3 things to watch as the Hawks meet the Cavs

With the exception of the preseason, the Atlanta Hawks haven't defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers since March 6, 2015. That includes a 4-0 sweep by Cleveland in last season's Eastern Conference Finals, and a 3-0 record this season against the ATL - a trio of games in which the Cavs averaged more than 109 points.

In fact, Atlanta has never won a game against Cleveland in the NBA playoffs, their only other meeting prior to last year coming in 2009, when the Cavaliers swept them as well.

When the series tips off Monday night in Cleveland, the Cavs will have been off for eight days, the Hawks four.

So, do the Hawks have a chance?

Defensively, Atlanta looked good dispatching the Boston Celtics in six games. Through Sunday, only the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors had allowed fewer points per 100 possessions in this year's playoffs than the Hawks. Yet it's a different beast going up against LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love, whose Cavs have the league's highest offensive efficiency after their four-game sweep of the Detroit Pistons.

The X-factor

It sounds familiar, but it's Love. The power forward had two big games in particular against the Pistons, but now goes up against the likes of Paul Millsap and Al Horford. His spreading ability could be huge. Love is now as far into the postseason as he's ever been in his career, having been knocked out in round one due to injury last year.

Extra-curricular activity?

Hawks swingman Kent Bazemore likes to crack disturbing grins at TV cameras. The 26-year-old is also not intimidated by LeBron. The pair had a minor shoving match in last year's playoffs, and Bazemore took some Twitter shots at James back when he was in college.

"You got to amp yourself up," Bazemore told the Associated Press. "You can't go in humble, I guess. You've got to make yourself angry and do whatever you gotta do, because he's a freight train. (James) comes with everything he has. You have to do the same to hang in there."

There's also Matthew Dellavedova's endearment to Hawks fans after Kyle Korver was knocked out of last year's playoff series when the Australian rolled into the sharpshooter's ankle. "Delly has actually been a thorn in our side,'' Bazemore said. ''He's hurt us, (but) I respect him."