As badly as manager Terry Francona wants Yan Gomes back in the lineup, he'll wait until he's able to catch a full nine innings.

CHICAGO - Terry Francona and James Quinlan are in a tug-of-war. Yan Gomes is playing the part of the rope.

Francona is the Indians manager. Quinlan is the team's head athletic trainer. Gomes is the starting catcher, on the shelf since April 11 with a right knee injury.

Gomes is getting close to being activated. He caught five innings Monday night for Class AAA Columbus. He's scheduled to catch seven innings Wednesday and DH Thursday.

The next logical step would be to activate Gomes when the Indians return home for a three-game series against Cincinnati on Friday. But that's where the tug-of-war is taking place.

"He's closing in on being activated, that's stating the obvious," said Francona. "In fairness to him, we probably need to get him out to nine (innings). I know he probably doesn't think he needs to.

"But when you talk to the trainers and Sandy Alomar (catching coach), as bad as you'd like to have him, and believe me we do, but if we did something a day or two early, and something happens, wow, that would be a bad mistake."

Francona says he's been pushing Quinlan as hard as he can to get Gomes back on the field.

"I've probably pushed James as far as I can," said Francona. "When he holds his ground on something, there's a pretty good chance he's right."

Roberto Perez and Brett Hayes have been doing the catching since Gomes sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee on a play at the plate against Detroit.

Start me up: Veteran right-hander Shaun Marcum joined the Indians on Tuesday from Class AAA Columbus and will be activated and start Wednesday night against White Sox rookie Carlos Rodon.

Marcum went 4-0 with a 1.36 ERA in five starts at Columbus. He struck out 22 and walked eight in in 33 innings.

"A lot of things were working for me in Columbus, throwing strikes was the main thing," said Marcum. "I had some walks down there, but I was able to finally get my mechanics to where I was able to repeat my delivery."

The Indians could have purchased Marcum's contract earlier than they did, but instead they promoted Bruce Chen. After two poor starts, Chen was designated for assignment and Monday he announced his retirement.

"I was disappointed a little bit, but at the same time Bruce was a great teammate," said Marcum. "I'm glad he got the opportunity and I wish it would have worked out better for him.

"For me I just had to continue what I was doing. I didn't do me any good to be mad or bitter about not getting called up."

This will be Marcum's first start in the big leagues since June 6, 2013 with the New York Mets.

"I just very quickly told him, "Man, just enjoy pitching and competing against major-league guys because you have worked so hard (to get back here),'" said Francona. "I think he's in a real good place."

Marcum has spent the last year recovering from Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and a fractured right shoulder.

My aching back: First baseman Carlos Santana missed his third straight start back spasms.

"I'm feeling better, but it could be a couple of more days," said Santana.

Francona said he was waiting until after Tuesday's batting practice to see if Santana could come off the bench as a pinch hitter.

Almost: Left fielder Zach Walters was playing in and toward the line Monday night in the 10^th inning when White Sox rookie Carlos Sanchez came to the plate with runners on first and second and two out.

"We had a good scouting report on him and I'd played against him in the minors," said Walters.

Sanchez sent a liner to shallow left that Walters dove for and missed as the winning run scored in Chicago's 2-1 victory.

"I missed it by about that much," said Walters, holding his hands apart by about five inches. "Then I looked behind me and it hit inside the line by six inches."

Check out spring sports highlights from Tuesday's action based on box scores reported to the Northeast Ohio Media Group.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Here are spring sports highlights from Tuesday's action based on box scores reported to the Northeast Ohio Media Group.

For more information on how to report box scores, please email High School Sports Manager Kristen Davis (kdavis@cleveland.com).

Baseball

Twinsburg's Mitch Eglar threw a complete game, striking out seven to help the Tigers win a pitching duel against Austintown-Fitch in Tuesday's district semifinal. Matt Gugliotta's 2-RBI double in the third inning was the difference in the game. The No. 2-seed Tigers will move on to face No. 1 Aurora in the Struthers District final on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. 

Gilmour put crooked numbers on the board in four straight frames to beat Chippewa, 17-7, in five innings on Tuesday. The Lancers are scheduled to face Warren Champion in the Euclid District semifinals on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

Softball

Cuyahoga Heights held on to beat Dalton, 4-3, in Tuesday's Copley District semifinal matchup despite a three-run sixth inning by Dalton. Alicia Falorio homered and drove in a pair for the Redskins while Lauren Goetz went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and a run scored. Top-seeded Cuyahoga Heights will take on No. 1 Jeromesville Hillsdale on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.

Follow along with baseball, softball, girls lacrosse postseasons

Postseason baseball, softball and girls lacrosse continued throughout Ohio on Tuesday.

Check out updated, interactive brackets for all districts in baseball, softball and girls lacrosse.

Get all the scores

Check out scores from the following sports this evening: baseball, softball and girls lacrosse.

Follow our new high school sports Twitter account @NEOvarsity and tag your high school sports Tweets and score updates with the #NEOVarsity hashtag.

The RubberDucks had runners on second and third with two outs in the bottom of the 11th, but a groundout ended the game.

New Britain outfielder Mike Tauchman singled with two outs in the top of the 11th to bring in what turned out to be the winning run Tuesday as the RubberDucks fell, 4-3, to the Rock Cats at Canal Park in Akron.

Akron reliever Grant Sides (0-3, 4.43 ERA) struck out the first Rock Cats batter to start the 11th before putting a runner on with a walk. However, the RubberDucks looked to be in good shape after catcher Jake Lowery threw out the runner trying to steal second.

But Sides again walked a batter, and this time the runner was able to successfully steal second. Tauchman then delivered with an RBI single, his only hit on a 1-for-6 night.

The RubberDucks had runners on second and third with two outs in the bottom of the 11th, but first baseman Jeremy Lucas grounded out to second to end the game.

The RubberDucks took a 3-2 lead into the seventh inning. Outfielder Jordan Smith had an RBI single in the second, third baseman Yandy Diaz brought in a run with a groundout in the fourth after shortstop Erik Gonzalez tripled, and Lowery had an RBI double in the fifth.

Akron starter Mike Clevinger gave up two runs, one earned, on three hits in five innings in the no-decision. The RubberDucks used six pitchers in the game.

New Britain reliever Austin Gonzalez (1-0, 1.13) pitched 2/3 of an inning, striking out both batters he faced. Austin House got his 14th save.

In each of his past two starts, Indians righty Trevor Bauer has allowed one run in 7 1/3 innings.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Right-hander Trevor Bauer pitched well and Jason Kipnis reached safely three times and scored twice as the Cleveland Indians defeated the White Sox, 3-1, Tuesday night at US Cellular Field in Chicago.

Here is a capsule look at the game after a DVR review of the Fox SportsTime Ohio telecast:

Impressive work: The Indians (15-23) had lost two in a row. They improved to 8-17 against Central Division opponents.

The Indians defeated a good left-handed starter, Jose Quintana, and ended Chicago's winning streak at six games. The White Sox are 18-18.

Back-to-back, near-carbon-copy excellence: In Bauer's previous start, May 14 against the Cardinals in Cleveland, he allowed one run on four hits in 7 1/3 innings of a no-decision. He walked three and struck out 10. He threw 110 pitches.

On Tuesday, Bauer allowed one run on four hits in 7 1/3 innings of a victory. He walked three and struck out seven. He threw 112 pitches.

Bauer (3-1, 3.31 ERA) relied primarily on fastballs and breaking pitches to beat the White Sox. His fastball at the belt or above was particularly effective.

Here is a list of the last pitch Bauer made to each of 29 batters faced:

FIRST INNING

(L) Adam Eaton -- 93-mph fastball at belt and inside, grounder to short (3-2 count).

(L) Melky Cabrera -- 94 fastball at belt and inside, foul pop to third (2-0). Tied up Melk Man.

(R) Jose Abreu -- 85 slider down and away, swinging strikeout (3-2). Nasty.

SECOND INNING

(L) Adam LaRoche -- 92 fastball over plate at thighs, fly to left (0-0).

(R) Avisail Garcia -- 78 curve outside corner, swinging strikeout (2-2). Serious 12-to-6 break.

(L) Conor Gillaspie -- 94 fastball above belt, pop to center (0-1).

THIRD INNING

(R) Alexei Ramirez -- 78 curve down and away, grounder to third (1-2). Quality  pitch forced Alexeeeeeeei into emergency hack.

