LeBron, Cavs coast past Hawks 105-85

By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer May 8, 12:06 am EDT

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CLEVELAND (AP)—From his corner cubicle in Cleveland’s locker room, LeBron James(notes) kept his eyes riveted on the flat-screen TV. He wanted to see every replay.

There was his no-look pass to Wally Szczerbiak(notes). There was his reverse dunk in the final seconds of the first quarter. And then there was his majestic, step-back 3-pointer to beat the halftime horn, a shot he admired before playfully swinging his arms back and forth.

Seeing it on tape for the first time, James smiled, stood and repeated his arm-swinging gesture.

It’s all easy. Maybe too easy.

James scored 27 points, ending the first and second quarters with last-second baskets, and Mo Williams(notes) added 15 points as the untested Cavaliers overpowered the Atlanta Hawks 105-85 on Thursday night to open a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal.

“I’m having fun,” James said. “I’m having a ball.”

Now a perfect 6-0 in the postseason, 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. Cleveland also matched the 1986 Los Angeles Lakers by winning three straight games by at least 20 points in a postseason.

“I don’t want to say I’m surprised,” James said of Cleveland’s playoff dominance. “We’re just a really good team. We’re really confident and we believe in each other.”

Maurice Evans(notes) scored 16 points and Mike Bibby(notes) had 11 for the Hawks, who were missing center Al Horford(notes) and forward Marvin Williams(notes) because of injuries. If that wasn’t bad enough, leading scorer Joe Johnson(notes) rolled his right ankle in the third quarter and did not return.

X-rays were negative, but Johnson wore a walking boot as he and his teammates went to their bus before heading home for Game 3 on Saturday.

“I can’t see me not playing,” Johnson said. “I don’t want to let this opportunity go by. We’re down 0-2. I want to be out there for my teammates. Hopefully in 48 hours it will feel a lot better.”

While the rest of the NBA exchanges elbows, flagrant fouls and menacing stares in the playoffs, the Cavaliers are looking for a fight.

So far, they can’t find one.

Just like Game 1, this was easy for the Cavs.

Named MVP earlier this week, James’ 3-pointer at the end of the half 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.

The series switches to Philips Arena, where the Hawks went 31-10 during the regular season and beat Cleveland once. That was on Dec. 13, when the Cavaliers were just finding out how good they were and the Hawks were at full strength.

Atlanta coach Mike Woodson refused to use injuries as an excuse.

“We’re just not playing well right now and they are playing at a high level,” he said. “We got a chance to go home, regroup, play in front of our fans and see what we’re made of.”

Atlanta’s Josh Smith(notes) was held to eight points on 2-of-13 shooting and the Hawks shot only 35 percent.

“This loss is embarrassing,” said Smith, who was also slapped with a technical.

Cleveland improved to 43-2 at home, 32-5 since the All-Star break, and is playing its best ball.

The Cavs blew through Detroit in four games and have barely broken a sweat against the Hawks, who haven’t figured out how to slow James—or any of his teammates—and have struggled to score.

On the 20th anniversary of Michael Jordan’s jumper—known around here as “The Shot”—over Craig Ehlo that beat the Cavaliers in the 1989 playoffs, James gave Cleveland fans a shot to remember.

Taking an inbounds pass with 5.4 seconds left, James quickly dribbled into the frontcourt, pulled up on Hawks guard Mario West(notes) and drilled a 36-footer to make it 59-35. As 20,000-plus fans erupted, James stood still, relishing the moment.

“I can say, yes, it was demoralizing (to the Hawks) because of where I shot the ball,” James said. “We carried that momentum into the second half.”

Notes

Cavs G Delonte West(notes) was poked in the right eye in the third quarter and did not return. He is not expected to miss any time. … In six playoff games, James is averaging 31.5 points, 9.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.3 steals.

Updated May 8, 12:06 am EDT
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212 Comments

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  1. Josh
    212. Posted by Josh Sat May 9 3:20pm EDT

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    Kobe hasn't won a ring without the big man: Shaq. If he fails this year, which I have confidence in the Cavs =], then it will forever taint his "legacy" with the fact that he can't win without the big man.
  2. free2agoodhome
    211. Posted by free2agoodhome Sat May 9 3:07pm EDT

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    OK O K I KNOW THIS IS A BLOG ABOUT THE CAVS BEATING THE HAWKS IN GAME 2, BUT I WANTED TO SHARE THIS FROM "THEGREAT"

    haha! lebroom the illiterate imbecile has no clue what will happen in a round from now, hey lebroom, no mater how many points u score on those d-league teams, you still have ZERO rings,lmao!!! someone explain that to him, being an uneducated fool that he is, maybe he does not know that, hell maybe coach brown just tells him: put ball in hole, pass to teammate, more points is good, pad ur stats, lmao!! sucks to be the mascot of the league eh lebrick??haha!!! hey lebroom, quick lesson: 24 is GREATER than 23!! not the other way around ok??...


