Five observations from the Hawks’ 110-106 victory over the Cavaliers Tuesday night.
1. The Hawks match up better against the Cavaliers with the addition of center Dwight Howard. While Howard had just seven points, he had 17 rebounds. The boards have notoriously been an issue for the Hawks against the Cavaliers. Howard missed several minutes in the first and second quarters when he left for four stitches after getting hit by LeBron James. Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson was held to no points after not attempting a shot and two rebounds and was a minus-14. The Hawks held a 50-39 rebound edge.
With Howard commanding attention, the Cavaliers couldn’t put a big man on Paul Millsap, who finished with 21 points.
“It’s definitely a different year,” Kent Bazemore said. “We matched their physicality. Dwight cancelled out and did a lot more against Tristan Thompson. That allowed him not to be able to guard Paul Millsap. Paul was able to have his way tonight. It’s a different look. We are playing super confident. We believe we can beat them.”
Millsap likes the added attention to Howard as well.
“When Dwight is in the game, they have to put a bigger body on him,” Millsap said. “They have to. He is a load down there. When they do that, somebody like LeBron (James) or Kevin Love has to guard me. I think the matchups favor us. We can go down to him. We can go down to me. Pick-and-roll situations, I think we can get what we need.”
2. James is going to get his points put the Hawks, and Thabo Sefolosha in particular, did a good job of slowing the Cavaliers superstar. James finished with 23 points on 8 of 17 shooting. He was held to just two first-half points. By the time James picked up his play – and you knew he would – the Hawks had an 18-point lead.
“Thabo is such a pro,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “He takes a lot of pride in guarding the best players in the league. I think it’s great that we have him as part of our group and we can throw as many people at, whether it’s LeBron James, night to night.”
When the Cavaliers made two second-half runs, including getting as close at two points, 108-106, with 25 seconds left, the Hawks didn’t melt.
“We battled through,” Sefolosha said. “We had our run and they had their run. We didn’t crack. We are able to impose our will and win the game.”
3. Dennis Schroder and Bazemore took advantage of their matchups. Schroder finished with a career-high 28 points and Bazemore was three points off his career-high with 25 points. Each hit big 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to hold off the Cavaliers. Bazemore hit one with 3:29 left with a three-point lead. Schroder hit one with 2:23 left.
“Last game really did a lot for me,” said Bazemore, who broke out of a slump with 20 points in a win over the Rockets on Saturday. “It’s been a rough start for me. Everything is starting to come together. I’m getting in a rhythm. We are starting to gel as a unit from top to bottom. … It was only a matter of time before we started to pick it up. This is probably one of the biggest wins since I’ve been here. … My two years here they’ve been kicking my butt here and in Atlanta.”
4. With Sefolosha working on James, the Hawks didn't need to over switch or rotate on defense. It meant they could stay with the Cavaliers' 3-point shooters. The Cavaliers were just 11 of 42 from 3-point range. It was part of the reason they shot 37 percent (37 of 99). The Hawks shot 51 percent (41 of 81). Controlling the Cavaliers' 3-point shooters was a big reason for the victory. The Cavaliers, who entered the game leading the NBA in total and per game average in 3-pointers, were 4 of 21 in the first half.
Budenholzer pointed to the inside presence of Howard and the play of his guards at the point of attack on screens for the success.
5. The Hawks ended the first half with a 22-6 run to take an 11-point lead into intermission, 53-42. The run started when Schroder was called for an offensive foul on a drive against Kyrie Irving. Howard was the one who hit Irving with an elbow while setting a screen. After the foul, the Cavaliers' Thompson and J.R. Smith followed Schroder and the group had to be separated. All three were called for technical fouls. Schroder made the free three throw and started the run. Schroder added to driving layups and Bazemore, Millsap and Tim Hardaway Jr. all hit 3-pointers to highlight the momentum swing.
“I think it was our defense in the first half that put us in that spot,” Budenholzer said of holding off several Cavaliers run after the Hawks took the lead for good.