(R) Tyler Flowers -- hanging slider, fly to left (2-2). Bauer was fortunate Flowers, not Miggy, was swinging.

(L) Carlos Sanchez -- slider, grounder to first (1-2).

FOURTH INNING

(L) Adam Eaton -- fastball at belt, foul pop to third (0-0). Good running catch by Mike Aviles near tarp.

(L) Melky Cabrera -- 93 fastball off inside corner, pop to short (2-1). Being behind in the count didn't stop Bauer from getting into Melk Man's kitchen.

(R) Jose Abreu -- 93 fastball outer third at thighs, double to center (0-1). More credit to Abreu for pulling in the hands than blame to Bauer for "mistake.''

(L) Adam LaRoche --93 fastball high, walk (3-0). Bauer appeared to be working around LaRoche -- or at least being very careful.

(R) Avisail Garcia -- 94 fastball inner third at knees, RBI single to center (1-1). Not a bad pitch. White Sox tied score, 1-1.

(L) Conor Gillaspie -- 94 fastball inside, walk (3-1). Close pitch; umpire Brian Knight's call confirmed by K-box. Bases loaded.

(R) Alexei Ramirez -- 79 curve in dirt, swinging strikeout (1-2).*

FIFTH INNING

(R) Tyler Flowers -- 92 fastball inner third, single to left (1-0). Basic grounder through hole.

(L) Carlos Sanchez -- 84 breaking pitch, sacrifice bunt to third (1-1). Flowers to second.

(L) Adam Eaton -- 79 curve, swinging strikeout (1-2). Nasty trumped pesky.

(L) Melky Cabrera -- 93 fastball inside corner at belt, fly to center (1-2).

SIXTH INNING

(R) Jose Abreu -- 92 fastball inner third, fly to center (0-1).

(L) Adam LaRoche -- 93 fastball high and away, walk (3-2). Good AB by LaRoche; he laid off a sharp 2-2 breaking pitch.

(R) Avisail Garcia -- 93 fastball outer third, fielder's choice to pitcher (1-1). Bauer fielded and was forced to wait until shortstop Jose Ramirez covered. Ramirez's relay was out of rhythm and wild, enabling Garcia to beat it out and advance to second.

Fox SportsTime Ohio analyst Rick Manning said: "That should have been a double-play ball. That's just not knowing who was covering (Ramirez or second baseman Kipnis). That's a communication breakdown.''

(L) Conor Gillaspie -- 93 fastball inside corner at knees, called strikeout (3-2). Terrific pitch in a big spot. Fastball came back over corner and locked up Gillaspie.

SEVENTH INNING

(R) Alexei Ramirez -- fastball inner half, foul to first (2-1).

(R) Tyler Flowers -- 92 fastball high, swinging strikeout (0-2).

(L) Carlos Sanchez -- 80 curve in dirt, swinging strikeout (1-2). Almost identical to pitch that whiffed Alexeeeeeei to end fourth.

EIGHTH INNING

(L) Adam Eaton -- 91 fastball up, single to center (3-2). Eaton swung through the previous pitch, a 92-mph fastball up.

(L) Melky Cabrera -- 94 fastball off inside corner at belt, fly to right (0-1). Another fastball that tied up Melk Man just enough; Ryan Raburn made catch in front of track.

(Bryan Shaw replaces Bauer.)

*AB of the game: Tribe pitching coach Mickey Callaway visited Bauer after Gillaspie spit on the 3-1 fastball to draw the walk and load the bases.

Alexeeei is geared for first-pitch fastballs, in general -- even more so after a visit to the mound by the pitching coach. Bauer had read the book: He threw a good slider that Alexei fouled.

Bauer came back with another slider, this one not as well-located. Alexei wasn't tempted as it ran down and away.

Bauer and catcher Roberto Perez opted for a fastball high, and Alexei was unable to lay off. He swung through it to put Bauer ahead, 1-2.

Bauer looked in for the signs, didn't like what he saw and asked Perez to recycle. Bauer continued to disagree. Alexei asked for, and was granted, time. Perez visited the mound.

That the pitcher and catcher took the time to get on exactly the same page proved enormous.

Bauer threw a slider on the outside corner that Alexei popped foul to the right. The next pitch was the curve that bounced in front of the plate and got Alexei to chase.

Back at it: Kipnis went 2-for-4 with a triple, HBP and the two runs. He has reached safely at least three times in nine of his past 10 games.

In the series opener Monday, Kipnis was 0-for-3 with a sacrifice bunt. It snapped his hitting streak at nine games.

Both of Kipnis's hits Tuesday came against Quintana. Lefties entered the night at  3-for-32 against Q.

Here's what Terry Francona, Trevor Bauer, Jason Kipnis, Marc Rzepczynski, Cody Allen and Brandon Moss had to say about Tuesday's 3-1 win over Chicago.

CHICAGO -- Here's what the Indians were talking about after their 3-1 victory over the White Sox on Tuesday night at U.S. Cellular Field.

Manager Terry Francona

What did you think of Trevor Bauer?

"I'll tell you what, he was good. It might not have been his best command, but he threw all his pitches for strikes. Maybe, not always where he wanted to, but he had a real good breaking ball and in this cold weather that was something.

"He made them respect all his pitches and he competed. He got himself in a bind in the fourth and pitched his way out of it."

Explanation: Bauer allowed one run on four hits in 7 1/3 innings for the win. He struck out seven and walked three. He threw 112 pitches, 68 for strikes.

On why you went to the bullpen in the eighth inning?

"When you're running through Jose Abreu, and he can tie the game at anytime with one swing, it makes you think a lot."

Explanation: Bauer had one runner on and one out when Bryan Shaw relieved to face Abreu. He walked Abreu after Roberto Perez's passed ball moved Adam Eaton to second and opened first base.

Marc Rzepczynski came on and struck out Adam LaRoche and closer Cody Allen struck out Avisail Garcia to end the inning.

On Jose Ramirez's RBI double in the fifth to give the Tribe a 2-1 lead.

"He came up with a big double. We'll take anything we can get because runs are hard to come by sometimes."

On Brandon Moss's homer in the eighth.

"Moss's tack-on homer was huge. . .That extra run takes away the bunt, the stolen base. It does a lot of things. We had Eaton on second base in the eighth and with a 3-1 lead we don't have to throw him out at the plate if there's a hit."

On beating Chicago lefty Jose Quintana for the first time.

"He was pretty good. He's able to get the ball above the barrel of some of our right-handed hitters. He kind of short-arms the ball with some decent velocity.

"He's tough. We did a good enough job where we scored enough to win."

Explanation: Quintana came into the game with a 4-0 record and a 2.94 ERA against the Indians.

Trevor Bauer

On being 2-0 in three starts against the White Sox this year.

"I've just happened to run into them when I've been feeling good and executing my pitches well. When you execute well, you have a good chance against anybody. When you don't, anybody can beat you."

Explanation: Bauer is 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA in three starts against Chicago this year.

On the importance of Brandon Moss' eighth-inning homer that took the lead from 2-1 to 3-1.

"It was big. It gave me a little bit of space to work. When Eaton got on I didn't have to worry about him stealing second because if he scores we're still up by one. So I can focus more on the hitter.

"Anytime you get that insurance run to go up by two it's big."

Closer Cody Allen

How do you feel about a four-out save?

"When you get that last out in the eighth, it gives you a little bit of confidence going back out for the night. Especially tonight to get that that big strikeout to end the eighth against (Avisail) Garcia."

Explanation: Allen relieved Rzepczynski with two on and two out in the eighth. He struck out Garcia to end the inning and then worked a perfect ninth for his seventh save.

Brandon Moss

On timing of his eighth-inning homer.

"It came at a good time, especially after my last at-bat (sixth inning) when the runners were sacrificed to second and third and I ended up grounding out to first base.

"So definitely it felt good to hit that. Especially being behind in the count 1-2. It hadn't been the best day for me. So to help the team out felt good."

Marc Rzepczynski

On striking out Adam LaRoche in the eighth.

"The last time I went out in Trevor's start I gave up the homer that cost him the win. So it was nice to go out there and do what I'm supposed to do."

Jason Kipnis

On going 2-for-3 with two runs against Jose Quintana.

"He was still effective. He has always been effective against us.

