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The otherworldly performance by Houston Rockets shooting guard and MVP runner-up James Harden should be worrisome for the Cleveland Cavaliers as they try to close out the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2007.
Hawks point guard Jeff Teague scored a team-high 30 points on Sunday night in Game 3, making that only the second time any player out of the Highlight Factory has recorded north of 29 this season. Team basketball has truly been the ethos that has carried this young squad to the best record in the East and the second-best record overall.
Coached by Gregg Popovich-acolyte Mike Budenholzer, the Hawks have been known all year for balanced scoring, league-high assists and perimeter jumpers. Two blowout losses against the Cavs essentially negated that strategy, forcing Teague to play the kind of drive-heavy isolation basketball he was familiar with from two campaigns at Wake Forest.
Up to a few years ago, Teague’s numbers were unimpressive. Playing his entire career in Atlanta since being drafted No. 19 overall in 2009, he only began starting in 2011, a season in which he missed a full 16 games for injury. Hovering at the 45 percent mark for field goals, he could only be counted on for an average of 14 points per game.
Last season’s playoffs were a different story. Similar to LeBron James this year—and especially this postseason—Teague increased his volume shooting against an Indiana Pacers squad that still possessed a healthy Paul George. Through seven games, which ultimately resulted in a loss in the opening round, Teague’s volume shooting increased and actually lowered his efficiency but raised his PPG to 20.
Game 3 on Sunday showed the world a version of Teague that has been perhaps waiting to emerge since then. It’s quite possible that the team-first mentality preached so successfully by Coach Bud has worked against Teague’s natural disposition. Every year at Wake Forest, both Teague’s field goal attempts and field goal percentage increased. The same is true of the last two NBA postseasons, and it was true again between Games 2 and 3 of the conference finals this year.
Harden put a Rockets team that was on the brink of elimination on his back and willed them to victory. After the loss of Kyle Korver in Game 2 and then the ejection of Al Horford midway through the second quarter on Sunday, Teague was forced to do the same. But the adjustment came too late. What would’ve happened if he’d taken that initiative early on?
The Cavs won’t have to wonder too long, because Coach Bud will surely employ that strategy for Game 4. So far, it’s been the only strategy that’s had a prayer of working against the Wine and Gold. Like the Rockets, the Hawks truly have their backs against the wall. After finishing first in the East, a four-game sweep would be a terminal embarrassment and may indicate that this team wasn’t ready for the brighter lights of the Eastern Conference Finals after all.
The Cavs should expect a hungry, dominant Teague, a guy who will initiate the offense and attempt to keep his team halfway respectable as their season inevitably ends.
