Hawks-Cavs thread
Greetings, all-
Hope everyone is enjoying some time off. This will be brief, and we’ll get to game time. I just saw the most interesting thing. Well, maybe that’s overselling it.
The Hawks have a practice gym next to their locker room at Philips Arena, and I was walking through there from the locker room to the media room. Joe Johnson had just left the locker room to go shoot, and when I saw him in the gym, I saw him throwing a ball to the far end of the court.
When I walked in the gym, I saw who (I assume) he threw the ball to – Shaquille O’Neal, who was practicing jump hooks with a Cavs staffer. Johnson left and got another ball, and started shooting with a team gopher. Mike Bibby came in shortly after, to work with Johnson on something, and as soon as Shaq saw Bibby, he makes a joke about a fixed game. I didn’t hear what they were talking about, but I’m guessing it had to do with Tim Donaghy’s allegations.
Bibby went to Shaq’s end of the court, and they continued talking about that game, all in good fun, just two friends giving each other a hard time. Johnson, meanwhile, started taking 3-pointers. There was little to suggest an important game was about an hour away. It was a quiet gym with guys taking shots at either end.
I may remember that as much as anything from the time I cover this team.
Anyway, some brief thoughts. I don’t know that this game means as much to Cleveland as it does the Hawks. The Hawks are talking about these two games as measuring sticks, and apparently, the Cavaliers were talking about their Christmas Day game with the Lakers the same way.
My prediction is that Jason Collins will play. I don’t know how much Joe Smith can give, and I’m sure that Mike Woodson is going to spend a lot of fouls on Cleveland’s big guys.
Something to watch – how Joe Johnson does. It’s not quite the same thing, but Johnson has outplayed Brandon Roy, Dwyane Wade and Deron Williams when they came to town. LeBron James is a different creature, of course, and a different position, but I think Johnson will want to perform, regardless.
Also, Al Horford. He didn’t play hardly at all in the playoffs – as I wrote in today’s notebook, he said in hindsight, he shouldn’t have even played and put himself at further risk of injury. He’s been on a roll and this, obviously, is a giant challenge (and also opportunity) for him.
Gotta start writing. Enjoy the game.
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419 comments Add your comment
bigdave
December 29th, 2009
9:18 pm
hmm…
BONE
December 29th, 2009
9:19 pm
This game is horrible.
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
December 29th, 2009
9:19 pm
lmfao…bob rathbun
BONE
December 29th, 2009
9:19 pm
LOL @ BOB
bigdave
December 29th, 2009
9:19 pm
“no naa na… Nique…”
Bob
BONE
December 29th, 2009
9:19 pm
Bob is getting heated
bigdave
December 29th, 2009
9:19 pm
aye bob got me rolling…
BONE
December 29th, 2009
9:19 pm
This team is horrible
Wabe
December 29th, 2009
9:20 pm
This is a carbon copy of that Magic game. We can’t seem to find a bucket.
hawks_4_life
December 29th, 2009
9:20 pm
Is Joe trying to throw this game? He even missed the technical
bigdave
December 29th, 2009
9:20 pm
aye…
no mental toughness. seriously. im a Joe Johnson fan, but he’s no leader.
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
December 29th, 2009
9:20 pm
FIRE MIKE WOODSON…. BOB RATHBUN WOULD LIGHT A FIRE UNDER THESE B*TCHES!!!
hawks_4_life
December 29th, 2009
9:20 pm
Thank you Hawks for laying it down WTF
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
December 29th, 2009
9:21 pm
dagger
Melvin
December 29th, 2009
9:21 pm
4th qtr meltdown…..
Kiki
December 29th, 2009
9:21 pm
Wow!! this is unexplainable!!
bigdave
December 29th, 2009
9:22 pm
uggly.. this is one of those games that could f-up a season real talk..
on record somebody need to knock Delonte West head off.. dude thinks he gangsta… he talked shyt last year when the Cavs took control of game 4.. he and Joe went at it…
BONE
December 29th, 2009
9:22 pm
If anybody is wondering why Woodson has not been offered a ne contract this is why
hawks_4_life
December 29th, 2009
9:22 pm
Suit the old lady up in row 3, take the whole team out, cant do any dam worse. Unless im wrong we aint score shhhhhhhhh in the last quarter yet
Sautee
December 29th, 2009
9:23 pm
big dave I KNOW that was hard for you to type.
Wabe
December 29th, 2009
9:23 pm
Did Woody’s little episode on the sideline spark the Hawks? Or did it completely demolish their confidence and instead spark this meltdown.
