NBA Playoffs 2015: Preview, Prediction and Viewing Info for Sunday's Action

The Atlanta Hawks were easily the Eastern Conference's best team during the regular season, but unless they can find a way to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, their 2014-15 campaign won't last much longer.

Behind superstar LeBron James and an improving supporting cast, the Cavs won the series' first two games in Atlanta. They are playing with confidence as they prepare for Sunday night's Game 3 in Cleveland, and they have an opportunity to put the Hawks in an almost inescapable hole.

Game 3 will be key for both teams and could be the true indicator of which squad will be battling it out for a title in the NBA Finals.

Prior to Sunday's important clash, here is a look at the vital viewing info as well as a prediction for who will ultimately come out on top.

Where: Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland

When: Sunday, May 24 at 8:30 p.m. ET

Watch: TNT

Live Stream: TNT Overtime

Hawks Player to Watch: Paul Millsap

While the Hawks are predicated on team play, it can be argued that forward Paul Millsap was their most effective individual player during the regular season. He carried that form over into the first two rounds of the playoffs, but the former Utah Jazz star has done a disappearing act in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The two-time All-Star selection is averaging less than nine points per game against the Cavs, and he has made only five shots from the field through two games.

According to NBA.com's John Schuhmann, Millsap has struggled mightily with his jump shot as he has only one make outside the painted area:

He was especially bad in Game 2 as he scored just four points in 27 minutes. Mike Bell of 92.9 The Game compared his disappearing act to that of former Hawks star and current Brooklyn Nets guard Joe Johnson:

"

Hawks fan stages of grief, after last night now comes anger! Millsap did a hell of a Joe Johnson impression last night

— Mike Bell (@mikebell929) May 23, 2015"

A big reason for Millsap's inability to get going offensively has been the play of Cavs big man Tristan Thompson on the defensive end. Thompson has been an absolute beast inside, which has forced Millsap to settle for less-than-ideal looks.

As pointed out by ESPN's Bomani Jones, Millsap simply hasn't been able to separate from the length and defensive acumen of Thompson:

The Hawks are walking wounded at this point as DeMarre Carroll, Kyle Korver and Al Horford are all banged up. That puts even more of an onus on Millsap to step up on the road in Game 3.

If Millsap plays like he did during the regular season, then Atlanta will have a chance in Game 3, but mounting a comeback will be nearly impossible if he continues on his current downward trajectory.

Cavaliers Player to Watch: Tristan Thompson

A large portion of the blame for Millsap's poor performance in this series falls on his own shoulders, but the fact that Thompson has been playing dominant basketball for the Cavs is something that should be taken under consideration as well.

The former University of Texas star posted modest numbers during the regular season with over eight points and eight rebounds per game; however, he has been something special for Cleveland during the playoffs.

Over his past five postseason games, Thompson is averaging nearly 12 points and 12 rebounds per contest. He pulled down 16 boards against the Hawks in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, which is a role that he has come to relish, according to Zac Jackson of FoxSports.com:

"

Rebound. Get more rebounds than everyone else in the game. I'm old school. I'm 24, but I'm old school. Just rebound and be a dog. ... I am greedy. If I see two or three guys I'm trying to snatch it, I'm like a thief on the boards. It kills their spirit trying to box me out, knowing that they can't.

"

Thompson's rebounding prowess has been a major problem for the Hawks through two games, and it has arguably been the biggest difference in the series due to Atlanta's inability to get second chances on the offensive end.

Per ESPN's Ryen Russillo, Thompson has developed into an elite player in terms of his penchant for rebounding the basketball:

The Cavs generally go as LeBron goes, but he can't do it by himself every game. King James has gotten a fair amount of help from his teammates thus far in the Eastern Conference Finals, and Thompson is at the top of that list.

The Canadian-born big man is a riddle that the Hawks have yet to solve, and if they can't contain him on the glass in Game 3, then the Cavaliers could be staring at a 3-0 lead with just one win separating them from the NBA Finals.

Game 3 Prediction

When the Cavs and Hawks meet Sunday, it will be a game between a team that is playing with the utmost confidence and a team that desperately needs a win. Something has to give in that scenario, but it is tough to envision Cleveland falling at home, especially after how well it played in Game 2.

LeBron is firing on all cylinders, while the Hawks don't have a singular answer. Being a great all-around team can lead to a deep playoff run, but without a true go-to guy, there is a ceiling that teams like Atlanta can't break through.

Even so, Hawks guard Kent Bazemore believes that the Hawks are still better than the Cavs based largely on the success they had against them during the regular season, according to ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst:

"

We played them in the regular season this year and got the best of them. I still think we're the better team. We just haven't shown it yet. ... The bright side is we haven't played well the first two games. We still think we're the better team. We'll try to get two up in Cleveland. We've got to play angry.

"

The biggest problem for the Hawks is that they can play much better in Game 3 than they did in Game 2, but still come out on the losing end. Cleveland was thoroughly dominant, and there is no reason to believe that its play will drop off at home.

Per ESPN's Jalen Rose, the Cavaliers are getting the best of the Hawks in essentially every department, especially in the paint:

Atlanta seemingly doesn't have the physicality needed to negate what Cleveland is doing with its bigs, and it certainly doesn't have anyone capable of keeping LeBron in check.

With so much working in Cleveland's favor, look for the Cavaliers to score a 90-82 win in Game 3, which would put them on the precipice of their first NBA Finals appearance since 2007.

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