"We just caught some breaks tonight. Things kind of went our way. The first run, Garcia helped me out. The second run, Alexei helped me out. Then Jose had a good swing and I came around.

"We just had things go our way this time."

Explanation: Lefties were hitting 0-for-25 in Quintana's last six starts coming into Tuesday's game. Kipnis tripled over Avisail Garcia's head in right field to start the game. In the fifth, he singled off shortstop Alexei Ramirez's glove.

Kipnis and Michael Brantley are only the third and fourth left-handed hitters to get  hits off Quintana this year. Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas of Kansas City are the others.

D'Angelo Russell's pro future became a little more clear after Tuesday's NBA Draft Lottery.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- D'Angelo Russell was sitting at a table inside the Ohio State basketball team's practice facility with his father, Antonio, on his right and Buckeyes coach Thad Matta on his left.

Russell was there to answer questions about the decision he had just made to forgo the rest of his college career after one season in Columbus. Which NBA team he would end up with was far from his mind because he was really just beginning the process of becoming a pro.

But he was fresh off a trip to Los Angeles where he won the inaugural Jerry West Award as the nation's best shooting guard. Northeast Ohio Media Group's Doug Lesmerises asked Russell if he had any visions of playing for the Lakers while out on the West Coast.

"Honestly I was starstruck by Jerry West and those guys who were out there," Russell said on April 23. "I never once thought about, 'Hey I could play here,' because it hasn't hit me yet."

That was nearly a month ago. Wonder if it's hit Russell now. Because his NBA future just became a little more clear. Los Angeles or Philadelphia look like the most likely landing spots.

The Minnesota Timberwolves won the first pick in June's draft during Tuesday night's NBA Draft Lottery. Russell won't end up there. Minnesota wants to add a big, either Kentucky's Karl-Anthony Towns or Duke's Jahlil Okafor. One of the next three teams -- the Lakers, the Philadelphia 76ers or the New York Knicks -- will draft Russell.

That L.A., Philly and New York are the teams lined up to take a shot at Russell isn't surprising, but the order is. The Lakers, who had the fourth-best shot of landing the top pick heading into Tuesday, jumped over the Knicks and Sixers to take the No. 2 spot. There was a good chance Russell would've never ended up on the board for the Lakers to take if chalk prevailed in the lottery. But it rarely does, and now it's possible Russell ends up beginning his career as Kobe Bryant's teammate.

It all hinges on what the Lakers decide is their more glaring need: A guard or a big? Los Angeles could end up with whoever is left over from Towns and Okafor, but it's also important to note that the Lakers took Kentucky power forward Julius Randle with the seventh pick in last year's draft. Would that be enough to steer the Lakers toward a guard? Most likely not. Any scenario that has Los Angeles taking someone other than Towns or Okafor would buck the trend of most mock drafts. Towns and Okafor have long been considered the top two picks regardless of which teams actually ended up in those slots.

Anything can happen between now and the draft on June 25, but it seems unlikely that Russell would fall past Philadelphia at No. 3.

"He's the guy they want," a league executive told the Philadelphia Inquirer last month. "That's the word around the league. You know the Sixers. They won't come out and say it, but he's the guy they want."

In the middle of a massive rebuild, the Sixers already have young post players in Joel Embiid and Nerlens Noel, both acquired with lottery picks. Adding a guard like Russell makes sense. The last time an Ohio State player was rated this high in the draft, the Sixers took Evan Turner with the second overall pick. It's also worth noting that Russell was a high school teammate of Embiid's at Montverde (Fla.) Academy.

DraftExpress.com and CBSSports.com's three draft experts all have the Sixers picking Russell in their respective mock drafts updated after the lottery.

As long as Russell doesn't slip past New York at No. 4, he'll be the fourth Ohio State player selected in the first four picks of the NBA Draft during Matta's tenure.

Ohio State NBA Draft picks under Thad Matta:

2013: DeShaun Thomas, Second Round, Pick No. 58, San Antonio

2012: Jared Sullinger, First Round, Pick No. 21, Boston

2011: Jon Diebler, Second Round, Pick No. 51, Portland

2010: Evan Turner, First Round, Pick No. 2, Philadelphia

2009: Byron Mullens, First Round, Pick No. 24, Dallas (traded to Oklahoma City)

2008: Kosta Koufos, First Round, Pick No. 23, Utah

2007: Greg Oden, First Round, Pick No. 1, Portland

2007: Mike Conley, First Round, Pick No. 4, Memphis

2007: Daequan Cook, First Round, Pick No. 21, Philadelphia (traded to Miami)

Compare and contrast how the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks rebuilt their rosters to contend for an NBA title in this multimedia slideshow.

See six important things to know before the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers tip off on Wednesday night.

High expectations have followed the Cleveland Cavaliers throughout the season and they have one more obstacle, which begins on Wednesday night against Atlanta, before getting back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2007.

ATLANTA -- High expectations have followed the Cleveland Cavaliers throughout the season and they have one more obstacle, which begins on Wednesday night against Atlanta, before getting back to the NBA Finals for second time in franchise history.

The top two seeds in the East, separated by seven wins during the regular season, couldn't be more different.

The Hawks stormed through the season on the wings of a diverse offensive attack known for crisp ball movement and a system modeled after the San Antonio Spurs. There's no superstar, no MVP candidate. Despite 60 wins in the regular season, no player even registered a vote for the league's most prestigious award. Depth and balance define Atlanta's team built by former Cavs general manager Danny Ferry.

The Cavs, on the other hand, are constructed on the transcendent talents of LeBron James, who returned for his second stint in Cleveland with eyes on a fifth straight Finals appearance. Using an isolation offense and relying on gobs of other talent, even with one of the Big Three out of the mix, the Cavaliers finished off the experienced and talented Bulls in six games in the previous round.

How healthy is Kyrie Irving?

The talented youngster injured his right foot during Game 2 of the first round against Boston. That was April 21, nearly one month ago. Since then, Irving re-aggravated the injury, had testing done to reveal a strain and has developed tendinitis in his left knee from overcompensating.

Then came another scare during the second quarter of Cleveland's closeout game against Chicago. Irving landed awkwardly on Tristan Thompson's foot and immediately limped off the court. After a few seconds, members of the organization carried him back to the locker room for further examination.

But the city was able to exhale on Monday when Irving declared himself game ready.

"I'm going to go," Irving said. "The last few days of treatment, rest and a combination of a lot of things I feel pretty good going into Wednesday's game."

Still, the real question is about his effectiveness. Irving averaged 14.3 points on 42-of-103 (40 percent) from the field in the first two playoff rounds. He's shooting a blistering 44 percent (13-of-29) from 3-point range. Even if he doesn't have the usual explosiveness, he's still capable of offensive contributions. 

Defense might be something else.

There were times against Chicago when Irving was taken off Chicago's Derrick Rose. He was asked, instead, to chase Mike Dunleavy around the perimeter. While Chicago had a one-man offensive generator in Rose, the Hawks boast a pair of talented point guards -- Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder. Each averaged double figures in scoring.

"Both can break you down on the dribble," Cavs head coach David Blatt said. "Both can push the ball, both can get to the rim and create for not only themselves, but for others. They are a handful. Two excellent guards who can play together. That presents another whole set of problems."

Can DeMarre Carroll contain James?

The Bulls, behind a brilliant defensive plan from Tom Thibodeau and the won't-back-down attitude of Jimmy Butler, defended against James as well as anyone in recent memory. On the ball and in the post, Butler was as impressive as Kawhi Leonard in last season's Finals. James finished the series shooting 39 percent from the field.

The defensive challenge now belongs to Carroll. Before the final regular-season matchup between the two teams, Atlanta's calm defensive stopper was asked about defending the four-time MVP. The player nicknamed "Junkyard Dog" since his college days at Missouri spoke of making James work hard on both ends and trying to tire him out. He also talked about needing a team effort.

That night the plan worked, holding James to 18 points on 5-of-13 shooting while forcing him into nine turnovers, tying his season high. James was 1-of-7 with Carroll as the primary defender, committing four miscues.

"They're similar in their own ways," James said when asked to compare Butler and Carroll. "The best thing about it is they have some very active bigs behind them. It gives them the ability to push up on me and trust that those bigs behind them are going to protect them. I relish the challenge, I love the challenge in both of them."

Other players will take their turn as well, but the Hawks not having Thabo Sefolosha could prove costly.