    THANK YOU 4 YER INSIGHT "THEGREAT" ANOTHER LEBRON HATER RANTIN ABOUT HOW MUCH HE SUCKS,KOBES BETTER BLAH BLAH BLAH.... U JEALOUS LEBRONS NOT ON YER TEAM ALSO?...... BEST PART OF HIS LIL BLOGGIN IS THE END...24 is GREATER than 23!! not the other way around ok??... HAHAHA... NOW I GET WHY KOBE CHANGED HIS NUMBER!!!!!!!!!!!!! THATS CLASSIC......... GO CAVS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  3. Ron B
    210. Posted by Ron B Sat May 9 2:08pm EDT

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    Loveme James its too bad he's so in love with himself. He probably stands in front of a mirror rehearsing All you Cav fan's think he's the greatest thing since the hole in the donut, (he is the hole) He's another Mark McGwire, juice, juice, juice, James, (Loveme James) My mother could get the same numbers he's getting against the high school look alike Hawks
  4. RENATO F
    209. Posted by RENATO F Sat May 9 7:46am EDT

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    I agree with Fruckthe Steeler, Dumb-bone, LBJ has more class than KB.. It's true, KB has more rings than Bron, but they got them because of Shaq... I watched those games... the center of the Lakers then (whether Lakers fans will admit ) was Shaq, not Kobe... It's either T-Bone is just plain fool or blind... What do you think?
  5. <i>msmramor@...</i>
    208. Posted by msmramor@... Sat May 9 1:15am EDT

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    To everyone who is wetting themselves at the chance to get LeBron,wait until you see his new interview. Abandon all hope ye who enter here.
  6. <i>cavslandrocks</i>
    207. Posted by cavslandrocks Fri May 8 10:46pm EDT

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    two games ...regular season...in '07 Cavs thumped spurs twice then got swept in the finals...sorry bubby..no Shaq=no title for Bean Boy...
  7. <i>cavslandrocks</i>
    206. Posted by cavslandrocks Fri May 8 10:05pm EDT

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    BONEHEAD... lmao......go taunt someone else...you're boring
  8. <i>cavslandrocks</i>
    205. Posted by cavslandrocks Fri May 8 9:21pm EDT

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    @ dh...ummm..what are you smokin??...NO OTHER TEAM WILL BE ABLE TO OFFER BETTER TERMS OR MONEY TO LeBron...DWade...CB..that's how the NBA works...so now tell me this...WHY would LeBron want to disrupt a run at THREE straight titles for LESS money...on a "team" of ball hogs...get real
  9. dh
    204. Posted by dh Fri May 8 9:07pm EDT

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    all the way to the finals undefeated, only to get beat by the lakers .and then in 2010 you get to watch lebron go hollywood..
    hollywood james, the lakers new boy in 2010, big money thats what the lakers will offer, BIG MONEY
    and lebron wiil jump for it. enjoy your run now cleveland, james is all about what cleveland cant give, BIG MONEY. he wont be the nba's first billionaire in cleveland, he said it himself.
  10. <i>sportsnut22@...</i>
    203. Posted by sportsnut22@... Fri May 8 7:39pm EDT

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    plus the nnba has a strict anti doping policy anyway why would he jeopardize his future like that especially when it will be a career ender especially in the nba
  11. <i>cavslandrocks</i>
    201. Posted by cavslandrocks Fri May 8 7:00pm EDT

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    well BONEHEAD you've shown your intelligence level...sorry..not impressed with your vocabulary..f@g??...@#$%???..LOL..u go right ahead and call others idiot while you rant on... throwing your epithets around...just so you know..I've taken more cheap shots in pick-up ball..usually against much younger players..than you're capable of imagining...so your words are nothing...you have fun acting like a middle school bully...your opinion is worthless here
  12. Zac C
    200. Posted by Zac C Fri May 8 6:48pm EDT

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    The Pistons put up more of a fight than what the Hawks are doing now... And I'm a Pistons fan, I know how much they sucked this year.
  13. <i>sportsnut22@...</i>
    199. Posted by sportsnut22@... Fri May 8 6:22pm EDT

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    Lebron a juicer no way, the types of moves he does on the court there is no way he juices... you become slowernot faster because you have muscle
  14. Inobtr
    198. Posted by Inobtr Fri May 8 6:21pm EDT

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    One thing about Lebron's athleticism.
    He's just too athletic=Shorter but more dominant career like Brock Lesnar.
  15. Joseph
    197. Posted by Joseph Fri May 8 5:34pm EDT

