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Cleveland Cavaliers Make NBA, Franchise History in Record-Breaking Playoff Win Over Atlanta

Kevin Love (L), Kyrie Irving and LeBron James are looking to return to the NBA Finals
WIKIPEDIA
Kevin Love (L), Kyrie Irving and LeBron James are looking to return to the NBA Finals

It was a record-breaking night for theCleveland Cavaliersas they sunk 25 3-pointers in a 123-to-98 victory over theAtlanta Hawksin Game 2 of their second-round playoff series.

WKSU sports commentator Terry Pluto says no one anticipated the show the team put on last night.

“Right now I’m sure the Atlanta Hawks have no clue what they can do to beat Cleveland or what the Cavs are likely to do to them,” Pluto said.

Shooting guard J.R. Smith led the Cavs with seven 3-pointers -- six of those coming in the first half of the game and setting a playoff record for the franchise. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving each got four triples apiece as well.

Pluto says the team’s cohesiveness demonstrates that it’s a force when everyone is on the same page.

Clicking

“It shows just how much of a powerhouse the Cavs can be," Pluto said. "Not just in this game, but all six games in the playoffs so far. When they are clicking and they are playing together, they are a very, very scary team for anybody else in the NBA.”

Last night’s win gave the Cavs a perfect 10-0 record against the Hawks in the playoffs. The team now travels to Atlanta to play the team on the Hawks home court tomorrow.

Pluto says the Cavs need to focus on winning the series as quickly as possible, which is something they’re well on their way to doing.

“The goal always isn’t just to win the game; it’s to win the series as quickly as possible,” Pluto said. “In fact, one of my themes in my stories is 'Go to Atlanta, aim for the sweep and try to keep anything cataclysmic from happening.'”

The Cavs set two NBA records in last night’s game. One of those for scoring 25 3-pointers total, while the other comes from 18 3s in the first-half.

Copyright 2021 WKSU. To see more, visit WKSU.

Amanda Rabinowitz
Amanda Rabinowitz has been a reporter, host and producer at WKSU since 2007. Her days begin before the sun comes up as the local anchor for NPR’s Morning Edition, which airs on WKSU each weekday from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. In addition to providing local news and weather, she interviews the Plain Dealer’s Terry Pluto for a weekly commentary about Northeast Ohio’s sports scene.
Michael Bratton is a second-year student in Kent State's graduate program for public relations.