Live Thread: Hawks @ Cavaliers (Game One)
2016-05-02
The Cleveland Cavaliers return to the floor Monday night in “The Q” looking to stay unbeaten in these young 2016 Playoffs. After taking care of the Detroit Pistons in four semi-contested games, the Cavaliers took the week to refine their games, get some rest and generally hangout.
The Atlanta Hawks didn’t have that luxury only having a few days to regroup after closing out the pesky Celtics. The Hawks battled Boston as a team, combining strong defensive stretches with streak scoring from a variety of players to take the first round series in six games. The team had a block party, netting nearly nine blocks per game to go along with eight steals. Boston played inspired basketball, but ultimately lacked the outside shooting to overcome the Hawks defensive swarm.
Jeff Teague tweaked his ankle in the Boston series but is seemingly healthy to begin Round 2. Both teams hope to avoid the injury issues that plagued them during the 2015 Playoffs. Rarely has a rematch felt so little like one. Going into last year’s Conference Finals, many truly believed the 60 win Hawks to be the better team. Kevin Love’s injury in Round One, and Kyrie’s knee trouble did provide more ammunition to those who supported the one-seed. But the Cavs played bully-ball to sweep the Hawks, pounding the glass and taking advantage of Atlanta’s fallen players.
This year, Cleveland is the clear favorite. The Cavaliers are healthy and humming under Tyronn Lue and LeBron James’ leadership. Check out our podcast extravaganza to hear more about this series’ specific matchups and other news around the league. Sound off.
10 minutes of bad Kyrie almost cost the Cavs. He pulled his head out of his butt and started defending and passing again for the win.
What about all those LeTurnovers? Although he made up for them with crucial steals
Yeah for sure, but Kyrie jacking and basically running a turnstile for Schroder’s right hand drive was far worse.
Every time LBJ sets a screen for him he needs to use it (no crossing back), and more importantly needs to give it to james rolling to the hoop. Only time he should keep it is if both defenders completely stay with James.
cavs won by 11 with the refs basically against them entire game..lebron goes to line once the entire game?! i mean come on…biggest star in the game and he’s getting hacked…have feeling nba wants a Cavs series to be long and drawn out…had proper fouls been called Cavs would have won by 20+
Dahntay Jones hasn’t been with the team long, but he’s put in the work to master the handshakes.
Dahntay Jones Eurosteps to seal the deal.
The second half of that game was uglier than Steve Adams’ womb broom.
Hope Love is okay…
Think he just landed wrong…
The fact he stayed on the sideline makes it as if it was more of a stinger.
Thanks for closing it out and making us look silly Cavs. I’ll take it.
Daaaannnggg Kyrie!
lord man, hope its nothing serious for KLOVE
Love hobbles off thinking, “Man, the playoffs are overrated.” Or probably more like, “Man, f— this playoff s—.”
KYRIE WITH A SENSATIONAL BLOCK ON THE UMLAUT!
https://vine.co/v/ixiAHjbVBet
So nice, worth seeing twice
https://vine.co/v/ixiAYin6hbt
Similar to his block on Curry last year, where he gets beat but recovers.
Take love out now.
YES!!! REJECT THAT PEROXIDE GERMAN!
Not liking gimpy K-Love’s body language, hope he’s OK.
He has bones of chalk.
Honestly Lue…why didn’t you sit love when he hurt his elbow?! Compensatory injuries buddy…
Man… KLove is always getting banged up…
Nice move Lebron. Now maybe don’t pass to TT in that spot lol
again how was that a foul on lebron?! he had ball in a scrum
Forget a “two minute report” this game needs a “48 minute report”
Oh hell no they did not call a foul on Lebron. Oh my gosh they really should be fired
HOW IS THAT A FOUL ON LEBRON????
Me thinks they should constantly run LBJ and Delly/Irving p and rs with the guards always attempting to give it up to James on the roll. Seems to be their most consistently productive option. So logically, do it MORE.
