Kasler: Random Cavs playoffs thoughts

1. The Cavs are undefeated in the postseason thus far and certainly seem to be tying it all together at just the right time. And that statement is true even without the record-setting game they played on Wednesday night. That said, this team had a tendency to lose interest throughout the regular season, and I wonder if that issue might resurface tonight.

2.Could you blame the Cavs if their focus in Game 3 isn't superb? They own Atlanta, having won 10 straight. They just set an NBA record with 25 three point field goals made in one game. They are on the road. No fan wants to hear this, but a bit of a letdown is excusable and perhaps expected.

3. One point that's somewhat lost in the Cavs' recent dominance is that Atlanta is a very good team. A top notch defensive outfit with a handful of high-end players who run an efficient offensive system. So, again, there should be no cause for alarm if the Hawks come out tonight and play a great game while the Cavs struggle to find their footing.

4. The flip side is the Cavs could come out and drain 15 threes and win by double digits. I'm not discounting this as a real possibility.

5. I didn't write a post-game recap of Game 2 because, really, what was there to write? The Cavs couldn't miss. The end.

6. My attention honestly drifted for the last quarter and a half of the game. So I didn't see much reason to search for insightful thoughts on a game that was over at halftime.

7. That said, I jotted down a few observations from Wednesday night's game that are more entertaining than insightful. Here they are:

8. When the Cavs move the ball, they can get any shot they want, at any time, from just about any place on the court. Late in the first quarter, LeBron James fired a bullet to Kyrie Irving, who was cutting to the bucket along the baseline. Somehow, Irving handled the pass and in one motion, faked a dish into the lane and then kicked it to the corner for an open Kevin Love three that went in.

9. The entertaining aspect of that sequence wasn't so much about the ball movement or the unselfishness of James and Irving. No, what I thought made that play special was the superior vision and athleticism of the Cavs' stars. James' vision and ability to deliver pinpoint high-velocity passes is unsurpassed. And I still don't know how Irving handled a ball that was screaming at him through traffic, then managed to gather and deliver an assist.

10. Maybe I'm making more of a simple possession than it warrants, but I think anyone watching these guys play sometimes loses site of how talented they really are.

11. Another thought: early in the second quarter, Iman Shumpert finagled a slick pass into Channing Frye, who had gained position deep in the post. Frye converted the layup. It occurred to me that every piece of that sequence was unlikely at best - Shump making a good pass, Frye physically dominating the block and converting a tough interior bucket.

12. Shumpert had another great feed later in the second quarter to Richard Jefferson that led to a made three. Shump has been generally bad this year. Along with a broken jumper, his handles have been less than good, to be kind. So seeing him deliver a couple nice feeds made me realize it really as the Cavs night.

13. I looked at my notes and by late in the second quarter, this is what I jotted down: "Running out of things to write . . . "

14. At the end of the first half, Kent Bazemore was fouled with about two seconds remaining. My thought at the time was that I hoped Bazemore would hurry up and make his free throws because the Cavs still had time to make another three. They were up 36 at the time, probably should throw that in there.

15. Another amusing play came early in the third when Love swiped across Al Horford's face and, I guess, poked him in the eye. The officials didn't blow a whistle, so a few seconds passed with Horford basically holding the ball and fidgeting with his eye. The refs, realizing they missed Love's foul, did what any good NBA official would do - they called a foul on JR Smith away from the ball.

16. When a stop in the action is needed, but it seems no reason exists to halt play, no worries, just call JR Smith for a foul. No one will argue.

17. Final thought: Kris Humphries grabbing and holding James' jersey on a drive to the hoop and then swatting at him with an offhand should have been a flagrant foul. I have no proof, but I honestly think if Smith does the same thing to Paul Millsap, it's a flagrant 1.