Cleveland Cavaliers make a record 25 three-pointers, take 2-0 lead over Atlanta Hawks

J.R. Smith made seven three-point shots and the Cleveland Cavaliers hit an NBA-record 25 three-pointers in a 123-98 runaway win over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night in Game 2 of their second-round series.

The Cavaliers made 18 three-pointers in the first half and added seven more after halftime to embarrass the Hawks, who have lost 10 straight postseason games to Cleveland.

Cleveland’s 25 threes are the most in any game — regular or postseason.

LeBron James made four three-pointers and scored 27 points for the defending Eastern Conference champions, who put on a display of outside marksmanship unlike any in league history. The Cavaliers hardly missed.

Reserve Dahntay Jones made the record-breaking 24th three-pointer with 2 minutes 24 seconds left, bettering the mark of 23 previously held by Orlando (2009) and Houston (2013). Mo Williams added another three for good measure.

Cleveland finished 25 of 45 from behind the arc and had 10 players make at least one three-pointer.

Smith made six three-pointers in the first half — the Cavs knocked down seven straight during one dizzying stretch — as Cleveland built a 38-point lead over the stunned Hawks, who will head home for Friday’s Game 3 down 2-0 in the series and utterly demoralized.

There was little Atlanta defenders could do against the Cavaliers, who stood behind the line, took aim and dropped shot after shot after shot.

After making Cleveland’s 16th three-pointer in the first half, the easygoing Smith skipped back on defense like a little kid on a schoolyard playground as Cleveland’s towel-waving fans danced with delight and smelled blood.

By halftime, the Cavaliers were up by 36 and within three three-pointers of the postseason record of 21 set by Golden State on April 24.

At that point even the Hawks were done. The team posted on its official Twitter account, “If you take away their 3s, we’re right in this.”

Cleveland went past Golden State’s record when Kyrie Irving nailed a three-pointer with 5:06 left in the third quarter. But that wasn’t even enough to satisfy the ravenous sellout crowd, which was still chanting “Let’s go, Cavs!” with Cleveland leading by 40 points.

Paul Millsap scored 16 points and Jeff Teague added 14 for the Hawks.

Here’s the kind of night it was for Atlanta: Millsap knocked down a long three-pointer to end the first quarter, but replays showed it came after the horn and was disallowed.

Not that it would have mattered much.

Cleveland’s crowd sang the national anthem, and the moment it ended, James stepped out of the orderly line with his teammates, ripped open his warmup jacket and screamed “Let’s go!”

And off the Cavaliers went.

James passed Tim Duncan for fifth place on the career postseason scoring list, and when he did there was no hint the Cavaliers would shoot their way into the record books as well.