Peachtree Hoops - May 24, Game 3: Atlanta Hawks vs Cleveland CavaliersThe place to read about/discuss the Atlanta Hawks.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/8811/peachtree-fave.jpg2015-05-25T08:28:11-04:00http://www.peachtreehoops.com/rss/stream/84164182015-05-25T08:28:11-04:002015-05-25T08:28:11-04:00Report: Korver awaiting 2nd opinion on ankle
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<figcaption>Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Kyle Korver is awaiting a second opinion on his injured ankle and a course of treatment has not yet been determined. </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> have already ruled out <span>Kyle Korver</span> for the remainder of the Eastern Conference Finals. We found out on Sunday that his injury may be much more severe than was first thought.</p>
<p>Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that <a href="http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/basketball/korver-still-waiting-on-second-opinion/nmNMc/?ecmp=ajc_social_twitter_2014_hawks_sfp">Korver is awaiting a second opinion on his injured ankle </a>and that a course of treatment has yet to be determined. The Hawks have yet to release any further information on Korver's ankle, but <a href="http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/5/25/8654103/report-korvers-ankle-injury-to-require-surgery">DeMarre Carroll told reporters following Game 3</a> that Korver's injury would require surgery and that he was likely to be out 4-6 months for recovery.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Don't know if the complete diagnosis is known but <span>DeMarre Carroll</span> just said of Kyle Korver, "he's got to have surgery, out 4 to 6 months".</p>
— KL Chouinard Hawks (@AnaheimAmigos) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnaheimAmigos/status/602689849401937921">May 25, 2015</a>
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<p>The AJC calls that report "inaccurate" although it is possible that a second opinion could come to the same conclusion. ESPN.com's Kevin Arnovitz reports that Korver's ankle isn't broken.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Contrary to any reports, the Hawks say there was no break in Korver's ankle and that he has yet to see a specialist. Timetable unknown.</p>
— Kevin Arnovitz (@kevinarnovitz) <a href="https://twitter.com/kevinarnovitz/status/602692728552558592">May 25, 2015</a>
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https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/5/25/8654471/kyle-korver-injury-ankle-second-opnion-surgeryKris Willis2015-05-25T08:13:32-04:002015-05-25T08:13:32-04:00Horford reacts to Game 3 ejection
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<p>Al Horford reacts to his ejection in Game 3 after an incident with Cleveland's Matthew Dellavedova. </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> turned in a gutty performance Sunday night in an 114-111 overtime loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/">Cleveland Cavaliers</a> to fall behind 3-0 in the series. That the Hawks were competitive isn't really a surprise since they have answered the bell throughout the 2015 season. What is surprising is the amount adversity they had to overcome to even give themselves a chance.</p>
<p>Before Game 3 even started, Atlanta was down a starter in <span>Kyle Korver</span> who is out for the remainder of the series (<a href="http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/5/25/8654103/report-korvers-ankle-injury-to-require-surgery">and maybe much longer</a>) due to an ankle injury. <span>DeMarre Carroll</span> was in the lineup yet again despite the sprained knee that he suffered in Game 1. <span>Kent Bazemore</span> got the start in place of Korver and provided a spark of defensive energy that got the Hawks off to a good start.</p>
<p>The Hawks would soon find themselves down another All-Star after <span>Al Horford</span> was issued a flagrant 2 foul with 34.2 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Officials ruled that Horford delivered an elbow to the head of Cleveland's Matthew Dellavedova. The incident occurred while the two were battling for a rebound. Dellavedova falls into the legs of Horford and while it isn't clear if the intent was to injure Horford, he tries to take him out of the play with a low dangerous block below the knees. Whether the intent was there or not, it is a reckless play and the Hawks had just seen a similar situation with Dellavedova on the play that resulted in Korver's injury. It is easy to see why Horford and the Hawks would be upset.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Al Horford on whether he should have been ejected: 'No.'</p>
— Chris Vivlamore (@CVivlamoreAJC) <a href="https://twitter.com/CVivlamoreAJC/status/602686012339449856">May 25, 2015</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Horford: "If it was on purpose, we don’t know. Maybe it wasn’t on purpose but with his track record, I just felt like it was."</p>
— Chris Vivlamore (@CVivlamoreAJC) <a href="https://twitter.com/CVivlamoreAJC/status/602690466891616257">May 25, 2015</a>