10-0 run for the Cavs sine the 4:28 mark, so roughly last 3 minutes
LeBron and the no-calls…it’s ridiculous
as reggie jackson would say….these refs need to be fired…lebron just got raked across the face…love was being hooked the entire possession
HOW was there no call on the LBJ drive? Horford literally jumped on his shoulder!
I have seen very few games officiated this poorly. It’s all if a sudden 1992 rules again
Oh my gosh they literally have to hug us to get fouls called
That was the craziest sequence I’ve EVER seen…
Kyrie-James PnR produces an and-one.
https://vine.co/v/ixiZimLZbe3
And just as I comment about more Ky LBj p and rs and james getting ball on roll, instant production of layup.
So I guess the plan is just never give the ball back. And Lebron got hammered three times before these idiots called it
WOW! He changed hands in mid-air!
Nice job cutting off Schoeder there Kyrie. Double nice job on the glass TT. Triple good job on the and 1 Lebron.
But bad job feeling sorry for yourself while you team plays defense.
TT and JR selling out to keep that possession alive so Cavs can milk clock…
Big money TT!
was screaming the same thing
JR tried a flip/floater from about 18 feet.
Just once, I’d love to see them call Millsap for extending the arm on his drives…
Get love out!!!
Cavs in tough situation due to they can’t play physical defense or refs will call fouls..but they play too far apart and Hawks will hit shots…also missed free throws preventing this from being a 10pt game right now
Why the hell cant we make free throws?!
Cannot really tell what is going off ball since watching backboard cam, but it looks like we are not running anything offensively.
Bazemore’s energy is getting the better of him
Oh man Love leaned in to that pretty flagrantly.
JR hits a 3 and gets fouled (but no call)
https://vine.co/v/ixiaIBDvzbQ
LeBron can’t pick and pop. He’s no threat that way. Has to roll.
and you could see he doesnt want to as well
Cannot figure why they are not doing kyrie/delly lbj p and rs and giving it up to James every time rolling to bucket. Cannot see whole court with tnt backboard view but assume hawks packing paint.
This is sad…
gilbert should get fined and bitch about refs….when star player is getting hammered and no calls thats time to bitch
we in the penalty now, lets drive and get to the line to put points on the board
Except we can’t make a free throw
lebron got hammered on his drive no call….how is bazemore still in game…that dude should’ve fouled out by now…grabs on guys all the time
Lebron got hamm r d by horford…I’m amazed he didn’t get a tech
Well same defensive issues keep cropping up, dribble penetration by quick guards and horrible closeouts for significant portions of games.
LeBron has been outplayed by Bazemore in the second half. That is all.
This is why I dont get to high when Cavs go on Runs, consistency is key
Midrange Kyrie
https://vine.co/v/ixiBUe259Ov
Cavs just dodging bullets out there now… Lue needs to get this team settled down…
No way Cavs win this one. Too much energy being expended right now.
You’re right. They should just concede… smh
Why does JR stand so far back behind the line on FTs?
To be fair he’s shot like six of them the whole season, he forgets how.
MFQ drives on Horford
https://vine.co/v/ixiBXMwhrYq
JR will miss the first. Watch.
Love getting toasted inside right now…
MFQ with a big 3 from LeBron
https://vine.co/v/ixiBhLlTXmD
CMON MFQ!
lets see how the Cavs responds
The Cavs are about to give a game away to a Hawks team that had absolutely no chance.
This is a lot like the Pistons games except Cavs can’t count on Hawks to fall apart at the end. Now we’ll see if Lue can coach.
Yikes love gets blocked more than any player I can remember on run outs.
effing clown show right now by the officials…
http://www.salvinomagic.com/images/slider3.jpg
Love has to dunk that
6’10” tall. No excuse.
Lets be real 6’9″ is generous. More like 6’8″ and 3/4″
LeBron looks like trash in the second half. So sloppy
24-7 run by Hawks