Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 Keys To Beating The Hawks
5. Offense vs. Defense
Like Thunder vs. Spurs out West, Cavs vs. Hawks figures to be a clash between an elite offense and a stifling defense. Cleveland was the NBA’s fourth ranked offense this season, posting 108.1 points per 100 possessions, while Atlanta limited opponents to 98.8 points per 100 possessions, the second best mark in the association.
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So far in the playoffs, Cleveland’s three-point attack has been particularly poignant, with the Cavs shooting 41.3 percent as a team. During the regular season, they shot 36.2 percent from three-point range, so the Cavs will need to continue their efficient shooting from downtown against a Hawks team that held opponents to 33.8 percent shooting from deep this year.
Millsap and Horford are two of the NBA’s best frontcourt defenders and their versatility presents problems on both ends of the floor for many teams, but luckily for the Cavaliers, their best two offensive weapons are at positions where Atlanta’s defense is weakest (small forward and point guard).
The Cavaliers have enough defense to prevent Atlanta’s middling offense from having a big series, but the real power struggle in this matchup will be between the Cavs’ high-powered offense and the Hawks’ imposing team defense. If role players like J.R. Smith, Matthew Dellavedova and Iman Shumpert can knock down open perimeter looks, Cleveland will have the upper hand.
Next: No. 4