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Atlanta Hawks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers – Game 3 (Cavaliers lead series 2-0)
Game Time, TV: Sunday, May 24th – 8:30 PM ET on TNT
Projected Starting Lineups:
Atlanta Hawks: PG: Jeff Teague, SG: Kent Bazemore, SF: DeMarre Carroll, PF: Paul Millsap, C: Al Horford
Cleveland Cavaliers: PG: Matthew Dellavedova, SG: Iman Shumpert, SF: LeBron James, PF: Tristan Thompson, C: Timofey Mozgov
The Atlanta Hawks’ spectacular season comes down to tonight, as they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers trailing the Eastern Conference Finals 0-2 in a best of seven series featuring the East’s two best teams.
After playing the Cavaliers very well during the regular season, the Hawks have looked absolutely helpless against what really has become LeBron James and spare parts. James has been incredible, and has done a fabulous job making his teammates look better, but the Hawks’ coverage of James all series long has been lacking big time.
The Cavaliers have never looked better, and it is because James looks fully engaged and has turned on the jets at the right time of the season. They are in a perfect position right now, up two games in the series and now coming home with the possibility of turning this into a sweep. With that said, they will need Kyrie Irving to be healthy if they do in fact advance to the NBA Finals, and his status is very uncertain at this time.
The key match-up for this game will be J.R. Smith vs. Kent Bazemore (who will replace Kyle Korver in the starting lineup). Bazemore is a good defender, and he must make it his mission not to let Smith get going from the outside. Bazemore must also make shots from the perimeter to stretch the defense and give room for Paul Millsap and Al Horford to work down low.
I see the Cavaliers winning this game. They are just on a tear right now, winning their last five games in a row, and James is just an unstoppable force. The Hawks will keep it somewhat close, but in the end the Cavaliers will win this one.
Prediction: Cavaliers 107, Hawks 99
Dan Schultz is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter @dschultz89. “Like” him on Facebook and add him on Google.
