Official Game Thread: Cavaliers at Hawks GAME 3

[lethalweapon3]

“DROPPIN’ THREES! DROPPIN’ THREES!”

 

“Everyone has a plan… until they get punched in the mouth!”

Even the originator of this famous boxing quote knows, firsthand, how a well-crafted pugilistic plan to stick-and-move and rope-a-dope becomes, “Chew his dang ear off!” once things clearly aren’t going his way. Turning any of the Cleveland Cavaliers into Van Gogh isn’t in the cards for the Atlanta Hawks, as the Eastern Conference semifinals scene shifts to the Highlight Factory for Game 3 (7:00 PM Eastern, 92.9 FM in ATL, ESPN, postgame on Fox Sports Southeast). But to avoid getting exposed once again, this time at home, the Hawks have to come up with a multifaceted approach that goes well beyond Plan A.

“We came in with a gameplan we thought was really good,” said a hopelessly flummoxed Al Horford, “and it got discarded really quick.” Plan A had the Hawks jumping out to a 7-2 lead and feeling pretty good about themselves at the outset of Game 2. But Tyronn Lue’s Cavaliers have this thing called an adjustment, you see. The first of an NBA-record 18 first-half triples rained down on Horford’s Hawks, and they found themselves with no logistical answers.

Kyle Korver continued to be stifled and the Hawks were a dithering 2-for-11 on threes in the first half, while the Cavs were a blistering 18-for-27. When it was well past time for a Plan B, Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer unveiled… what’s this? A zone defense??? Where’s my Nick Young meme when I need it?

Things aren’t turning out much different for the Hawks in this series than it was for the Boston Celtics in the opening round. There was a nip-and-tuck affair late in Game 1, and a virtual pillaging by the home team from the start of Game 2. Atlanta built its confidence knowing it could take the things that Boston does best, and do them even better.

Cleveland’s players have the same confidence regarding the Hawks. They have more players capable of penetrating and kicking out, players who don’t need 17 screens in a possession just to get separation and an accurate shot off along the perimeter. These Cavs know, if they can drown the regular season’s best perimeter defensive team in a barrage of triples, they can break the Hawks’ beaks early.

While Korver struggles to make himself relevant (first three-point attempt a desperate heave with his team already down by 27), and his teammates make his decoy plays look like dead ducks, the Cavs are nailing shots with hands in their face, shedding defenders off one dribble, and catching-and-sinking ricochets off Mike Muscala’s forehead.

The Hawks can also recall how cocksure they were heading out on the road to Game 3, after going up 2-zip on Boston, and how that turned out for them within just a few days. Among Cavs assistant Larry Drew’s favorite utterances was the word “Respond,” and the Cavs show they know how to do that from one possession to the next. The Hawks have to find the trait that allows them to respond in kind, not simply waiting in vain hope that The Law of Averages will eventually turn in their favor.

The 38-point lead the Cavaliers established in the first half could have been worse if the Cavs had better looks inside; they were just 6-for-21 on 2FGs (4-for-18 in-the-paint) in the half. Kevin Love’s six offensive rebounds and 3-for-4 shooting from deep made up for another woeful interior performance (0-for-8 2FGs) in Game 2.

But the extra foot-in-the-box by the Hawks’ wings and forwards, the extra defender sticking out to show when LeBron James and Cleveland’s point guards came charging across the paint, left them consistently a step short when the Cavs effortlessly kicked the ball out. Paul Millsap and Horford have to defend the paint, get strips, pull chairs, and rebound with the understanding that help isn’t coming. They also have to demand the ball on offense and finish in the paint consistently, first, before trying any high-wire-act shots along the perimeter.

Eight Cavalier turnovers (three Hawks steals) does not make for a winning recipe for Atlanta in any game, much less versus the defending Eastern Conference title holders. Teague, Schröder, Kent Bazemore, and Thabo Sefolosha must be aggressive with ballhandlers, rather than sitting back and allowing Cleveland to flawlessly execute their set plays.

