Prior to tonight’s game, I said the following to my friends and family;
“If the Cavaliers are going to lose a game in this series, it’ll be tonight. I don’t think they will lose, but if any game will go against us, this is it.”
I honestly thought that Atlanta would come out energized and ready, and their fans are always loud. This team was desperate for a win, and their injuries were healing up for them (hint to ABC – if the players are starting in the game, don’t list them in the stats as “injured players”). They were ripe for a big win. Plus, this is the team that took three games from Boston in Philips Arena last year. The Hawks feel comfortable at home.
Atlanta’s defensive scheme from the get-go was to double-team LeBron James whenever possible and force him to pass it off. Make the rest of the Cavs hit their shots.
The plan didn’t quite work out as well as expected, as the Cavaliers won 97-82.
The Hawks did double-team James, but the Cavs first three baskets were all on assists by James, giving Cleveland a fast 6-1 lead. The open man was hitting his shots and Atlanta quickly switched defense. That didn’t work out so well either.
LeBron changed his plan and started driving to the rim. When Atlanta backed off to play a more prevent defense, James took long jumpshots, all of which led to him scoring 11 of the final 16 points of the quarter.
Basically, nothing worked out for the Hawks in their gameplan.
Even the fans, who have a tradition of standing up and cheering until the first Hawk FG is made, couldn’t do anything right. They sat down long before Mike Bibby hit a jumper nearly four minutes into the game.
LeBron ended up doing it all for Cleveland, scoring 47 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and dishing out 8 assists. He added a blocked shot and a steal, and only had one turnover. It was another game in which you never doubted why he was named the MVP.
“There’s not a whole lot you can do. Everyone says to double him, but he hit about eight or nine shots where we couldn’t even get double-teams to him, they were way beyond the three-point line.”
– Atlanta Head Coach Mike Woodson
There just wasn’t any way to stop him. He never slowed down.
- 1st quarter – 11 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assist
- 2nd quarter – 10 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist
- 3rd quarter – 12 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists
- 4th quarter – 13 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist
Atlanta made three strong runs at Cleveland, but never quite had enough to put the game away as the wine and gold always had an answer for any Hawk rally. The Cavs took the lead for good with 2 minutes left in the third quarter and the wheels seemed to come off Atlanta’s wagon. Zaza Pachulia (yes, thats his real name) argued a call and shoved Anderson Varejao, earning himself an early shower and Josh Smith decided he was the only player wearing a home jersey and began shooting from everywhere (fans eventually started booing his misses, and Head Coach Mike Woodson pleaded with his young star to drive the ball and stop taking jumpers. He didn’t).
Now with a 3-0 lead, a lead that no team has ever overcome in the NBA Playoffs, the Cavaliers look to close out the series Monday night in Atlanta, a city that has to be truly demoralized.
The Cavs are now the first team in NBA history to win 7 straight playoff games by a double-digit margin.
Some other amazing statistics;
- They are only allowing opponents to score 78.7 points per game
- They are averaging a 17.7-point win per game
- LeBron is averaging 33.7 points per game
- The Cavs are holding their opponents to 40.2 percent shooting in the playoffs (Atlanta allows 46.2, Boston 45.2, Orlando 45.0)
Game 4 tipoff is scheduled for 7pm.
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