time this season.

Things were looking dire late in Game 1, Atlanta down by double-digits in the final five minutes when their Playoff MVP, and LeBron Impeder, DeMarre Carroll went down with what looked to be, for him and his team, a catastrophic knee injury. While former editions of the Hawks would have crumbled like a CGI building near the San Andreas Fault, this group pulled together and played inspired ball in Carroll’s absence, right up to the final minute of play. Now, Hawks fans need to see execution from their top-seeded team on both ends of the floor all night, execution that was non-existent for way too many stretches of Game 1.

Execution wasn’t evident in Game 1 when Cleveland took advantage of the Hawks’ lack of persistent motion on offense. The Cavs neutralized Atlanta’s pass-starved offense by shielding Jeff Teague (10-for-18 2FGs) and Dennis Schröder’s teammates and daring the static duo to try scoring on drives down the lane, or at least take ill-advised perimeter heaves (1-for-9 combined 3FGs) early in the shot clock. Execution was obviously flawed on defense, whenever Woodyball reared its head and the point guards found themselves switched onto James in isolation around the elbow.

Execution to get Kyle Korver (2-for-4 3FGs) simmering from long-range never materialized, leaving the door open for Cleveland’s J.R. Smith to go circa 2009 Nuggets-era on Atlanta, burying the Hawks with eight go-for-yours threes on 12 attempts. While Smith’s teammates shot just 2-for-14 on threes, Korver’s associates (2-for-19 3FGs) were of little help, either.

Execution wasn’t obvious around the rim, as Tristan Thompson and Timofey Mozgov had few problems getting offensive rebounds around the Hawks’ frontline, and Atlanta failed to make them pay at the other end (9 fastbreak points). Korver had to lead the way for the team in defensive boards (7) while Carroll was occupied on James.

Execution was crucial at the charity stripe, but the Hawks missed six freebies and were unable to capitalize on the Cavaliers’ seven misses. Execution was needed, but never transpired, when LeBron sat with two quick fouls and the Hawks up seven in the first quarter, the Hawks making just one field goal in the final three minutes while Cavs coach (and today’s birthday boy) David Blatt preserved James. The Cavs thoroughly controlled the tempo as the Hawks took a postseason-low 77 shot attempts and gathered playoff-lows of 37 player rebounds and 19 assists.

Execution evaporated on the game-clinching play, when the Hawks needed another stop for a chance to get themselves back within a bucket of the lead. Paul Millsap was locked into James way too far out from the rim, and when James came thundering off the pick, rolling right down Peachtree and a little ways down Whitehall for the game-defining slam, the Hawks on the floor were left looking at one another: “I thought you had him!”

The good news is Carroll’s knee injury turned out not to be as serious as it first looked. With a knee brace strapped on, DMC’s status for Game 2 is similar to that of Cavs guard Kyrie Irving, whose balky knee issues have the Cavs turning to Matthew Dellavedova (0-for-6 FGs, 3 assists) and Iman Shumpert (1-for-7 FGs, 2 assists) when LeBron is unable to put matters in his own hands.

12 player turnovers by the Cavs (just six Atlanta steals) and 30 defensive rebounds by the Hawks is insufficient to get Atlanta’s transition game up-and-running. Game 2 must feature significant pressure on Cleveland’s ballhandlers, and more deflections of predictable passes to James and Smith. Communication and box-outs are vital for Al Horford, Pero Antić and the Hawks’ frontcourt, as they can’t get caught watching the flight of the ball with Thompson and Mozgov lurking about.

Whether or not Carroll gets green-lighted for Game 2, Millsap will have to make better decisions with his positioning while guarding James in the halfcourt, and must communicate better with Horford whenever his man is coming off screens. Mike Budenholzer effectively deployed Kent Bazemore late in the game and insists on giving LeBron “different looks,” but those looks cannot include his point guards getting backed down toward the paint off James’ frequent iso-dribble. Bazemore’s length and athleticism gives him a better chance of being disruptive, and he’s likely to get the start in place of DMC.

Korver must get better touches, and those can come by way of his backcourt mates’ drives, Horford’s and Antić’s dribble-handoffs, and hockey assists. Even if Kyle has to get a few spot-ups and contested shots up, this is no time to leave his missiles in the silos.

Taking an 0-2 series deficit into title-starved Cleveland would feel like a literal Stay of Execution for Atlanta. It’s time for the Hawks to show they can do a little executing of their own, too.

