Game Thread | 2021-2022 Season | Play-in Game #2 | Hawks @ Cavs | April 15, 2022 | 7:30 p.m. ESPN

[BigZ94]

Needless to say I'm worried about this game - like any elimination game lol

On top of that, I placed a $50 playoff bet when the Cavs were 6-4, so I win $500 with a W lol. Weirdly enough, that's not adding to my nervousness, the moment is a lot bigger than a bet.

Either way, I think the Cavs pull this off at home. This team has a lot of fight, and I'm really looking forward to them in a game 7-like situation. Garland and a handful of other guys aren't scared of the moment - and for the ones I do worry about in this moment (Okoro, Mobley, Osman, etc), I feel like the home crowd will help them out.

Places one when we were 2-2, let’s get it

 

[Heat Check]

Or some Olynyk-like slug might hit his hand deliberately. He's a risk to leave the game anytime. On the other hand once the adrenaline kicks in he may just be able to kick ass. I doubt even Jarrett knows how it will be in a game, but no doubt lots of internet doctors will be ready to offer authoritative opinions.

At your service!

 

[CavsFaninNJ]

Places one when we were 2-2, let’s get it

Damn you beat me out haha

Cheers to a good night

 

[Dr No]

@Wham with the Right Hand it won’t be your last and great previews as always. I agree with rebounding as key and we need more of Lamar than Okoro. With Allen in, Okoro better be off from the bench.

As much as I hate Cedi sometimes, this may be the game he goes on fire with this crowd going. Our role players have to dominate tonight.

Obviously you can't count on Cedi, and JBB might not even play him, but it would be wonderful if he came up with one of those magical "Cedi can't miss" games that happen every so often

 

[Phil Mixtape]

Get the crowd early, i like our chances . . .

 

[ice cream man]

Young has always been the kind of player who can win or lose a game all by himself. I don't think he is as mentally strong as most superstars. We need to make him uncomfortable from the very beginning. If we just sit back and let him dictate who guards him by allowing simple high pick & rolls he will likely kill us. We can't have him switched off onto favorable matchups all night.

Well, if Capella is setting the screen, yes. Crowd Trae and force Capella to make plays, and FT’s. With other ball-handlers on their team I think we need to switch everything. That’s our strength with the big lineup. We can switch and then even if we get beat we have two mobile big guys to cover. It’s gonna come down to Atlanta’s role players and whether they hit shots tonight.

Haven’t seen anyone suggest that Mobley is gonna go off tonight. I think he reaches a level we haven’t seen from him yet. I’m pumped.

Even if Allen is on a minutes restriction, him playing would be huge, even just to use fouls on Capella and keeping Capella from getting a few rebounds. Should give Mobley more freedom and take the pressure off a bit as well.

Wham, agree with everything you said in the OP. Hopefully this isn’t the last game thread of the season. Either way, thanks a ton for them.

 

[backstreet hooper]

I expect the Cavs to defend hard. Be in the Hawks' face all night. I want the Heat next.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Can you imagine if we win the game on a last second shot and then Atlanta gets the lucky ping pong ball and wins the lottery? Or gets one of the top four picks?

 

[All4One1ForAll]

Less than 2 hours until we’re all screaming for JBB to take Okoro off Trae!

 

[All4One1ForAll]

Also the biggest problem with playing Okoro is it allows Trae to be hidden on defense. Our game plan should partly revolve around making him work on that end. I honestly would be only giving Isaac spot minutes in this game at best. Start Garland/Caris/Lauri/Mobley/Allen.

 

[Muffinalt]

Gonna be great to see the crowd back and how the young guys respond to the first real elimination game.

Win - win tonight regardless of outcome, so Im just excited for some fight and character from the team.

 

[cliffdawg]

We can only hope that’s it gamesmanship the Cavs are doing and saying about Allen to keep the Hawks on there toes with there game plan against us,,,,Knowing even with Allen the chances were slim to beat the Nets so they putting all there eggs in one basketball with tonight basically being a 1 game playoff….

 

[Kuiper]

Another huge factor I forgot to mention is playoff experience. Last year the Hawks played a whopping 18 playoff games, finally losing in six to Milwaukee in the conference finals. They were 5-5 on the road.

The Cavs have not seen the playoffs in four years. The Hawks have a big advantage in playoff experience, but the Cavs are at home and I'm sure the crowd will be raucous. Those advantages probably cancel each other out.

Only saving grace on the playoff experience differential is that a one game playoff is a whole different beast than a playoff series. The latter requires adjustments, playing when everyone knows each other very well, dealing with travel and fatigue etc. None of that experience really comes into play when you are playing a single game. Emotion and home crowd can lift a team for a single game, where it won't sustain a team over a whole series.

 

[Marcus]

Already mentally preparing myself for Isaac Snell to be in the starting lineup and get absolutely torched by Trae tonight.

Looking forward to hearing the crowd, at least.

 

[Kuiper]