(SportsNetwork.com) - The Cleveland Cavaliers will shoot for a 3-0 series lead over the Atlanta Hawks when they return home to Quicken Loans Arena on Sunday for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Cleveland swept the first two games in Atlanta thanks to extraordinary play by who else, LeBron James.
James finished a rebound shy of a triple-double, recording 30 points and 11 assists, in a 94-82 win on Friday in Game 2.
Playing without Kyrie Irving, James was 10-of-22 from the field and when he wasn't invading the paint and attacking the basket, he was finding teammates for open 3-pointers.
Eight of his 11 assists led to a Cavaliers triple.
"He sees things ahead of time," Cleveland coach David Blatt said. "He's willing to pass the ball and he believes in his teammates."
James scored 11 of his points in a dominating third quarter where Cleveland outscored Atlanta 30-17 and led by as many as 20.
Irving sat out Game 2 due to a lingering left knee injury. He sat out Friday's morning shootaround in Atlanta to undergo additional evaluation for tendinitis with head team physician Dr. Richard Parker. He aggravated the injury in Cleveland's 97-89 Game 1 win.
Kevin Love, of course, was lost for the playoffs after dislocating his shoulder during Game 4 of the Cavs' first-round series against the Boston Celtics.
Iman Shumpert nailed four 3s and scored 16 points, Tristan Thompson snatched 16 rebounds and Irving's backup, Matthew Dellavedova, posted 11 points, six boards and four assists in the triumph.
Atlanta has played like a different team than the one which went 17-0 during the month of January and finished with an East-best 60-22 record. The usually pass-happy and sharp-shooting Hawks have appeared stagnant during the postseason.
They tallied 15 assists, shot just 41.8 percent (33-of-79) and made 6-of-26 from long distance on Friday.
"We've got to be a lot better offensively," Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer said. "It's important for us to screen better ... they're making it difficult."
DeMarre Carroll, who started and played just under 34 minutes despite a left knee strain suffered in Game 1, scored six points. Dennis Schroder led the Hawks with 13 points.
"Physically, DeMarre was in a pretty good place," Budenholzer said.
Kyle Korver suffered a severe high right ankle sprain in Game 2 and will not be available again this season.
Late in the third quarter of the Game 2 loss, Dellavedova rolled over on Korver's ankle as they were competing for a loose ball. Korver went to the locker room to have x-rays, which turned up negative for a broken ankle.
Despite the injury to Korver and the general domination by the Cavaliers, no one in Cleveland is suggesting this series is over.
"This is not anywhere near done," Blatt said. "We have to continue to play right."
The Hawks have won in six of the last eight trips to Cleveland.
Game 4 will be Tuesday night in Cleveland.
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