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

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[DieHardHAWK]

Great thread as always.....I forgot to comment on the last one and we saw what happened....so im leaving my mojo here for the Hawks so we can bust their ass tonight!!! LETS GO HAWKS

[nitte]

Only 19 assists in the game, too many forced 3pt shots (4-23) and too many isolation plays. This is not our style of play. By the way we are trying to defend Lebron 1 on 1, which is not going to happen. Whenever he beats his man, he needs to see another body.

Edited May 22, 2015 by nitte

[Plainview1981]

Some other players have to shoot better. Everyone other than Carroll and Al is shooting poorly in this post season.

 

Al, Carroll and Moose are the only players that are shooting over 42%... And we know that Moose does not shoot a lot.

[Dnice]

Yes the poor team shooting can't go on, folks have said they won't have poor shooting again days ago, but it still goes on.

Edited May 22, 2015 by Dnice

[JETSET]

Good news. My college roommate went with me to game 1 and we are 0-3 in games that he has went to this season. He won't be with me tonight and we're 12-1 in games that I have been to without him this year.

[Plainview1981]

Yes the poor team shooting can't go on, folks have said they won't have poor shooting again days ago, but it still goes on.

 

Sap and Kyle have been the worse offenders in my mind. Sap's adjusted FG% is only 44%.

 

Teague and DS's outside shooting makes me cringe also.

 

Edit: Sap is shooting 39% from the field and 13% in 3's. He is also averaging 4.5 fouls per game and so he is in foul trouble every night.

Edited May 22, 2015 by Hotlanta1981

[Plainview1981]

Those last stats on Sap are from the last 5 games.

Terrible.

[Dnice]

Good news. My college roommate went with me to game 1 and we are 0-3 in games that he has went to this season. He won't be with me tonight and we're 12-1 in games that I have been to without him this year.

 

 We gotta break it all the way down, lol

[BrazilianHawk]

Great stuff, lw3!

 

GO HAWKS!

[Guest]

Awesome thread as usual lw3!!! I love the San Andreas reference. It's funny how the Rock can save the entire universe if needed. I wish he was a Hawk.....also agree with Korver getting shots up. He needs more attempts, hopefully good one but just get them up. Also agree that the Hawks are brilliant when they get those Hockey assists because you know the ball is swingin when that occurs.

LETS GO HAWKS

Prediction:

Hawks 104

Cavs 96

[Guest]

Good news. My college roommate went with me to game 1 and we are 0-3 in games that he has went to this season. He won't be with me tonight and we're 12-1 in games that I have been to without him this year.

Just throwin this out there but is it possible to have your next hangout with ur college roommate on June 25th, the NBA draft? It's still basketball related and we could have a ring by then.

[JETSET]

Just throwin this out there but is it possible to have your next hangout with ur college roommate on June 25th, the NBA draft? It's still basketball related and we could have a ring by then.

I already told him three strikes and you're out. Hes going to push hard to go to a finals game if we make it and face curry. We went to georgia southern and got to watch curry play a few times in college and we both have been big fans since. A hawks vs gsw finals is like a dream.

[Guest]

I already told him three strikes and you're out. Hes going to push hard to go to a finals game if we make it and face curry. We went to georgia southern and got to watch curry play a few times in college and we both have been big fans since. A hawks vs gsw finals is like a dream.

Living in the Bay Area for 30 years now and it's been a dream of mine and 4 great friends (Warrior fans) to have a Dubs Hawks final so I understand that. The closer we get to the finals though, the more I don't want to watch it with them. Currently I've blocked 7 people from my iPhone as well...lol...needless to say, I'm superstitious/ borderline crazy....:-|

[Dnice]

I already told him three strikes and you're out. Hes going to push hard to go to a finals game if we make it and face curry. We went to georgia southern and got to watch curry play a few times in college and we both have been big fans since. A hawks vs gsw finals is like a dream.

Michael curry?....lol. my bad before your time.

Edited May 22, 2015 by Dnice

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

Hawks win this one... Guaranteed.

[lethalweapon3]

If you didn't get the J.R. Smith quip joke, never mind and congratulations, you're living right.

 

As @JayBirdHawk notes, neither team wants to be caught up in a close game late, not with the CrawDaddy reffing!

 

Brian Windbag is unworthy of an official tweet, but he noted Kyrie showed up to the arena with a suitbag, so read into that what you will.

 

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Even better than a suit bag clue...

 

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~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

As for our guy...

 

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"Don't look at us!" ~APD

 

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~lw3

[BrazilianHawk]

DeMarre is clearly hurting a lot. Should be kept out. No Irving should mean Teague for 30, Schröder for 15, more ISOBron... Gotta trap LeBum and make him get rid of the rock. We can live with Dellavedova's threes.  

Edited May 22, 2015 by BrazilianHawk