The Cleveland Cavaliers are facing the Atlanta Hawks in the playoffs for the second straight season, and after taking Game 1 in convincing fashion, the Cavs have the inside track to make their second straight conference finals appearance. However, Atlanta has shown time and time again that they're a force to be reckoned with. Here are the three things the Cavs need to do to beat the Hawks:
3) Stay healthy!
The injury bug has already bitten the Warriors and Clippers, severely altering the Western Conference playoff picture. It bit Cleveland hard last year as both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love had their seasons cut short, but the Cavs have been lucky to this point. Staying healthy remains perhaps the biggest key to a long postseason run.
2) Outside shooting
LeBron James had the worst shooting season of his career this year, and he's shooting just above 30 percent on any shot taken outside the paint. We know he can get to the rim basically anytime he wants, bet Cleveland's outside threat has to come from somewhere. Irving, Love and J.R. Smith have been hitting their shots from distance with regularity, and that has to continue to keep Atlanta from simply clogging the lane.
1) Don't overlook the Hawks
Today, LeBron made the statement that he's looking forward to facing the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. That's all fine and dandy, and even if that's the way things are looking, you can not believe that's a foregone conclusion right now as a player. Cleveland's talented enough that they don't have necessarily play their best to beat the Hawks, but Atlanta will absolutely made them pay if the Cavs end up sleepwalking through this series.
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