ATLANTA: Twenty thoughts for 20 points from Kyrie Irving in Friday’s 110-108 overtime victory against the Atlanta Hawks…
1. When it was over, when the Cavs survived blowing a 21-point lead and LeBron James grabbed the game’s final rebound, he turned and flung the ball deep into the seats behind the opposite baseline as the buzzer sounded.
2. It’s not the playoffs, but it’s April so it’s close enough. Given how well the Hawks have played lately and the fact this was the second night of a back to back, this counts as a quality win with the postseason looming.
3. “It’s a big time game for us,” James said. “How we started, how they came back, how we was able to handle that, send it into overtime and then make some plays both offensively and defensively.”
4. James seemed pleased it was a defensive play that sent the game to overtime. The Cavs’ erratic defensive performance has rightfully come under scrutiny in recent months. One game they defend the pick-and-roll, the next their defense is a swinging gate and they’re forced to outscore opponents.
5. This time Iman Shumpert turned Jeff Teague around at the end of regulation and stole the ball away, preventing the Hawks a shot at a game winner at the buzzer. Tristan Thompson followed in overtime by contesting a big shot from Paul Millsap that could’ve given the Hawks the lead in the final minute. The Cavs held the Hawks to 30 percent shooting in the first half and 40 percent for the game.
6. The arena had a playoff atmosphere, but the legions of Cavs fans in attendance drastically helped contribute to the sellout crowd. So did a T.I. concert at halftime and postgame. Still, it was a game between two of the top teams in the East in April and it mattered. The Cavs remain 2 1/2 games ahead of the Toronto Raptors, who kept pace Friday with a win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
7. “I think it meant more because of the way we did it,” Tyronn Lue said. “They came back and took the lead after we had a big lead and for us to stay with it, continue to push through, continue to keep fighting, keep grinding, I think that’s a team win – a signature win for us.”
8. Perhaps no one needed a couple big shots to fall more than Kyrie Irving, who had been scuffling his last few games and has struggled with his 3-point shot all season. Irving shot just 5 of 23, but made a key 3-pointer in overtime and went 5 of 6 from the free-throw line in the final minute of overtime – which was actually a bad thing.
9. Irving had not missed an overtime free throw in his career until Friday. Counting the first four he made against the Hawks, Irving made the first 36 of his career before splitting the final pair. James was fully aware of Irving’s streak, which is why he wanted the ball in Irving’s hands in the final minute.
10. “I told him it doesn’t matter what happened in the last 52 ½ minutes, just go up there and knock them down because I believe you can do that,” James said. “I know what’s going on in your mind. You’re able to calm yourself and he was able to do that. I hate the fact that he broke his streak, but he went up there and knocked the free throws down and we needed every last one of them.”
11. Irving’s 3-pointer from the corner in overtime was just as critical. He had missed 11 of his last 12 shots prior to that one and hadn’t made a basket in the second half. James found him in the corner and Irving put the Cavs up 102-98.
12. “That right there was just being in those situations before, tough game, tough environment and trusting my shot,” Irving said of the overtime 3-pointer. “It’s crazy, especially in the fourth quarter or overtime situations, whether it’s a tough shot or easy shot I’m still going to shoot it -- whether I’m getting in the lane or making a play for someone else. Other than that, the belief is still going to be there. It may not happen consistently where I come down and shoot three in a row, but Bron coming off pick-and-rolls and he’s looking for me weak side and Kevin or Swish is swing-swinging it to me, if I don’t shoot it I’m doing a disservice to all my teammates. I don’t want to put myself in that position where I’m giving up shots going 5-for-23 on the night.”
13. Irving knows his numbers have been down the last four games (28 percent shooting) and his 3-point percentage has been down all season. The Cavs have remained optimistic Irving would find his 3-point touch prior to the start of the playoffs, but he’s running out of time.
14. “Now it’s just coming into my move and finishing my shot,” Irving said. “Getting open, getting my midrange pullups and I’m getting normal shots I want. Now it’s about finishing the shot. Before it was just over thinking it a lot the last few games. Over the last four games I’ve obviously noticed I haven’t been shooting as well as I want to, but the belief in my game still is there. Just have to continue to work. I just have to keep working.”
15. Irving made headlines Thursday when he called the Cavs the team to beat this postseason, and while Lue did his best to walk it back a bit by calling the Cavs the best in the East, Irving didn’t back down again Friday after the game.
16. “I feel that way and I was just being honest about it,” he said. “We all should feel that way as well, no matter if we’re going up and down. We still have the talent and we still have the belief. Whether we show it on a consistent basis, we know internally what we have and what we’re capable of when clicking on all cylinders. May not be perfect, may not be the prototypical team that everyone else sees, but I believe in these guys. I will go to war with these guys any day.”
17. James surpassed Oscar Robertson for 11th place on the all-time scoring list. He moved up seven spots throughout the course of the season, but likely won’t crack the top 10 until next year. Finishing with a line of 29 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists is indicative of the type of player James is and fitting on a night he surpassed the triple-double machine in Robertson.
18. “I wish I could’ve had a triple double in passing him,” James said. “That would’ve been the perfect thing. Any time I’m linked with the Big O it’s an honor for myself. I understand and know how much he meant not only to the game of basketball but what he represented off the floor. It’s special to be linked with a guy like that who was so special.”
19. Plus/minus doesn’t always tell the whole story, but the Hawks’ bench was a combined minus-90. Not sure I’ve ever seen that before. Irving, incidentally, was a minus-13.
20. This team has appeared poised to get hot at various points, but always seems to run into a Houston or Brooklyn or Memphis to kill all the momentum. This was another game that seemed as if it could be a jumping-off point depending on how the Cavs respond. Five of their last six opponents are either in the playoffs or fighting for the eighth seed. The Cavs still plan to rest guys these final six games, but they’re assured of getting great efforts out of their opponents. That begins Sunday with the Charlotte Hornets. Talk to you then from the Q.