What’s most disappointing — almost disgusting, really — is that the Hawks finally reached the Eastern Conference finals, an achievement that should have hushed some of their detractors, but in the span of two wretched games they’ve checked every derogatory box. I didn’t think this would happen, but here it is.
That part about not being built for the playoffs because they lack a superstar? Check. The Cleveland Cavaliers were down to one All-Star in Game 2 — Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, Nos. 2 and 3 of their Big Three, being unavailable — and that one Cavs' All-Star outplayed all four of the Hawks'. Granted, that one is LeBron James, and he's the best there is. But he was allowed to be so far the best in Game 2 that you half-wondered if the Hawks were really trying. Which led to …
That part about not being steeled in the ways of the higher levels of postseason play? Check. The Hawks' DeMarre Carroll, playing/limping on a bad leg, said after Friday's desultory loss: "We went out there and didn't have a lot of energy." That cannot happen, but it has, twice in six games. (Game 3 in Washington also was a competitive no-show, at least until the subs took over.)
That part about an offense predicated on jump shots being unsuited to a deep playoff run? Check. The Hawks are 10-for-49 on 3-pointers against Cleveland. That's 20.4 percent. (And that's playing at home, where you're supposed to shoot well.) They've missed four of every five trey tries, and now Kyle Korver has been lost to injury for the duration. They've had 34 assists in two games. In the closeout Game 6 against Brooklyn, they had 34 assists. But that was then and those were the 38-win Nets, and this is now and this is LeBron's crew.
That part about the Hawks lacking top-end talent? Check. That observation was made in this space after they lost Game 1 against Washington, and never was it more apparent than Friday night. The Cavs' Tristan Thompson, who was a bench guy until Love was injured, had 16 rebounds; the Hawks as a team had 39. Thompson had five offensive rebounds; the Hawks had seven. Thompson blocked two shots; the Hawks blocked three. We note that Thompson was the fourth player drafted in 2011. Apart from Al Horford, not one of the contributing Hawks was a lottery pick.
That part about even San Antonio, the franchise on which these Hawks were modeled, needing a superstar to win a title? Check. The Spurs have won five championships, none without Tim Duncan, who was the first player drafted in 1997 and who's a Hall-of-Famer-to-be. When the Cavs have needed a basket, they've thrown the ball to LeBron and let him work. When the Hawks have needed a basket, they've basically left it to Jeff Teague, who's a good point guard but not a Tony Parker, and Teague's default has been to shoot. He has taken 40 shots in two games, 19 more than any other Hawk.
The Hawks are being beaten not by Irving and Love but by Thompson and J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert. An exquisitely balanced team has been overwhelmed by LeBron and his Supporting Cast, and about all Mike Budenholzer had to say Friday was: “We’ve got to get a lot better offensively.” Thus has the NBA’s coach of the year been reduced to “No duh” proclamations.
After Game 2, Cavs coach David Blatt said: “Our guys are hardened. … Their hearts and minds are in the right place.” The Hawks’ hearts were stolen by the sight of LeBron passing for belief-sapping 3-pointers, and their minds seemed elsewhere. Back in January, when the Hawks were going unbeaten for the month and playing exalted basketball, such a night would have beggared belief. But that was then, and now it’s May, and the big boys have come out to play.
It hurts to type these words because, from December on, the owner of these fingers was convinced the Hawks had grown into big boys. They were skilled and clever and relentless, but in these playoffs they’ve too often been none of the above. Mathematically speaking, they can still take this series. Being realistic, I think they’re done. They’ve turned this believer into a doubter.
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