Atlanta Hawks: 4 Keys to Victory vs. Cavaliers

May 26, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward

(4) reaches for a ball going out of bounds during the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

BETTER REBOUNDING

During the Eastern Conference Finals, the Cavaliers destroyed the Atlanta Hawks on the glass. The physical frontcourt of Tristan Thompson and Timofey Mozgov outrebouded the Hawks on the offensive and defensive end, killing any chance the Atlanta Hawks of getting second chance opportunities or limiting the Cavaliers second chance opportunities.

Now that the Atlanta Hawks have Tiago Splitter, and the with the development of Mike Muscala, the team figures to match up better with the Cavaliers frontcourt. Mike Budenholzer may also opt to use Walter Tavares at times to mitigate the Cavaliers rebounding capability. The Hawks also need to box out better. Over the past few games, they have not secured rebounds that they should have, and that has led to key second chance opportunities for teams like the Jazz.

Regardless of the personnel that Bud decides to use, the Atlanta Hawks must do a better job securing rebounds. Against a tough Cleveland team, it’s imperative to limit their second chance opportunities so shooters like J.R. Smith and James Jones don’t replicate their ECF performances on Saturday.

Next: Improved Perimeter Defense