Kasler: LeBron, Kyrie give Cavs lift they need

The Cavaliers clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference on Monday night, downing the visiting Hawks, 109-94.

After falling behind 10-0 to begin the game, the Cavs outpaced Atlanta by 25 points the rest of the way. Some thoughts on top-end talent, turnovers and officiating follow:

1. Monday night amplified the irreplaceable value of star power in the NBA. LeBron James (34 points, six rebounds and six assists) and Kyrie Irving (35 points, four rebounds and four assists) simply outshone the collective “goodness” of the Hawks.

2. The last time the Hawks and Cavs squared off, the outcome wasn’t determined until the final horn. But even after that nail-biter, I posed the question: does a team led by three very good players -- Al Horford, Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague -- really scare you? Monday night’s game delivered a belated but definitive answer.

3. And no, I’m not lumping Kent Bazemore in with the Hawks good players, even though he spent the first half mindlessly toying with the Cavs. He predictably plummeted back to earth in the second half and caused no more trouble for anyone.

4. Teague and Dennis Shroder present challenges with their quickness to the rim. Teague, in fact, had a dominant stretch in the third quarter that left me searching for a towel to throw Irving’s way. But after those two, the athleticism of Horford, Millsap and guys like Kyle Korver and Mike Scott is adequate at best.

5. This is not meant to diminish the Hawks. They are highly skilled and well-coached. There is a cohesiveness about their offensive game that, frankly, the Cavs may envy. But when the rubber meets the road, the gargantuan talent that is James and Irving blotted out whatever brightness the Hawks team-based approach could manage.

6. James and Irving’s games were not, however, without blemishes. LeBron had four turnovers and Irving a somewhat troublesome six. The difference is James' turnovers seem to occur when he’s trying to create for teammates; Irving’s, on the other hand, seem to occur when he’s trying to create for himself.

7. Final thought on Kyrie: I’ve been pretty consistent in suggesting that, for the Cavs to advance deep in the postseason and pull of a miracle title run, Irving has to score. A bunch. I get that he’s polarizing because he’s a point guard who shoots often (he took 28 shots Monday) and who rarely posts double-digit assist totals. But turnovers and all, Irving is a gifted scorer on a team that otherwise has evolved into LeBron and a gaggle of hit-or-miss role players.

8. Put another way: Kyrie’s scoring is a very good thing.

9. Complaining about the officiating in an NBA game is the definition of plucking all the low-hanging fruit. It’s so easy to do, and yet so absolutely pointless. But Monday, wow, I thought the officials were abiding by an alien rule book, and the madness impacted both teams.

10. In the first quarter, Tristan Thompson had the cleanest, most textbook block and was somehow whistled for a foul by Danny Crawford who, of course, had the worst view of the play among the three officials. That call seemed to be the domino that began a full game of no-calls, bad calls, and outright head-scratching calls.

11. Thompson was inserted into the starting lineup and produced a workmanlike effort, notching nine points and pulling in 10 rebounds. Not eye-popping numbers when you consider he logged 36 minutes, but with James and Irving taking and making so many shots, Thompson did as he usually does, which is to say whatever was needed.

12. Some credit seems due Tyronn Lue, who I have occasionally complimented but more often dismissed. And yes, I’m sure Lue is anxiously awaiting my views of his performance Monday. Anyway, I thought the Cavs came out in the second half with an obvious focus to give the ball to James and let him create. He did just that, scoring five points in the Cavs' first three possessions.

13. The Cavs only held a six point lead at halftime and have a tendency to come out flat to begin third quarters. Giving the ball to James and letting him attack was the perfect way to stave off a quick confidence-building run from the Hawks.

14. I also thought Lue called a smart time out with about 7:00 left in the game. Yes, the Cavs were up 15, but the game seemed to be getting sloppy. In fact, just before he called the timeout, Horford spotted up for a three and could have opened up his lunch sack and eaten a sandwich before shooting, so slow was the Cavs' defensive rotation. Horford missed, but Lue seemed to recognize the need to restore order and refocus his team.

15. So, good job, Ty. You’ve got my stamp of approval for Monday. You’re welcome.

16. The Cavs can sleepwalk through their final regular-season game against Detroit, which is a good thing. It took a bit longer than perhaps expected, but with home-court advantage secure, it’s time to get ready for a postseason run. Hold on tight.