A tale of two shooters: Korver struggling, Smith thriving

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks have only played one game in their Eastern Conference showdown. Already, there exists one glaring disparity that has become a major topic of discussion: J.R. Smith has been red hot, and Kyle Korver has been ice cold.

Smith's offense was explosive in Game 1. He was responsible for all of the Cavs' bench points, having poured in 28 of them - mostly from beyond the arc. This significant contribution from Smith was not only his career playoff high, but it also simultaneously provided an emotional lift for the Cavs and a deflating blow to the Hawks.

Although Smith shot the long ball with his usual reckless abandon, he was unusually efficient doing so. He made 10-of-16 shots, sinking eight of his 12 3-point attempts. He also chipped in eight boards, three dimes, one block, and a steal to boot. After the game, he stated that he prefers to shoot with defenders contesting his shots.

Conversely, Kyle Korver has not had the same level of success as Smith as of late. Korver finished Game 1 with just nine points (3-of-5 on field goals and 2-of-4 from long distance). Although he did grab seven rebounds and delivered three assists, he was not his usual self.

In fact, Korver has been underwhelming for a prolonged stretch now. He has not scored in double figures since Game 3 of the Hawks' second round series versus the Washington Wizards.

The primary reason for Korver's recent shooting woes is the aggressive defensive approach employed by the Cavs. In the clip below, watch Iman Shumpert and Tristan Thompson switch on a screen set by Paul Millsap. This switch allows for Thompson to close out on Korver in the corner, effectively disturbing his shot regardless of the sharpshooter's quick release.

Since Korver and company are defined by their ability to quickly move the ball from one side of the court to the other and make long distance shots, Game 1 may serve as a bad omen for the Hawks. Should J.R. Smith continue to provide a punch off the bench, and Korver remain ineffective, the Hawks' feel-good story of a season may reach its conclusion sooner rather than later.