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LeBron, Cavs coast past Hawks 105-85
Source: Agencies |
May 8, 2009, Friday
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LEBRON James scored 27 points, ending the first and second quarters with last-second baskets, and Mo Williams added 15 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers overpowered the Atlanta Hawks 105-85 yesterday to open a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal.
Now unbeaten in six postseason games, the Cavaliers tied a league record by winning their sixth consecutive playoff game by double digits. The only other team to do it was the 2004 Indiana Pacers.
Maurice Evans scored 16 points and Mike Bibby had 11 for the Hawks, who were missing center Al Horford and forward Marvin Williams because of injuries. If that wasn't bad enough, leading scorer Joe Johnson rolled his right ankle in the third quarter and did not return.
X-rays were negative and the Hawks said Johnson is doubtful for Game 3 on Saturday in Atlanta.
Just like Game 1, this one was easy for the Cavs. Too easy.
In his second game since being named MVP, James dropped a long 3-pointer in the final second of the first half as the Cavaliers opened a 24-point lead that swelled to 36 in the third. James and the Cavaliers starters spent the entire fourth quarter lounging on the bench as Atlanta's reserves outplayed the Cavs' backups in 12 minutes of garbage time to make the score respectable.
"Defense," James said when asked how the Cavs dominated. "That has been us throughout the whole series and the whole playoffs. When we get D stops it's easy to execute on offense.
"We had great defense ... and then we got some great looks on the other end."
The best-of-seven series switches to Atlanta's Philips Arena, where the Hawks went 31-10 during the regular season and beat Cleveland once. That was back on Dec. 13, when the Cavaliers were just finding out how good they were and the Hawks were at full strength.
Now unbeaten in six postseason games, the Cavaliers tied a league record by winning their sixth consecutive playoff game by double digits. The only other team to do it was the 2004 Indiana Pacers.
Maurice Evans scored 16 points and Mike Bibby had 11 for the Hawks, who were missing center Al Horford and forward Marvin Williams because of injuries. If that wasn't bad enough, leading scorer Joe Johnson rolled his right ankle in the third quarter and did not return.
X-rays were negative and the Hawks said Johnson is doubtful for Game 3 on Saturday in Atlanta.
Just like Game 1, this one was easy for the Cavs. Too easy.
In his second game since being named MVP, James dropped a long 3-pointer in the final second of the first half as the Cavaliers opened a 24-point lead that swelled to 36 in the third. James and the Cavaliers starters spent the entire fourth quarter lounging on the bench as Atlanta's reserves outplayed the Cavs' backups in 12 minutes of garbage time to make the score respectable.
"Defense," James said when asked how the Cavs dominated. "That has been us throughout the whole series and the whole playoffs. When we get D stops it's easy to execute on offense.
"We had great defense ... and then we got some great looks on the other end."
The best-of-seven series switches to Atlanta's Philips Arena, where the Hawks went 31-10 during the regular season and beat Cleveland once. That was back on Dec. 13, when the Cavaliers were just finding out how good they were and the Hawks were at full strength.
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