With a reputation as a feisty defender, Sefolosha is out for the season after suffering a broken leg in an altercation with police outside a New York nightclub late in the season.

Will Kyle Korver regain his shooting form?

He was the fourth All-Star this season for the balanced Hawks and earned a trip to New York on the strength of his shooting. For much of the season, Korver looked destined to become the next 50/40/90 player before falling short.

Korver, who shot 49 percent beyond the arc, is hitting 35 percent in the postseason while being hounded. But his importance is evident as Atlanta is 5-2 in the playoffs when he scores at least 10 points.

"He's a great shooter," Blatt said. "We've got to keep focused and keep him in mind at all times because he's a terrific shooter."

The Hawks, like a number of other teams in the East, are perimeter oriented and Iman Shumpert's versatility and pesky defense are two reasons why he was targeted at the trade deadline. His assignment will be simple: Blanket Korver and keep him from igniting Atlanta's offense. 

Will Tristan Thompson and Timofey Mozgov help neutralize Atlanta's bigs?

Going into the previous series, the Bulls' talented frontcourt was expected to create issues for the Kevin Love-less Cavaliers. It didn't work out that way.

Rookie of the Year runner-up Nikola Mirotic wasn't much of a factor. Pau Gasol's hamstring injury in Game 3 altered the series. Joakim Noah, while still effective on defense and rebounding, was an offensive liability. Taj Gibson, who started in two games, was a disappointment. The Cavs' big man tandem of Mozgov and Thompson negated Chicago's advantage inside, providing unexpected offense, stifling defense and non-stop effort on the boards.

This series presents a new set of challenges. Al Horford and Paul Millsap have combined to average 31.6 points and 18.9 rebounds in the postseason and are much more versatile offensively, able to knock down three-pointers and face-up jumpers. They will keep Mozgov from helping, hovering near the rim and altering shots, things he was able to do with Noah on the floor.

Rebounding was a key in the Chicago series and the same held true in the four-game regular season series between the Cavs and Hawks as the winner of every game held the advantage on the glass. 

Which bench will make the biggest contribution?

This would've seemed like a no-brainer answer a few months ago. The Hawks' bench, led by Schroder, averaged 32.2 points, which ranked 18th in the NBA while the Cavaliers' second unit was dead last at 24.2.

The Hawks used five players during the regular season -- Schroder, Bazemore, Mike Scott, Shelvin Mack and Pero Antic -- all of whom averaged more than 15 minutes per night. Then in a critical Game 4 against Washington, the Hawks' bench poured in 32 points, with seldom-used Mike Muscala playing 15 quality minutes.

After an uneven regular campaign, the Cavs' second unit has had positive moments during the playoff run. James Jones scored 17 points in a Game 2 win against Chicago. In the closeout game, the often-chided unit scored 40 points, including a team-high 19 from Matthew Dellavedova.

With Thompson in the starting lineup, it will be up to Jones, Dellavedova and J.R. Smith to provide the offensive punch and necessary energy to keep the banged-up starters from running out of gas. 

If you are looking for threads that connect CLE and ATL, the Cavaliers and Hawks have plenty.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - If you're looking for threads that connect CLE and ATL, the Cavaliers and Hawks, who meet Wednesday in Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals, have plenty.

On the court Wednesday you'll have Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert, who played at Georgia Tech, which is in Atlanta. And if you want to stretch things a bit, the Hawks have guard Shelvin Mack, who did plenty of damage to Cleveland State during his career at Butler.

Cavaliers great Mark Price also went to Georgia Tech. Mike Fratello and Lenny Wilkens both coached in CLE and ATL, practically trading places in 1993.

Danny Ferry played a front office role for both teams. As GM, he built the Cavaliers during LeBron 1.0. As the Hawks' President of Basketball Operations, he built most of the current roster before leaving the team amid controversy over comments he made.

And, of course, there's Usher, the singer and Atlanta native with a Cavaliers ownership role.

But beyond that, you're scraping the bottom of the barrel trying to find the CLE-ATL connections.

Current Browns players you might not know - WR Kevin Cone and LB Darius Eubanks - both have ties to Atlanta, where, like Cleveland, the Major League Baseball franchise is protested by Native American groups due to its nickname.

Perhaps the most recent connection comes courtesy of one of Cleveland's memorable TV news anchors. Sharon Reed, formerly of WOIO Channel 19, is reportedly headed to Atlanta, where she's expected to start at a CBS affiliate in mid-June.

Just in time to report on an NBA Finals victory parade.

Happening in Cleveland.

Contact sports reporter Scott Patsko on Twitter (@ScottPatsko) by email (spatsko@cleveland.com) or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

As LeBron James and the Cavs prepare for their next challenge, a number of writers from around the country have made their predictions, including us at cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. Watch video

ATLANTA -- The Cleveland Cavaliers are back in the Eastern Conference finals, which will tip in Atlanta on Wednesday night.

As LeBron James and the Cavs prepare for their next challenge, a number of writers from around the country have made their predictions, including us at cleveland.com.

We would also like you to chime in with your thoughts by voting on the poll below.

Cleveland.com

It's a clean sweep for our Cavs coverage team, with all four seeing the Cavs moving on to the NBA Finals after six games.

"Cleveland has James, who is at his best in the East finals. Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith allows the Cavs to matchup with the Hawks in the event Irving is hurt.

Speaking of Irving, if he can overcome the foot and knee injuries that hampered him against the Bulls and offer any kind of answer for Jeff Teague, the Cavs will win in six games. If Irving misses some time because of those injuries, it could take seven.

The injuries and the adversity have galvanized the Cavs. The Hawks struggled in each of their first two playoff matchups.

The James factor will be too much for Atlanta to overcome."

- Joe Vardon

"Although the Hawks aren't as extreme as the Chicago Bulls are when it comes to going into scoring droughts, they do have the propensity to go into multiple lulls on the offensive end. That proved costly for Chicago.

James has shown that when he is engaged on both ends of the floor from start to finish, the Cavaliers are borderline unstoppable. His play ignites and elevates the play of his teammates.

This series can very well go the distance, but I'm going to stop just short of that and go with the Cavaliers in six, closing it out at The Q. My basketball mind wants to pick Atlanta, but it's hard to pick against James, especially considering how well the role players are playing right now."

- Chris Haynes

"The Bulls had to account for Irving (and failed miserably in Game 5). Great players can affect games in different ways.

It's not quite as simple as picking the Cavs over the Hawks because they have LeBron James or can weather the tough offensive stretches better. But that's part of it.

It's not as simple as picking the Cavs because they've been the better team in the postseason, better defensively, better on the boards. But that's part of it, too.

It's that they've been the better team for a while now, including two playoff series.

Cavs in six."

- Bud Shaw

"Homecourt advantage isn't Cleveland's ally this time. The first two rounds, however, have them prepared. The Cavs have learned how to play without Love. Head coach David Blatt showed the ability to make series-altering adjustments. They have felt the sting of losing on a buzzer-beater, just as Atlanta has, and bounced back. They have faced two must-win games, including one on the road. The adversity has hardened them. 

They've shown toughness -- mental and physical -- which is often the deciding factor in a seven-game series between two evenly matched teams, a series that will end with the Cavs moving on to the NBA Finals after six challenging games." 

- Chris Fedor

ESPN.com

There were 14 writers asked to predict the outcome. Nine of them favor the Cavs, and of the group, only two see them needing seven games to move on against the deep and balanced Hawks squad. 

Sporting News

While the Warriors are the clear favorite in the West, the same can't be said in the East where things aren't as easy to figure out. The Cavs lost three of the four regular season meetings and the injuries appear to play a part in Sporting News' predictions.

From Sean Deveney:

"James and Irving, when healthy, are the two best players in this series, and with short benches on both sides, frontline talent will matter most. Cavs guards Matthew Dellavedova, Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith all had their perimeter shots working against Chicago, and if they carry that into the conference finals, it'll be too much for Atlanta to defend.

Prediction: Cavaliers in six."

Adi Joseph writes:

"My first rule in East playoff predictions is to never bet against James. So, I need a deep breath. I need another deep breath.

And this Hawks team isn't unlike the teams that bested the Cavs in James' first stint with the team. They're ridiculously balanced and confident in each other. They have an understated star in Horford and a punishing complement in Millsap, while point guards Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder should make Irving work. And while Carroll has been amazing, here's a guess: Kyle Korver will improve on his 38.5 percent from the field and 35.0 percent on 3-pointers shooting during the playoffs. This is a team, with eight or nine capable contributors. That's what you need to take down a man like LeBron James.