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<p>Dellavedova was issued a technical foul on the play which was maddening to Hawks fans since that was an acknowledgement of his part in the scrum. The timing couldn't have been worse for Atlanta as Horford had just completed his best half of the series scoring 14 points on 7-10 shooting.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAOfficial/status/602692817505259523">NBA addressed the Horford ejection</a> with lead official Ken Mauer explaining what he saw:</p>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="http://t.co/vslOfvX8p5">pic.twitter.com/vslOfvX8p5</a></p>
— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAOfficial/status/602692817505259523">May 25, 2015</a>
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<p>A suspension for Horford seems unlikely given that it remains questionable that the ejection was warranted. However, the Hawks will have to wait and see what the NBA has to say about the incident on Monday.</p>
https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/5/25/8654405/2015-nba-playoffs-al-horford-ejection-matthew-dellavedovaKris Willis2015-05-24T23:40:42-04:002015-05-24T23:40:42-04:00Hawks suffer gut-wrenching 114-111 loss in Game 3
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<p>LeBron James was the best player in the world and the Hawks failed to execute in key moments on the way to a 114-111 loss and a 3-0 deficit. </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> left it on the floor on Sunday night.</p>
<p>It wasn't enough.</p>
<p>The Hawks and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/">Cavaliers</a> needed overtime to decide Game 3, but in the end, it was a superhuman effort from <span>LeBron James</span> and faulty execution from Atlanta in the final moments that allowed the Cavaliers to take a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals by a final score of 114-111.</p>
<p>With their backs against the wall, the Hawks came out of the gate flying. Atlanta raced to 10 straight points to claim an early 12-4 lead, and on the defensive end, the team was flying around while holding the Cavs to just 1 for 10 shooting in the early going. In addition, <span>Al Horford</span> got things going from an individual standpoint with 8 early points, and everything was going well.</p>
<p>In fact, there was even history to be made, as LeBron James missed his first <i>ten</i> shots, marking the first time in his NBA career (regular season included) for this "feat". Unfortunately, the Hawks led by only three points at the end of the first quarter (despite 22% shooting from Cleveland), as the Cavs made four threes and dominated the glass to the tune of nine offensive rebounds.</p>
<p class="p1">The second quarter was marked by a real back-and-forth, as the Hawks went on a 7-0 run early, the Cavs responded with a 12-2 spurt to take their first lead since the opening moments, and Atlanta (mercifully) countered with an 8-2 of their own to reclaim the advantage. Still, the biggest play of the half (and the game) was yet to come.</p>
<p class="p1"><span>Matthew Dellavedova</span> knocked down a three to bring the Cavs within one point at 48-47, and on the ensuing possession, he was tangled up with Al Horford. Video of the play <a href="http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/5/24/8653895/hawks-vs-cavaliers-game-3-al-horford-ejected-matthew-dellavedova" target="_blank">can be found here</a>, but in short, Horford was ejected after landing on top of the Cavs point guard following a roll-up on his leg. Regardless of interpretation, this was an <i>enormous</i> swing for the Hawks, who lost their best player at a time when they held a 1-point lead nearing halftime.</p>
<p class="p1">Without Horford in the lineup, the Hawks had some issues in the third quarter. LeBron James, in predictable fashion, took over the game in the second half, and it began with separate 8-2 and 9-2 runs in the third quarter. Atlanta did scrap to remain within five points to begin the fourth quarter and even slashed the lead to three with a bucket on the opening possession, but Cleveland put together a 7-0 spurt <i>without </i>James on the court, and is never a pleasurable experience.</p>
<p class="p1">Still, the Hawks got off the mat <i>again</i>, eventually reclaiming the lead (!) at 97-95 after <span>Paul Millsap</span> and <span>Kent Bazemore</span> converted seven consecutive free throws to cap a 13-2 run. Then, after the Cavs tied the game on a LeBron lay-up, Bazemore and JR Smith exchanged threes to take the score to 100-100, leading to a timeout with 3:17 remaining and the game in the balance.</p>
<p class="p1"><span>Jeff Teague</span> took matters into his own hands following the timeout, scoring the next four points sandwiched around <span>DeMarre Carroll</span> taking a picture-perfect charge against LeBron James. That sequence gave the Hawks a 104-100 lead with 1:38 on the clock, and the Cavs called for timeout in response.</p>
