Hawks at Cavaliers
The Atlanta Hawks are short on time and will be without a key
player when they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers in Sunday’s Game 2 of the
Eastern Conference finals. Atlanta trails 2-0 in the best-of-7 series
and announced Saturday that All-Star shooting guard Kyle Korver will miss the
rest of the postseason with a severe right ankle sprain.
Korver had 12 points before suffering the injury in Game 2, and the regular-season sharpshooter had a shaky postseason but still represents a big loss for the Hawks. Cleveland held out point guard Kyrie Irving (knee) on Friday and could so again Sunday as it returns home thinking of a sweep. Forward LeBron James has back-to-back 30-point outings in the series and was superb in Game 2 with 30 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds. “He helps us elevate our game,” power forward Tristan Thompson told reporters. “Playing with a great player like him just makes you want to get better, makes you want to put the time in watching film and I think that’s what great players do.”
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE HAWKS: Two other Atlanta starters are ailing as center Al Horford briefly left Game 2 after hurting his right knee and small forward DeMarre Carroll was largely ineffective while playing with a sprained left knee suffered in Game 1. “I wouldn’t turn this chance down,” Carroll told reporters after having just six points and three rebounds in 34 minutes. “I wouldn’t turn this opportunity down for the world. I would’ve gone out there on one leg.” To remain in the series, the Hawks will hope key reserve Dennis Schroder steps up, and they need contributions from substitutes such as Kent Bazemore, Shelvin Mack and Mike Scott.
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS: Cleveland didn’t miss Irving in Game 2 as James took a playmaking approach and the Hawks were powerless to defend him. “I have a gift and that’s why I’m able to keep defenses off guard because they say ‘OK, we’re going to make him score or make him pass,’” James said in his postgame press conference. “They really can’t make me do what I don’t want to do. I go out and I play the game the right way.” The loss of power forward Kevin Love (shoulder) for the rest of the playoffs has become a non-issue with Thompson (16 rebounds in Game 2) controlling the boards to help the Cavaliers outrebound Atlanta 96-76 in the first two games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. James has scored 30 or more points 74 times in the playoffs, tied for fourth place with Jerry West and one behind third-place Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (75).
2. Atlanta PF Paul Millsap is averaging just 8.5 points on 5-of-19 shooting in the series.
3. Thompson is averaging 13.3 rebounds over the past four games.