NBA Playoffs 2015: Biggest Key for Every Team Going Forward in Conference Finals
While the start of the conference finals in the NBA playoffs has been very telling, there is still a long way to go in each series.
The Cleveland Cavaliers earned a key road win over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 1 and will try to improve upon this lead in Game 2 in the Eastern Conference. In the Western Conference Finals, the Golden State Warriors have taken a 2-0 lead thanks to a one-point victory over the Houston Rockets in Game 2.
Of course, it takes four wins to advance to the NBA Finals. All four teams still have a chance to get to this point, but it will take extra emphasis on key parts for each of them to accomplish this goal. Here is a look at the key for advancing for each remaining squad.
Eastern Conference
Atlanta Hawks: Get Kyle Korver Open
The Hawks were lucky to be competitive in Game 1 after shooting 4-of-23 from three-point range. Considering they ranked second in the NBA with a 38 percent mark from outside this season, you can see why this is a problem.
It seems the biggest issue is the lack of production for Kyle Korver. The 49.2 percent three-point shooter during the year made just 28.6 percent of his shots from beyond the arc against the Washington Wizards in the second round. In Game 1 against the Cavaliers, he barely even got good looks at the basket.
Tommy Beer of Basketball Insiders summed up the issue:
Korver (2-of-4) eventually finished with one more outside shot than Dennis Schroeder (0-of-3). While you can hope the non-Korvers of the team hit more than 10.5 percent of shots from deep, the real key will be to get more quality attempts for the All-Star guard.
The Hawks showcased great team passing all year long, and that must continue in the postseason. They have to always find the open man, and Korver has to work to free himself from the defender. Otherwise, the entire offense will continue to struggle.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Control the Glass
This postseason has seen Tristan Thompson go from a useful part of the rotation to a game-changer on the boards. After totaling 17 rebounds in the series-clinching win over the Chicago Bulls, the 24-year-old forward backed it up with 14 points and 10 rebounds in Game 1 against the Hawks.
ESPN's Ryen Russillo discussed the player's transformation:
He and Timofey Mozgov dominated Atlanta's great frontcourt of Al Horford and Paul Millsap. They outworked them on the glass, ending the Hawks' possessions after one shot while giving the Cavs extra opportunities on the offensive end.
LeBron James, Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith all finished with at least seven rebounds as well, all part of a 49-37 advantage on the glass.
Even without Smith's surprising shooting display, the Cavaliers would have been in good shape thanks to the ability to get extra looks at the basket. This will have to continue throughout the series if Cleveland wants to advance to the NBA finals.
Western Conference
Golden State Warriors: Cut Down on Turnovers
Despite the fact the Warriors have a 2-0 lead in the series, the Rockets are not going to give up. They say a series doesn't really start until the road team wins a game, and that hasn't happened yet.
Considering Houston came back from down 3-1 last round against the Los Angeles Clippers, it's clear the Warriors need to remain on edge.
One major issue Golden State better fix if it wants to win this series is the sloppy turnovers. The squad lost the ball 16 times in the Game 2 win, leading to quite a few extra points for Houston, as Aaron Bruski of NBC Sports noted:
"Big number for the Warriors - 24 points given up on turnovers.
— Aaron Bruski (@aaronbruski) May 22, 2015"
Stephen Curry was responsible for six of these turnovers as he was often trying to do too much with the ball.
As well as the team shot as a whole (53.2 percent from the field), these types of mistakes allow an opponent to stay in the game, like Houston did in Game 2. Golden State was fortunate to escape with a victory, but everyone on the floor better take better control of the basketball going forward.
Houston Rockets: Give James Harden Some Help
Everyone will talk about his mistake on the final play, but James Harden was outstanding Thursday night. He finished with 38 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and three steals, the second game in a row he was just one assist shy of a triple-double.
The back-and-forth play between Harden and Curry truly makes this series a thrill to watch, even for the players. Warriors center Andrew Bogut explained his enjoyment, via Ann Killion of the San Francisco Chronicle:
However, the difference in this series has been the production from the other players on Golden State such as Bogut, Draymond Green, Shaun Livingston and, while he's been struggling, Klay Thompson. Even though Dwight Howard had an impressive showing with 19 points and 17 rebounds in Game 2, this is still not enough.
The Rockets' supporting cast really struggled in the recent loss, with Josh Smith shooting 5-of-17 in 21 minutes and Corey Brewer finishing minus-23 on the floor in 19 minutes. Trevor Ariza was also silent with just seven points in the loss.
As good as Harden has been this season, he can't do it all himself. He and Howard need a little more production from the rest of the rotation in order for Houston to get back in this series.
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