<p class="p1">Seemingly on cue, the game wouldn't end, as the two teams misfired in unison to allow overtime. The Cavs made just 2 of 4 free throws in the final seconds, including misses from LeBron and <span>Iman Shumpert</span>, while the Hawks missed two bunnies (Teague and Carroll) before an inexplicable sequence that saw Teague attack when a 4-second differential on the shot clock and game clock with a lead. In the end, the Hawks had the ball with the shot clock off and a tie score, but Atlanta elected to run a full-fledged iso-Joe "set", and Teague's jumper came up begging at the buzzer to send things to OT.</p>
<p class="p1">Sadly, the overtime period did not go the way that Hawks fans would have preferred. Atlanta missed nine consecutive shots (including the end of regulation), but in actuality, that didn't burn the team, as Teague converted a three to take a 111-109 lead with 55 seconds remaining. That thrill was short-lived, as LeBron James (yet again) made the biggest play of the night, knocking down an immediate answer from three point range, and after a stop on the other end, James put the game away with a lay-up with 12 seconds on the clock.</p>
<p class="p1">The final possession netted two good looks from beyond the arc for <span>Shelvin Mack</span>, but each went begging, including one as the buzzer sounded. In the end, it was an excruciating defeat that places the Hawks in a 3-0 hole.</p>
<p class="p1">More to come, but many pundits will proclaim this series over at this point, and it would be a tough argument to oppose.</p>
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https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/5/24/8653743/hawks-vs-cavaliers-game-3-final-score-lebron-jamesBrad Rowland2015-05-24T21:48:06-04:002015-05-24T21:48:06-04:00Horford ejected following incident w/ Dellavedova
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<figcaption>Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Al Horford has been ejected from Game 3. </p> <p><span>Al Horford</span> has been ejected from Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> center was involved in an altercation with <span>Matthew Dellavedova</span> at the :36 mark of the second quarter, and as a result, Horford was assessed with a flagrant-2 foul that equates to an automatic ejection.</p>
<p>Here is the play in question:</p>
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<p>Predictably, fans of the Atlanta Hawks are incensed, and it appears that the national media (for the most part) reacted in lockstep. For background, Cleveland's point guard was also involved in the play that injured <span>Kyle Korver</span> earlier in the series, further complicating things. This is the type of decision that can swing a game and, as a result, the entire series, and while Dellavedova was assessed with a technical foul in his own right, the trade-off isn't exactly a fair one.</p>
<p>What do you think about Al Horford being ejected? Was this the correct call? Tell us in the comments.</p>
https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/5/24/8653895/hawks-vs-cavaliers-game-3-al-horford-ejected-matthew-dellavedovaBrad Rowland2015-05-24T19:59:27-04:002015-05-24T19:59:27-04:00Irving (knee) out for Game 3
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<figcaption>Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Kyrie Irving will not play in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals due to a knee injury. </p> <p>Although he was upgraded to a game-time decision, <span>Kyrie Irving</span> will not play in Game 3 due to a knee injury.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Cavs guard Kyrie Irving (knee) is out.</p>
— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpearsNBAYahoo/status/602621686031228928">May 24, 2015</a>
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Irving sat out Cleveland's Game 2 win. There was initially some hope that he would be able to return for Game 3 after he did some shooting on Saturday. He was declared as a game-time decision by head coach David Blatt earlier on Sunday but with a commanding lead in the series, they opted to play it safe with Irving.</p>
<p><span>Matthew Dellavedova</span> is expected to make his second straight start at point guard for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/">Cavaliers</a>. He is averaging just 5.5 points per game while shooting just 21 percent from the field but has been an upgrade defensively for Cleveland. Irving finished with 10 points and six assists in 27 minutes in Cleveland's Game 1 win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Hawks</a>.</p>
https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/5/24/8653711/kryie-irving-injury-knee-cleveland-cavaliers-atlanta-hawksKris Willis2015-05-24T10:38:36-04:002015-05-24T10:38:36-04:00Bazemore to start for injured Korver in Game 3
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<p>Kent Bazemore will replace the injured Kyle Korver in the starting lineup for the Atlanta Hawks in Game 3. </p> <p><span>Kent Bazemore</span> will get the start in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals in place of <span>Kyle Korver</span> for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> Sunday night. Korver suffered an ankle injury during the second half of Game 2 and will miss the remainder of the series.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kent Bazemore will start in place of Kyle Korver tonight. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TrueToAtlanta?src=hash">#TrueToAtlanta</a></p>