Prediction: Hawks in seven."

Grantland

Bill Simmons isn't writing for the site anymore, but Zach Lowe is still churning out quality content, including a detailed breakdown of his prediction for Warriors-Rockets as well as Cavs-Hawks.

Here's what Lowe sees happening in the East:

"It feels like a toss-up, and Irving's health is a huge unknown -- and possibly the decisive factor in the series. But he says he's a go in Game 1, and he finished strong against Chicago. I hovered fretfully between 'Cavs in six' and 'Hawks in seven,' but if Irving can rise to the occasion, then the league's best overall player should have just enough weapons at his disposal to eke this out.

Prediction: Cavs in six."

SI.com

From Chris Mannix: 

CBS Sports

Five writers -- Ken Berger, Zach Harper, James Herbert, Matt Moore and Ananth Pandian -- make the predictions for both conference finals matchups.

Only two of the five are selecting the Cavaliers. Each of them, however, sees the series going at least six games before a winner is determined. 

Basketball Insiders

Of the five writers from Basketball Insiders, four of them have picked James to advance to his fifth straight NBA Finals. Lang Greene, one of the site's senior writers, is the only one to pick the Hawks as he sees them winning in Game 7 thanks to homecourt advantage.

LeBron James will see a similar style of opponent in the Atlanta Hawks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers are back in the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2009 as they take on the Atlanta Hawks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

It has been an exciting year for the Cleveland Cavaliers. It all started on July 11, 2014 when LeBron James announced in a letter to Sports Illustrated that he was coming back to Cleveland.

The Cavaliers got off to a slow start as the team was 19-20 heading into a game on January 15 against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The team was looking to find the right pieces to combine with the trio of James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, and they did that by making trades.

First, they traded for J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert from the New York Knicks, and then followed that up by trading for Timofey Mozgov.

The Cavaliers finished the regular season going 34-9 in their final 43 regular season games.

Heading to the playoffs, the Cavaliers had the look of a title contender. However, those chances appeared to take a hit after Kevin Love suffered a shoulder injury against the Boston Celtics.

Once again, the team showed great resolve by defeating a very good Chicago Bulls team in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The Hawks will give the Cavaliers a very difficult challenge, but as ESPN Stats and Info showed, LeBron James has seen an opponent similar to the Hawks in the finals last year.

"*  Unselfish team known for passing? Check.

*  Coached by Gregg Popovich or a Popovich disciple? Check.

*  Team known for shooting and spacing? Check.

*  Physical wing defender (Leonard/Carroll)? Check.

*  Skilled big man with a midrange game (Tim Duncan/Al Horford)? Check.

*  All-Star point guard (Tony Parker/Jeff Teague)? Check."

With the Hawks being the No. 1 seed, the Cavaliers are going to have to go get a victory in Atlanta. LeBron James has faced a No. 1 seed three times in conference finals matchups, and his teams have enjoyed a lot of success.

"This series will mark the fourth time LeBron James has faced a No. 1 seed with an NBA Finals berth on the line. James' teams have come out on top each of the three previous times. Those series were against the Detroit Pistons in 2007, the Chicago Bulls in 2011 and the Indiana Pacers last season."

Go read the whole thing over at ESPN.com.

More Cavaliers links

There is no doubt that Kyrie Irving will be ready to go in Game 1. (Fox Sports Ohio)

Despite losing three of four regular season games, the Cavaliers are very confident heading into series against the Hawks. (Ohio.com)

NBA links

Losing Game 1 to the Golden State Warriors was tough enough, but the Houston Rockets could have suffered an even bigger loss with an injury to Dwight Howard. (ESPN.com)

Russell Westbrook wins the NBA Cares Community Assist Award. (newsOK.com)

While Steph Curry had a big performance in the Golden State Warriors Game 1 victory against the Houston Rockets, it was his daughter that stole the show after the game. (ESPN.com)

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks open the NBA's 2015 Eastern Conference finals tonight in Atlanta. How do they match up by position? Northeast Ohio Media Group Cavs reporter Chris Haynes breaks down the series by position and makes his prediction.

This time around the bullpen saved Trevor Bauer instead of ruining him as the Indians beat the White Sox on Tuesday night at U.S. Cellular Field.

CHICAGO -- It wasn't exactly deja vu all over again, but it was close.

Trevor Bauer had a 3-1 lead in the eighth inning Tuesday night when manager Terry Francona went to the bullpen.

In his last start, Bauer had a 1-0 lead with one out and one on in the eighth when Francona hooked him for left-hander Marc Rzepczynski to face Matt Carpenter. Bauer had struck out Carpenter three straight times, but Francona went for the left-on-left matchup.

Carpenter hit a two-run homer to give St. Louis a 2-1 victory.

This time the Indians prevailed, 3-1, to end the White Sox's six-game winning streak. Still, the eighth inning had to make a lot of people nervous.

Bryan Shaw relieved Bauer with one on and one out to face power-hitting Jose Abreu. Catcher Roberto Hernandez's passed ball moved Adam Eaton to second and Shaw issued Abreu an unintentional intentional walk with first base open.

Enter Rzepczynski in another late-inning left-on-left matchup. This time Rzepcysnki got his man, striking out Adam LaRoche.

Closer Cody Allen ended the inning with a strikeout of Conor Gillaspie on his way to a four-out save.    

In three starts against Chicago this season, Bauer is 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA  (two earned runs, 20 1/3 innings). He's struck out 21, walked nine and allowed 2 hits.

Bauer (3-1, 3.31) allowed one run on four hits in 7 1/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked three. He has allowed two runs in 14 2/3 innings over his last two starts.

The Tribe's victory came at the expense of left-hander Jose Quintana (2-4, 4.13). He came into the game with a 4-0 lifetime record against the Tribe. It's hard to say they knocked him around, but they did beat him.

The Indians took a 2-1 lead in the fifth with two outs on a single by Jason Kipnis and Jose Ramirez's double into the left field corner.

Quintana retired the first two batters when Kipnis singled to short for his second hit of the night. In Monday's 2-1 loss, the Indians left-handed hitters went 1-for-10 against Chicago lefties Chris Sale and Zach Duke.

In the sixth, the Indians missed a chance to add to their lead with some poor hitting in the clutch.

Ryan Raburn singled and Nick Swisher walked to start the inning. Mike Aviles advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, but Brandon Moss grounded out to first.

Roberto Perez kept the inning going by drawing a bases-loaded walk, but Michael Bourn sent a tapper back to the mound for the third out.

Moss gave Bauer and Francona a cushion to work with when he homered in the eighth for a 3-1 lead. It was his sixth of the season, but just his second this month.

The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the first when Kipnis tripled over Avisail Garcia's head in right to start the inning. Garcia got a bad jump on the ball.

Until the triple, Quintana had retired 25 straight left-handed batters. After Jose Ramirez walked, Michael Brantley scored Kipnis on a sacrifice fly to center.

The White Sox tied the score, 1-1, on Garcia's single in the in the fourth. Bauer started the game with 10 straight outs, but lost the plate with two out in the fourth.

Abreu doubled and LaRoche walked. Garcia's single to center to made it 1-1 and Bauer loaded the bases by walking Gillaspie. He ended the inning by striking out dangerous Alexei Ramirez     

What it means

The Indians ended their two-game losing streak and improved to 3-2 on this seven-game trip.

They also improved to 5-10 in games started by lefties.

Chicago lost for just the fourth time in the last 11 games. They're 4-3 against the Indians this season

A step too far

After drawing a walk in the first, Ramirez stole second. With Raburn at the plate and the Tribe leading, 1-0, he broke for third, but as Quintana spun and threw to second to pick him off.

It was just the second time Ramirez has been caught in eight steal attempts.

Stories from the road

Chicago ended Bauer's 16-inning scoreless streak on the road in the fourth on  Garcia's RBI single that tied the score at 1.

The 16-inning scoreless streak on the road to start the season tied Wayne Garland for the fourth longest in team history by a starting pitcher. Bob Feller is the club leader with 19 innings in 1946, while Stan Coveleski and Bert Blyleven are tied for second at 17 innings. 

What happens next?

