LeBron James stands just one win away from putting his stamp on one of the most riveting runs to an NBA Finals appearance in recent memory.
Thus far, nothing or no one has been able to slow the four-time league MVP from imposing his will. With Kevin Love sidelined early by a shoulder injury and Kyrie Irving periodically so by a bad knee, James has simply put the Cavs on his back and now has his boyhood franchise up 3-0 over the Atlanta Hawks and just a win away from their first Finals appearance in what must feel like forever to Cavs fans.
The Eastern Conference top-seeded Hawks have simply proven not much of a match for the surging Cavs over the first three games. Victors of 11 of their first 13 in the playoffs, Cleveland has found ways to win that no one could have foreseen or predicted for them coming into what was being widely heralded as one of the most wide-open playoff fields in NBA history.
And yet, who can truly be surprised to again find James at the center of it all? One more win over the, thus far, outclassed Hawks and he will have earned his fifth straight trip to the NA Finals.
In doing so this time around, James has made household names out of the improbable likes of Matthew Dellavedova, Tristan Thompson and James Jones. In yet another illustration of just how impactful his reach can be, he’s given resurrection to the once much-criticized likes of J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert and Timofey Mozgov.
According to SeatSmart, average ticket prices are settling in at $242.68, with a get-in price of $91 for Game 4 Tuesday night at the Quicken Loans Arena. Sharpshooter Kyle Korver (ankle) has already been ruled out for the Hawks and DeMarre Carroll will be playing limited. Even so, Hawks tickets are a hot item, especially for those diehard fans of the organization hoping their team can survive after one of the best regular season performances in franchise history.
Despite Atlanta’s significant success over the past several months, they might not have enough to pull off the comeback. James and his Cavaliers look to be in top form at the moment, providing an ultra tough obstacle for a team that has its back against the wall.
