Reeling Hawks lose one of their top guns
Already in a 2-0 hole against Cavaliers, Atlanta now without offensive powerhouse Korver for rest of playoffs
CLEVELAND — Forgive Mike Budenholzer if he couldn’t come up with quite the right words to put a positive spin on losing a key starter in a series in which he’s already down 2-0 and heading into enemy territory.
The Atlanta Hawks head coach’s day began with news that Kyle Korver, who left a Game 2 Eastern Conference final loss with a minute to go in the third quarter, would not be on the court again this post-season.
Korver suffered a high-ankle sprain when Cavaliers super-pest Matthew Dellavedova, a starter in place of the injured Kyrie Irving, dove for a loose ball and rolled up Korver’s leg as he corralled the basketball. Dellavedova’s full weight came to rest on Korver’s leg (Korver was still upright) and twisted it in a way the human leg wasn’t meant to bend.
While there is still discussion whether surgery will be required, what is not in doubt is that Korver is most definitely done for the playoffs.
Budenholzer, knowing his team’s mental psyche was already in tatters, tried his best to find a positive in this, but stumbled trying to come up with the right words.
What we think he was trying to say was that the Hawks, down 2-0 already, were going to need to be as mentally tough as ever and losing such a key piece like Korver should only fortify their resolve to do so.
It was a commendable effort, but reeked of a guy grasping at straws.
You can’t blame him, given the situation he and the Hawks find themselves.
Korver, even when he isn’t draining threes with dizzying consistency — which has been the case since the second round — remains a difference maker.
Opponents still had to account for him beyond the arc and he’ll always be one of the better cutters in the game away from the ball, not to mention his willingness and effectiveness setting screens to get his teammates open looks. A 49 per cent three-point shooter during the regular season, Korver has seen more attention defensively in the postseason and his shooting numbers have come down, slipping to 35.5 per cent from distance.
Still, losing Korver, a guy Budenholzer described as a “huge part of our leadership, our culture, our fibre,” is going to hurt.
Budenholzer wasn’t prepared to name Korver’s replacement in the starting five, but the likely candidate would have to be Kent Bazemore.
What the Hawks lose in size and outside shooting, they pick up in defensive intensity and athleticism if it’s a Bazemore-for-Korver switch.
Which might not be a bad thing considering the Hawks have been getting torched for their inability to keep the Cavs in front of them and out of the paint.
Bazemore is a former NCAA defensive player of the year winner and has played quite a bit with Carroll being one of Budenholzer’s first subs off the bench. But there’s no way to put a positive spin on losing one of your true leaders both on the court and in the locker-room when you need his presence most.
Budenholzer was putting on a brave face, but two games in the Cavaliers are overcoming their own obstacles while building a lead. The Hawks, meanwhile, have given up home court, have given no indication they can stay even with a Cavs lineup that has suffered greater losses to injury than the Hawks have.
The Hawks finished up in Atlanta after two games in a big hole. That hole grew bigger before they even got to Cleveland.