Shaun Marcum will make his first start in the the big leagues in almost two years on Wednesday night when he faces Chicago rookie Carlos Rodon (1-0, 4.98) at 8:10 p.m. at U.S. Cellular Field.

Marcum did make a five-inning relief appearance for the Tribe on April 12. He's spent the rest of the season at Class AAA Columbus where he went 4-0 with a 1.36 ERA.

Rodon made his big-league debut against the Indians on April 21. He did so as a reliever. This will be his sixth appearance and third start for the White Sox.

The Cavs held Atlanta to 38 points in the second half and J.R. Smith set a playoff career high with 28 points.

ATLANTA -- What a start for the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals! What if every game is like this?

Final score: Cavs 97, Atlanta Hawks 89 in the first game of this best-of-seven series.

There was J.R. Smith acting as if Phillips Arena was his own private playground and the Atlanta Hawks were the junior varsity.

There was Tristan Thompson and Timofey Mozgov, dominating the backboards, gobbling up one rebound after another as if they were eating their way through the world's largest box of popcorn. They combined for 21 boards as the Cavs out-rebounded the Hawks, 49-37.

There was the Cavs delivering the defense. The Hawks scored 26 points in the first quarter. Then they scored 25 in the second quarter, 16 in the third. In the final period, the Hawks scored 22.

The Cavs outscored the Hawks, 46-38, in the second half, Atlanta shooting 31 percent from the field.

That's a growing playoff theme for the Cavs -- defense ... Defense ... DEFENSE!

There was LeBron James being ... well ... LeBron James. Give him 31 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

But it was Smith who was sizzling on this humid night in Georgia. You could hear his teammates screaming -- "Shoot it!" And he did...

Over and over and over...

Smith put a playoff career-high 28 points next to his name on 10-of-16 shooting.

"He was smoking hot!" said coach David Blatt. "I want to know when was the last time a guy made eight 3-pointers ... and had eight rebounds. He also played great defense."

Suddenly, it all stopped.

LEBRON'S HISTORY

I was stunned by this stat -- James entered this game with an 0-8 record when his team opened a playoff series on the road. It was 0-4 with the Cavs, 0-4 with Miami. Opening a series on the road meant that the other team had a better regular-season record than the team with James.

But it's still hard to believe he was 0-8. When he had two points and two fouls in the first quarter and went to the bench with the Cavs behind, 22-15, with 2:58 left, the omen was awful.

The Cavs did a decent job without James in the rest of the quarter, outscoring the Hawks, 5-4. In the second quarter, James delivered 14 points and didn't pick up a third foul. He shot 7-of-9.

HE'S SENDING A MESSAGE

One of the silliest stats discussed before the game was that DeMarre Carroll does a good job defending James. That was based on James shooting 1-of-8 against Carroll when they were matched up this season. The sample was so small.

Atlanta's plan was for Carroll to defend James for nearly the entire game, the same approach Chicago took with Jimmy Butler. Carroll entered the series averaging 17.1 points in the first two rounds. He made it clear that he was ready to take on the four-time MVP.

While James didn't say much, he went right at Carroll -- and anyone else who was defending him. Carroll scored only five points on 2-of-7 shooting, making it easier for James because he didn't have to work that hard on defense.

Carroll left the game with 4:59 remaining and the Cavs leading, 90-76. He sustained some type of knee injury, making this even a worse night for the Hawks.

TOUGH COVER

Before the game, I scribbled about how Jeff Teague is a difficult point guard for the Cavs to defend. Even when Kyrie Irving is healthy, Teague tends to play well. He was sizzling in the first quarter, making four of five shots for nine points. Irving shot 2-of-6 for six points.

The Cavs used Irving, Iman Shumpert and Matthew Dellavedova on Teague -- trying to keep fresh legs on the Wake Forest product. Irving had trouble keeping up with Teague, who had 17 points by halftime.

The Cavs did a much better job in the second half. Teague was 4-of-11 largely against Shumpert and Dellavedova. Teague still had 27 points, and the Cavs will have to continue to work at keeping him under control.

After the game, Blatt said Irving "got banged up a bit."

Irving left with 8:39 left and didn't return. He scored 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting.

MOZ COMES ALIVE

In the last two games against Chicago, Mozgov shot 2-of-13 from the field for eight points and 11 rebounds in 49 minutes.

He had eight points (4-of-7) with seven rebounds in 14 first-half minutes. The Cavs owned the boards, 24-14, at the half. Mozgov and Tristan Thompson combined for 14 rebounds -- the same total as the entire Hawks team.

The Cavs big men were a huge advantage. In the middle of the third quarter, Thompson and Mozgov had combined for 20 points and 20 rebounds.

Atlanta's big men, Paul Millsap and Al Horford, had 21 points, but had only five rebounds. Thompson and Mozgov were attacking the glass, knowing no one on the Hawks could block them out on this night.

J.R. COMES OUT FIRING

Smith drilled his first four shots and had 11 points at the half. When Smith makes a few early jumpers, his confidence soars. In the third quarter, he swished an outrageous, off-balanced jumper from the corner where he barely seemed to be looking at the rim as he was falling to the baseline. He dropped in another 3-pointer from somewhere near Savannah.

After three quarters, Smith had 19 points. And he kept scoring. What did the Cavs do to make that happen?

"We got him the ball," said Blatt. "That's all it took."

The Cavs needed them all. Shumpert, Dellavedova and James Jones had only two points, shooting 1-of-16 in 63 combined minutes.

SLOW FINISH, BIG WIN

The Cavs had a 90-74 lead with 6:34 left. They only scored seven points (one field goal) for the rest of the game.

"We could have played better at the end," said Blatt. "That will be tomorrow's subject. There's still a lot to improve. But tonight, we will feel good about beating a very good team on their floor."

See reaction on social media following the Cavaliers' win over the Hawks.

The Cavaliers are up 1-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals and they have J.R. Smith to thank. The in-season acquisition drilled eight three-pointers and the Cavaliers hung on to take Game 1 of their series against the Hawks. Game 2 is Friday night in Atlanta.

Check out the Storify below to see reaction from fans on Twitter. And, of course, their photos.

Look back on the Game 1 broadcast of Cavaliers-Hawks in diary form.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers and Hawks tipped off the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday night. TNT had the broadcast.

Check out the highlights including coach interviews, commentator reaction and more.

8:24 p.m.

Ernie Johnson is a grandpa. Congrats to him as the TNT crew gives him the Photoshop treatment. And that's one adorable baby.

Katie Ann Pruitt. Our first grandchild. Born this afternoon to Maggie and Dustin. So blessed.

A photo posted by Ernie Johnson (@ernie.johnson) on May 20, 2015 at 2:26pm PDT

8:28 p.m.

A confused Shaq doesn't pick the series but picks the Cavs in Game 1. Kenny Smith picks the Hawks. Barkley says Cavs.

8:31 p.m.

The broadcast crew of Marv Albert, Chris Webber and Reggie Miller wearing checks and bright colors in honor of Craig Sager, who is battling leukemia.

8:38 p.m.

Al Horford from midrange is going to be a problem for Timofey Mozgov

-- Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixSI) May 21, 2015

8:39 p.m.

Mozgov called for a goaltend on a shot by Jeff Teague. Replay shows it was close, but a good call.

8:46 p.m.

Reggie Miller says Hawks need to take Kyle Korver's "face off that milk carton." It really wasn't that funny, but I laughed a little.

8:49 p.m.

Rachel Nichols first report of the game is about Kyrie Irving resting up prior to the series by playing a lot of "Call of Duty." Now don't you feel bad about talking trash that that guy with the screen name K.I.ll2? (That's probably not his screen name.)

8:57 p.m.

David Aldridge reports that Tony Allen gave DeMarre Carroll advice on guarding LeBron when they were teammates in Memphis. So Aldridge asked Allen what advice he would give Carroll about guarding LeBron now. The main takeaway: Because Cleveland puts LeBron in a lot of pick-and-rolls, you have to "get in compliance with your big man or it's going to be a long night.

End 1st: Atlanta 26, Cleveland 20.

9:04 p.m.

Rachel Nichols starts interview with David Blatt by asking how Cavs will handle LeBron picking up two early fouls. Blatt responds "We got him out of there."

On what they need to do without LeBron: "We just gotta play good solid defense without fouling."

On the Hawks going right at hobbled Kyrie Irving: "He's gonna have to do it. There's no other way."

9:09 p.m.