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/ATLHawks/status/602480027758829568">May 24, 2015</a>
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Bazemore was really about the only option available for <span>Mike Budenholzer</span> unless he wanted to go with a two-point guard attack featuring a combination of <span>Jeff Teague</span> along with Dennis Schröder or Shelvin Mack. Even with Bazemore starting, we will likely see quite a bit of the two point guard lineup in Game 3.</p>
<p>Bazemore is averaging 8.5 points and three rebounds over the first two games of the series. He brings energy and a defensive presence but doesn't command any of the attention of offense that Korver does from the perimeter.</p>
<p>The mood at shootaround seems to have been a bit subdued for Atlanta. With their backs firmly against the wall they are taking loose approach to Game 3 and hoping to pull off a big road win.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">"It's definitely a challenge, but we're looking forward to tonight." - <a href="https://twitter.com/Al_Horford">@Al_Horford</a> <a href="http://t.co/AKJbMzWMV7">pic.twitter.com/AKJbMzWMV7</a></p>
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/ATLHawks/status/602479582961225729">May 24, 2015</a>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">"We're loose. We're ready to compete." - <a href="https://twitter.com/Teague0">@Teague0</a> <a href="http://t.co/KjERyU9CpO">pic.twitter.com/KjERyU9CpO</a></p>
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/ATLHawks/status/602478704745316353">May 24, 2015</a>
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https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/5/24/8652593/hawks-vs-cavaliers-game-3-kent-bazemore-startKris Willis2015-05-24T10:00:02-04:002015-05-24T10:00:02-04:00Game 3 preview: Hawks face tall task in Cleveland
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<p>The Hawks trail the Cavaliers by a 2-0 margin and the team will operate with its back against the wall during Game 3 in Cleveland. </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> are in significant trouble.</p>
<p>There is no way around that topic as the Eastern Conference Finals shift to Cleveland, as the Hawks trail the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/">Cavaliers</a> by a 2-0 margin on the heels of back-to-back losses at Philips Arena. Beyond that, Atlanta will be without <span>Kyle Korver</span> for the remainder of the playoffs due to an ankle injury, and <span>DeMarre Carroll</span> is likely to remain at less than 100% until the playoff run concludes.</p>
<p>On the "positive" side, Cleveland is also banged up a bit, as <span>Kyrie Irving</span> (who missed Game 2) is considered "questionable" for the first contest in Cleveland with continuing knee issues. It must be stated that the Cavs didn't seem to miss Irving in Game 2, as they rode a dominant defense to a breezy victory, but in the same breath, the drop-off from Irving to <span>Matthew Dellavedova</span> is sharp, and the Hawks would be in a more favorable position if Cleveland elected to "play it safe" with their All-Star point guard.</p>
<p>Still, the Hawks must look inward when approaching this contest. Atlanta's performance has been suboptimal in both games of the series, with an offense that is leaning heavily toward isolation ball and a defense that has struggled mightily to contain <span>LeBron James</span> and company. It will be interesting to see how <span>Mike Budenholzer</span> approaches the game on the offensive end without Korver, who has served as the principle floor spacer for the balance of the season. Budenholzer could deploy the two-point guard lineup of <span>Jeff Teague</span> and Dennis Schröder for extended minutes, elect to "go big" with more of the frontcourt options including <span>Mike Muscala</span> or <span>Mike Scott</span>, or simply insert <span>Kent Bazemore</span> into a more prominent role alongside Carroll.</p>
<p>At this point, the consensus is that the Cleveland Cavaliers have already wrapped up this series by nature of their two strong performances in Atlanta. While that is in line with the statistical evidence that we have of playoff history, the Hawks have displayed a toughness throughout the season that should provide some optimism to the Atlanta faithful that this group won't go down without a significant fight.</p>
<p>The Atlanta Hawks <i>must </i>play better, both individually and on a team-wide basis, in order to remain competitive in Cleveland, and it is now or never.</p>
<h3>Game Info</h3>
<p><b>Game Date/Time:</b> Sunday, May 24, 8:30 p.m. ET</p>
<p><b>Location: </b>Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio</p>
<p><b>TV: </b>TNT</p>
<p><b>Radio:</b> 92.9 "The Game" FM</p>
https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/5/24/8651459/hawks-vs-cavaliers-game-3-preview-start-time-tv-radioBrad Rowland