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    LEBRON ON STEROIDS?
    The NBA is the worst of the big 4 sports in America in testing for steroid or hgh use.
    With that said, anybody curious about Lebron James and Dwight Howard. They are freakishly big and fast, almost inhuman.
    For those who say NBA players want to be quick and agile, not body builders, look at everyone from cyclist, runners to swimmers getting caught using steroids.
    There hasn't been one player I heard of testing positive for steroids in the NBA, your telling me nobody is looking for an edge, I find this ridiculous. I have to go as far back as MJ also. He was playing in his prime all the way up to his late 30's, sounds familiar....Bonds, Clemens, Ramirez......
    People are hard on Baseball for not cracking down on steroid use, but what about Football, I think over 50 percent atleast are on some form of illegal substance.
    It took a whistle blower in baseball to open peoples eyes before anybody even said steroids in baseball and the signs of steroid use was everywhere. There just hasn't been a whistle blower yet in basketball, Im sure David Stern is the best at keeping these secrets out of the news.
  16. James P
    196. Posted by James P Fri May 8 5:15pm EDT

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    Boston. Sounds like you are mad because the Cavs as a team have mad fun playing the game, and the Celtics ( assuming that's your team) don't have the luxury of sitting their starters in the 4th quarter because if they do the reserves will blow the game. Feels good that the Cavs are doing so well that people have to make up stuff in order to hate on them. When the Cavs show confidence it's called arogance, when others show arogance it's called confidance. Keep hating guys...I never once hated on the Celtics when they won last year, I was actually glad that they won the ring. They played a classic series against the Cavs and earned the shot at the ring and won it. GO CAVS!!!!!!!!!!!!
  17. Boston
    195. Posted by Boston Fri May 8 4:44pm EDT

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    Lebron has got major skills. The Cavs are a great team that will/should win the NBA Championship. My only problem is how much of a D**CHE Lebron is. When you're up by 25, you don't walk the ball down dribbling back and forth between your legs for no reason. You can compare him in skills to MJ, but the pathetic D**CHE factor weighs heavily on Lebron.

    He's got skills, now show some maturity. He's in love with himself and I'm shocked he doesn't talk about himself in the 3rd person. I'll be honest, I can't watch a Cav's game because of him.

    Win with dignity, grace and skill. Leave the pretty boy factor out and try, just try, to not act like the camera is always on you (because it is) and that every announcer is up your *ss (because they are).
  18. <i>cavslandrocks</i>
    194. Posted by cavslandrocks Fri May 8 4:31pm EDT

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    You're right Bonehead..LeBron isn't Kobe..He's a man not a little hide behind mama thug boy pretender.... yeah your boy is a shooter...he shoots n shoots n shoots then shoots some more and some nights he actually hits almost half of them...I'd like to see your boy take that charge like LeBron did...or make that 40 footer off the dribble...It's no wonder you like those passes..no one on your team does that (pass) ...and if by rough stuff you mean the Laker cheap shots....here's a wake up call...the Cavs won't wait for the league to act against some cheap shot thug..They'll suspend them indefinitely...right then...right there
  19. chillnnohio
    193. Posted by chillnnohio Fri May 8 4:11pm EDT

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    yea LBJ may be alil in love with himself but he can sure back it up! Good guy. Great player.
    Go Cavs!!!!
  20. JASON
    192. Posted by JASON Fri May 8 3:52pm EDT

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    Go cavs!!!!!!!!!
    2009 champs!!
  21. Deuce
    191. Posted by Deuce Fri May 8 3:14pm EDT

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    Just think about this. It has taken Lebron 6 years to get his MVP. 2 years ago when his Cavaliers went to the finals you could have named him the MVP then. If Lebron would have went to college for the 4 years and perfected his shot like he has done while in the NBA. He could have been the first player to ever get Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same year. The NBA is about to get real boring because Lebron has it in choke hold and will have it a choke hold for another 10 years. Hope some can step up and make a pretty good rivary with him because Kobe is good and all but he ain't 6'8 250lbs will probably will never see a real Kobe-Lebron matchup just stats after the game showing how they did demorilizing the other players on opposite teams and not what each other did while be guarded by each other.
  22. prem
    190. Posted by prem Fri May 8 3:03pm EDT

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    Lebron James= Beast
  23. Reden
    189. Posted by Reden Fri May 8 2:50pm EDT

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    think guys its people had its time but now its lebron time the next michael jordan on his era
    now is the of lebron era no more kobe his era not yet to com but he is already a losser lebron is the mvp theres no more kobe lets go cavs sweep theme all go!go!
  24. john o
    188. Posted by john o Fri May 8 2:37pm EDT

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    And to notBrent, you are right in that steroids for explosiveness, like Ben Johnson from Canada, however, lebron has been a awesome talent since he was 15, and all men fill out as they get out of their teens, that combined with time in the weight room and a good diet is a prescription for success. I am 6'1' and 215 , no drugs, just running, weight training and trying to watch how i eat. It can be done, one just has to make the commitment, and with Lebron someone who shows up 3 hours before each playoff game to work on his game, the commitment is obviously there, so notbrent, even though you seem to be somewhat intelligent, a sign of maturity is giving someone their due, even if you are a fan of a different player or a different team, just food for thought hombre
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 Atlanta
M. Evans Maurice Evans
7-12,  16 Pts
3 Rebs, 4 Assists
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L. James LeBron James
9-14,  27 Pts
3 Rebs, 5 Assists

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