J.R. Smith makes three three-pointers in first four minutes of the second. After the third over Kyle Korver, Webber says, "OK, he doesn't respect Kyle Korver."

9:13 p.m.

Second quarter summary graphic from TNT: J.R. Smith 9, Atlanta Hawks 7.

9:23 p.m.

Webber after another LeBron runner in the lane: "LeBron has discovered the secret that no one can block a jump hook."

9:25 p.m.

Reggie Miller on a replay uses the phrase "crab dribble." Oh, the memories.

Halftime: Cleveland 51, Atlanta 51.

9:39 p.m.

Kenny Smith just said he's going to make "LeBron vs. Everybody" T-shirts. Your move, Cleveland T-shirt companies.

-- Dan Labbe (@dan_labbe) May 21, 2015

9:53 p.m.

Really nice tribute to Craig Sager coming out of halftime. TNT really doing a nice job with this.

9:55 p.m.

Aldridge reports the Hawks are "happy" with how they've guarded LeBron (OK?). Their emphasis is on "high hands," trying to make sure James can't throw bullet passes to open shooters on drives.

9:58 p.m.

With LeBron hobbling, broadcasters point out he tweaked it on a fan's foot. Cameras show LeBron walking to the bench during timeout pointing towards where it happened and Anderson Varejao motioning that direction.

Lol Marv joking that Mayweather is the reason LeBron is limping.

-- Amin Vafa (@AminNBA) May 21, 2015

10:05 p.m.

Paul Millsap called for an offensive foul on a screen and then picks up a technical foul. The broadcast crew not in agreement on the call upon replay.

10:07 p.m.

LeBron gets a steal and misses the layup on the other end. LeBron wants a foul he doesn't get. Reggie Miller thinks he should have gotten the call.

10:13 p.m.

Matthew Dellavedova gets love from Webber for his effort on the defensive boards and fighting through screens.

10:15 p.m.

Reggie Miller prediction: Before the series is over, somethings "going to go down" between Dellavedova and Dennis Schroder.

10:17 p.m.

J.R. Smith hits a three to put the Cavs up 71-63. It's his second three in a row and he holsters his finger gun while looking at the crowd on the way up the floor. 

GIF: JR Smith holsters the pistol pic.twitter.com/jfFMtKS9Pk

-- The Cauldron (@TheCauldron) May 21, 2015

10:22 p.m.

Tristan Thompson with a nice transition block (replay shows it was not goaltend Hawks wanted) and Pero Antic putback goes under review. It's (rightly) waved off.

"J.R. Smith is taking over in the playoffs for the Cavs." - Things we never thought we'd be saying pre-season pic.twitter.com/QxposJhKT8

-- NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 21, 2015

10:38 p.m.

Webber praises Smith for accepting his role off the bench following his suspension. James hits a shot over Millsap in the lane and both Webber and Miller wonder why Millsap is a.) guarding LeBron and b.) reaching.

10:41 p.m.

Great replay as Millsap guards LeBron up the floor and at halfcourt: LeBron just laughing as he crosses the center stripe.

10:47 p.m.

DeMarre Carroll leaves game with apparent knee injury and is helped to the locker room. Crew talks about how much luck it takes to win a championship.

10:51 p.m.

Aldridge reports that Carroll injury is being called a "left leg injury" and he obviously will not return tonight.

10:55 p.m.

Officials count a basket on basket interference and go to replay. It took a few looks, but it looks like officials got it right. After long replay, basket counts.

Meanwhile, Aldridge reports that Carroll will get an MRI on Thursday and there is some "optimism" that maybe the injury won't be as bad as it looked.

11:05 p.m.

Miller continues to be confused as to why the Hawks are guarding LeBron so far out from the basket.

11:10 p.m.

Cavs win, 97-89. J.R. Smith the postgame star:

Smith and Rachel Nichols:

On what worked for him tonight: "Just trying to take...good shots."

On why he fits in with the Cavs better than the Knicks: "I'm just being myself. They seem to accept that more here. Just having fun."

Here is what Cleveland Cavaliers players JR Smith and LeBron James said after their team's 97-89 win against the Atlanta Hawks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

ATLANTA -- Here is what Cleveland Cavaliers players JR Smith and LeBron James said after their team's 97-89 win against the Atlanta Hawks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

JR, how much fun is it to not only be in a system that fits your skillset but encourages you to shoot?

Smith: It's an extremely fun system to play. I get a lot of open shots, so it's easy for me to get into a rhythm. Once I start shooting, whether I make or miss, everyone tells me to keep shooting. So it's a great situation.

LeBron, you and DeMarre Carroll seemed to be jawing in the first half, but after he went down, you seemed to share a moment. Can you possibly share what you said to him?

James: At the end of the day, we're a brotherhood. The NBA is a brotherhood. You never want anyone to get injured in combat. That's what went through my mind. Obviously, I love competing vs. anyone who loves to compete as well. He was one of those guys that was competing throughout the night and throughout the postseason. I'm not sure the severity of the injury right now, but I hope he'll recover, whatever it is. You just don't want anybody to get hurt like that.

LeBron, can you tell us the difference of the group of shooters that you played with in Miami to the group that you have now?

James: I've been fortunate enough to play with some shooters to help spread the floor for myself and do what I do best, that's being in attack mode. To be able to play with one of the all-time greats in Ray Allen, and also play with Mike Miller, Shane Battier, James Jones, still, and then you get a guy like JR Smith who's able to just shoot the ball and have the extreme confidence that every time they let it go, it's going in. I've been blessed to play with guys like that. When you have guys like that, you have to utilize everyone on the floor.

LeBron, can you talk about the play in the last 37 seconds when you went for the dunk?

James: Coach just drew up a play and we just tried to run it to perfection. He drew up a play, and (Tristan Thompson) came up and set up a screen-and-roll, and I was able to get into the middle of the floor. The way we were shooting the 3-ball tonight kept those last two defenders at bay. And I was able to just turn into the lane and make a big play for our team at that time.

JR, how important was it for you to change your reputation and what steps do you think you made as soon as Cleveland called saying they were interested in trading for you?

Smith: It was extremely important because more than anything, it was for my parents. They know what type of person they raised and what type of person they inspired me to be. It wasn't really for myself. It was more for them, if not for anybody.

LeBron, when the organization first approached you and said we can make a move to get JR Smith, but we have concerns, what was your idea about the importance and the value of getting a player like this in your franchise?

James: Get him here and I'll take care of it.

So you planned to take care of him?

James: Yeah, I got him. Get him here and I've got him.

LeBron, what worked for you, for the team defensively against their 3-point shooting? For JR, how important was it for you to keep things rolling after you got hot?

James: We have a bright coaching staff, first of all, that gives us a gameplan. Throughout the six days, we've been bouncing ways we can try to not stop what they do, but just try to limit some of their touches, limit Kyle Korver's touches, limit some of their other 3-point shooters. We're the No. 1 defensive team in the playoffs. It has a lot to do with what we go out, as a coaching staff, they give us our gameplan and for us as players, we go out and execute it. In order for us to win, ultimately, we have to defend. Tonight, we shot 44 percent from the field. But we defended, gave ourselves a chance. When you defend at a high level, you give yourself a chance to win every game.

Smith: I just tried to roll with the punches. Once the team starts closing out to you at bay, just trying to get in attack mode, and at the same time, trying to find my teammates. It was kind of hard when I was hitting the shots that I was hitting to pass the ball.  But we've got to figure out a way.

LeBron, what was it that you saw in JR that made you very favored to bringing him to Cleveland? What kind of satisfaction do you guys get after having a game like this against the Hawks?

James: Me and JR's history goes back long before we came into the NBA. Before we came into the NBA, he came into my hometown, we worked out multiple days, multiple times. For me as a leader of a team, we always just want to try to give someone an opportunity. With the talent this guy presents, I knew the man he was and I didn't care what everybody else thought about him. Obviously, our front office, they have the last say-so. When they made it and said they were going to do it, I was definitely all for it. I felt like for me, we were getting a great piece not only on the floor, but off the floor as well because I knew him before he even got to this point.

To answer your second question, to be able to just make plays to help your team win is all that matters for me. When you have a guy like this that was shooting the ball extremely well, it broke the game open. Also, contributions from (Matthew Dellavedova) off the bench once again, and then our two bigs, both of them had double-doubles. That was big-time.