Budenholzer finally graced Atlanta with Kris Humphries’ presence with Cleveland up 35 midway through the third quarter, Mike Muscala entering the fray with the Hawks down 18 not long into the start of the second quarter. The Hawks cannot afford to waste time and wait until they’re falling behind by double digits before relieving Horford. Same deal with Jeff Teague and Korver -- don’t give up on Dennis Schröder and Junior Hardaway prematurely -- and if Mike Scott subs in, it needs to be for Millsap, not Horford.

In the building that’s home to live mascots going rogue, dancers that pass out, shot clocks and timekeepers that may or may not be functional, and spectacularly failing trampoline dunkers, the Hawks are convinced a dash of home cooking will be a huge inspiration to come out victorious. Because sight lines, or something.

But if Hawks fans wanted to see yet another postseason can of azz-whooping opened upon their favorite team, they’d hop in the time machine, and just watch Woodsonian-era basketball. Hawks fans are not here to endure another drubbing thanks to way-too-rigid game planning. Without major shifts in competitiveness and coaching strategy to stem Cleveland’s runs out of the gate, Hawks fans may not be here for Game 4, either.

 

Let’s (Freaking) GO Hawks!

~lw3

 

 

 

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[jrok23]

At the Hawks game now let's get it. 

[Guest]

Buckle up, people ... the calfs are goin' in tonite ....

 

Hawks making boat reservations during qtr. 2 of game 2.  Deep sea fishin' that is.

[LamarHampton]

Hawks tonight better be like:

Better not come out all mean-faced but fall flat...

Can't let the Calfs do whatever they want to us with the ball again

[AHF]

Show some fight and pride tonight Hawks!

[cam1218]

Win tonight and a game 4 win is possible. Lose tonight and we probably get swept, again..

[Lurker]

This is all I'm going to be thinking about...

 

[Guest]

This can be a thread  full of epic gifs about the Hawks performance  tonight.

[Spursfanpeacemaker]

All the Fans support and cheering, hawks will definitely need it, Let's go hawks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! win game 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Kyle not starting.

[cam1218]

Jalen Rose sounding excited, "Domique is in the building."

Yeah, he pretty much always is.

[Lurker]

5 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

Kyle not starting.

Sefolosha starting is a completely horrible idea. I wanted to see Scott/Humphries at the 4 and Millsap move down to the 3.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Thabo must get defensive rebounds

[cam1218]

4 minutes ago, Lurker said:

Sefolosha starting is a completely horrible idea. I wanted to see Scott/Humphries at the 4 and Millsap move down to the 3.

Hopefully that is a lineup we see at some point during the game. We know Bud is more likely to start a guy who has played in all of our playoff games over Humphries. 

[ATLien_]

Millsap  is killing us right now. His lazy  d has lead to all the Cavs points so far. Offensive rebound on a free  throw ugh!

[RedDawg#8]

Millsap is the weakest link tonight. Love has beat him individually on offensive rebounds and Millsap ran past him on the three point line giving him wide open looks. Paul needs to get his shit together and play like ur best player its more than just scoring buckets he needs to focus on the little things we don't have time for mental lapses ANYMORE this series

[RedDawg#8]

Glad we finally started Sefolosha, and over Korver at that which I never thought Bud would do. But pulling Al at the 8 minute mark after he was FINALLY getting his post ups to drop while leaving miss-it-all Paul in the game is a huge error. Bud you are on the right path in your shaking up the lineup but you need to change your rotation pattern too sir. Its like Bud is opposed to a guy getting his own offense going early. Al scored so easy buckets quick and he pulls him out, wtf

[Alex]

Same story as game 2.  Hawks start out fine and then Cleveland begins to ramp up and take over.  

 

Humphries is playing fine too.  Bud sucks.

[ATLien_]

12 minutes ago, RedDawg#8 said:

Glad we finally started Sefolosha, and over Korver at that which I never thought Bud would do. But pulling Al at the 8 minute mark after he was FINALLY getting his post ups to drop while leaving miss-it-all Paul in the game is a huge error. Bud you are on the right path in your shaking up the lineup but you need to change your rotation pattern too sir. Its like Bud is opposed to a guy getting his own offense going early. Al scored so easy buckets quick and he pulls him out, wtf

I believe he pulled him because he got two quick fouls. 

[RedDawg#8]

9 minutes ago, ATLien_ said:

I believe he pulled him because he got two quick fouls. 

Fair enough, I missed that.