Two questions: Can you take us through the third quarter when you stepped on the camera guy? After some really good quarters offensively, the second and third quarters, you guys seemed to get out of rhythm a little bit in the fourth. What happened there until you finished with that dunk?

James: In the third quarter, I went to contest DeMarre Carroll's 3-point attempt. The cameraman, I guess his foot was out further than it should be. I stepped on his foot, turned my ankle. But I'm happy that it didn't cost me the rest of the game. I was able to go out there and make a few plays.

I think, to answer your second question, we can't worry about how many points we're up or how many points we're down. We have to continue to play our game. It starts with me. I take all responsibility of it. Fourth quarter, I played too much isolation basketball, one-on-one basketball, allowed the defense to set. I was letting the clock run down way too much either for me to just, I had to take the shot or I was giving it to my guys late in the shot clock and they couldn't do anything with it besides shoot it or turn the ball over. I will do a better job. I'll probably watch the game over again as I try to get my body ready for Game 2. It starts with me.

LeBron, with what Kyrie Irving is going through, can you say anything to him? Or is this something he has to resign to the fact that maybe through the rest of the playoffs, he'll be laboring through these injuries?

James: It's tough. I know it sucks for him. This is the moment he's been waiting for. This is the biggest stage. Physically, he's not capable of doing what we all know he's capable of doing. Hopefully it doesn't get into his mind. For me, that's my role at this point, let him know when he's on the floor that we need him to be aggressive, as aggressive as he can be with the injury and not worry about things that he cannot control, only worry about the things that he can control. That will be my job to help him understand no matter what he's going through physically, never let it creep into his mind where it affects him mentally.

LeBron, what changed defensively in the second half?

James: We started to get a rhythm of what they wanted to do.  We also just put pressure not only at the point of attack, but when the ball was moved from side to side. Our coaching staff gives us a great gameplan and it's up to us to execute it. They're going to make shots. They're one of, if not the best with Golden State, the best offenses we have in our league. And we just have to make it tough on them.

LeBron, do you know in the midst of iso ball can you feel you're doing it too much or is it only after the game you can decompress it and look at the numbers?

James: I kind of sense it. I sense it during the game a little bit. It's tough sometimes, with our main ball-handler not being on the floor, that's in Kyrie. That's something that I'm not happy with, something I'm not comfortable doing. I can do it. But I don't like to play that much isolation basketball that late in the game. I'd much rather get the ball moving from side to side and get a good look after that. Like I said, I'll be more conscious about that in Game 2. If that opportunity presents itself where at least I can get the ball moving to start and then maybe at the backside or the third option, I can get it back at the end. At least we can get the defense moving instead of them watching me pound the ball for 24 seconds. That's not good basketball.

JR, how gratifying is this for you personally after being through all you've been through to be at this stage?

Smith: It's a great situation for me. It's more for my mom. She's probably my biggest fan. All those negative things that are being said and stuff like that, me personally, I really don't care. But for her to see her hurt and to see her go through those situations to feel the way she feels, it's a terrible feeling because I know I'm putting her in those situations. If anything, this is for her.

Here's what Terry Francona, Shaun Marcum, Brett Hayes, Cody Allen and Jose Ramirez had to say about Wednesday's win over the White Sox.

CHICAGO -- Here is what the Indians said Wednesday night in their locker room after they beat Chicago, 4-3, at U.S. Cellular Field.

Manager Terry Francona

On Shaun Marcum winning his first game since June 26, 2013 (also against the White Sox).

"We're excited to win, but it's hard not to be pulling for a guy who has gone through what he has. He really pitched.

"He's not going to break the radar gun. But he threw in enough to get them off his fastball. Then he threw a little slider and change up. The he broke out the breaking ball the third time through the order.

"He just has a good feel for pitching."

On the two solo homers Marcum allowed.

"There is going to be some contact, but they were solos. He pitched a heckuva game."

Explanation: Adam Eaton homered in the third and Conor Gillaspie homered in the seventh for the only runs Marcum allowed.

On shortstop Jose Ramirez's performance.

"He looks like he's starting to play with some confidence. His energy rounding the bag at first. . .he looks like the Jose we became really fond of last year. That's very welcome.

"His batting average (.198) is going to be low for a while, but if he starts playing like that it will give us a huge lift."

Explanation: Ramirez, batting second, reached base four times in five plate appearances Wednesday. He went 2-for-3 with two runs, one RBI, two steals and two walks.

The switch-hitter is 5-for-10 with three RBI in the series. He's scored two runs, drawn three walks and stolen three bases.

On closer Cody Allen loading the bases in the ninth.

"He had a tough time finding the strike zone. He fell behind. Mickey (Callaway, pitching coach) went out and tried to settle things down. Then he got the pop up on the first pitch which was huge.

"With Cody's breaking ball, whether it's a right or left-hander, there's not a lot of difference in the splits for him. He just fell behind a lot of hitters."

Explanation: Allen retired Melky Cabrera to start the ninth, but put three straight runners on to load the bases. Conor Gillaspie popped up in foul territory to third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall for the second out, but an infield single by Alexei Ramirez made it 4-3.

Allen struck out pinch-hitter J.B. Shuck for the save.

On whether Jason Kipnis was bunting on his own in the seventh inning with two on, no outs and the score tied, 1-1?

"Kip has a real good feel for how to play the game. We've been together for three years so I don't even have to put a sign down."

Explanation: Kipnis, with Brett Hayes on second and Michael Bourn on first, advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt. Ramirez followed with an RBI single for a 2-1 lead. Michael Brantley followed with a two-run double.

Shaun Marcum

On how he felt in his first big league start since July 6, 2013.

"It was nice, especially to get a W.  It was just nice to get in a game and give these guys a chance to win. That's the most important thing."

What was working for you best?

"Early on I was struggling. . .a little too anxious, a little too excited in the first couple of innings.  But the change up was my go-to pitch tonight. As the game went on, I got stronger, so I was able to locate my fastball a lot better.

"Brett Hayes called a great game and the guys made some plays behind me."

Explanation: Marcum allowed two runs on four hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out six with no walks.

Have you had time to reflect on what it took for you to get back here after almost two years of rehab?

"I haven't really thought about it much. There was too many other important things going on. I had to go out there and focus on trying to give these guys a chance to win.

"Maybe after the season I'll sit back and reflect on it. Right now we got to keep grinding away."

Catcher Brett Hayes

"Obviously, his two worst pitches were the home run pitches. After that he was down all night. His fastball had a little run to it. And his change up was phenomenal. He was effective to righties with a good cutter and he started mixing in the curveball late to get ahead.

"He kept them off balance all night. He's a big-league pitcher and we're happy to have him."

Closer Cody Allen

Were you thinking about your last blown save at U.S. Cellular Field when you loaded the bases in the ninth?

"I'm not thinking about, "Don't blow it again.' I'm just just trying to get the guy at the plate. That never came into my mind."

Explanation: On April 20th, Allen entered the ninth at U.S. Cellular Field with a 3-0 lead. He struck out LaRoche to start the inning, but allowed the next seven batters to reach base on six hits and a walk as the White Sox rallied for a 4-3 win.

Shortstop Jose Ramirez.

On his improved play of late.

"I'm feeling more confident. I'm feeling better."

The plaintiff alleges that during a weeklong hazing period in 2013, the player was subjected to demeaning behavior such as being forced to perform a sexually lewd dance.

PHILADELPHIA -- A former softball player at St. Joseph's University claims in a lawsuit that she endured sexually charged hazing so bad that she contemplated suicide and was forced to quit the team.

St. Joseph's University 

The plaintiff alleges that during a weeklong hazing period in 2013, the player was subjected to demeaning behavior such as being forced to perform a sexually lewd dance, to ask and answer sexual questions and tell sexual stories. She alleges that she saw other freshman players forced to simulate sex acts.

The suit says players were told midway through the week that administrators had found out about the activities and they were being suspended, but they resumed during the next initiation week the following fall.

The lawsuit alleges that throughout her freshman year and continuing into her sophomore year, she was given demeaning nicknames, harassed and belittled and was "often reduced to tears and began having suicidal thoughts." She said she was eventually forced to quit the team.

The suit alleges that officials were aware of the activities and intimidated and threatened her for trying to draw attention to them.

The university, which earlier suspended the team with three games left in the season amid an investigation into hazing allegations, declined to comment on the lawsuit Wednesday.