The Cavs haven’t done much in this quarter either. They’ve missed plenty of buckets, and I’m asking myself why we haven’t gotten out and ran a bit more. The only thing that has the Cavs sitting so comfortably is that clear-path foul/technical garbage the Hawks forced themselves into.
Clyde
December 29th, 2009
9:23 pm
I waiting for my boy Ken Strickland to post then I will give my account of this debacle.
NUNNA YO BIZNEZZ
December 29th, 2009
9:23 pm
hey..im gonna hold bob rathmun(sp?)to his promise of walking to cleveland..and josh should have left woody alone and let him get a double tech,maybe we would have made some adjustments and would be in this game
M.O.B.
December 29th, 2009
9:23 pm
This is what happens when you rely on bums like Marvin Williams and Josh Smith are key players…..and when you think Joe Johnson is a superstar
BONE
December 29th, 2009
9:23 pm
Woodson needs to be fired
bigdave
December 29th, 2009
9:23 pm
only thing that can salvage this one is a win for us tomorrow…
Wabe
December 29th, 2009
9:24 pm
We stopped attacking the basket. How many team fouls does Cleveland have in this quarter?
BONE
December 29th, 2009
9:24 pm
Why would someone pay to watch this team
Melvin
December 29th, 2009
9:24 pm
Woody ran Joe and Horford into the ground in the 2nd half. You have to play your bench… Shaq less than +25 mins, he will be fresh tomorrow night.,.
Wabe
December 29th, 2009
9:25 pm
Just heard Lebron yell that it’s only their 3rd team foul…
BONE
December 29th, 2009
9:25 pm
Man u must be smoking if u think the Hawks will win in clevland
hawks_4_life
December 29th, 2009
9:25 pm
Bone Woody is not the so called leader on the court that had back to back passes stolen. JJ you need to prove your worth, I was always a huge fan but it seems like you maxed out your potential on this team sadly
M.O.B.
December 29th, 2009
9:25 pm
No Teague in a game where Bibby was doo doo
Wabe
December 29th, 2009
9:26 pm
Last 3 possessions, we’ve attacked the hoop…
Clyde
December 29th, 2009
9:27 pm
The game turned when Woody got that technical foul
bigdave
December 29th, 2009
9:27 pm
big Z said kill that shyt… lol.
Fort Valley Chevy Rider
December 29th, 2009
9:27 pm
Where are all those hawks jock strap riders that pat the hawks so much on the back after going on win streaks against teams like the Pacers, Nets, and Bulls, then FOLD against good teams.
Too Little Too Late.
welikebaseball2
December 29th, 2009
9:28 pm
So as horribly as the other guys have been, still no time for Teague? Not even to see if he can provide a spark?
BONE
December 29th, 2009
9:28 pm
Seriously this is what happens when you have no offense.
I dare someone to try and defend woody. I’ll virtually pimp slap u
NUNNA YO BIZNEZZ
December 29th, 2009
9:30 pm
game over..why call a timeout now??
we were on NBA TV tonite,and we didn’t give a good showing at all..
someone posted on here earlier that the elite teams could play their worst and they would win,and that we’re not elite but good and had to play our best on top of our best..
and they were right
BONE
December 29th, 2009
9:30 pm
Delonte west>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> stoneleg Bibby
BONE
December 29th, 2009
9:32 pm
Bibby can play like sh_t and Teague still can’t see floortime.
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
December 29th, 2009
9:33 pm
Trade Josh Smith for Mark Teixeira….we need someone who can hit the long ball…instead of brickin them all.
Melvin
December 29th, 2009
9:33 pm
Joe and AL 40+ mins on the 1st game of back to back… Just crazy.
bigdave
December 29th, 2009
9:34 pm
Sautee…
im not sure what it is… but im left to wonder Joe and Jamal can have an equally productive night? it seemed like when Jamal was making buckets, Joe kinda backed off.. or shyed away from what we were doing… but then again, this could just be our design. there is no way with this mismanagement of talent system 2 scorers could sustain any rhythm or chemistry… cause its always ok your go… ok now your turn… ill watch.. crazy.
another observation… Bibby kills us on defense… and sure he can hurt us when he isnt making shots… but its almost vital for him to be on the floor for us to have any productivity with the ball. what trips me out even more is he doesnt even have it much on offense… odd??? so you almost have to die with his defensive handicaps… Jamal cant run this team.
BONE
December 29th, 2009
9:35 pm
I’ll ask one more time:
WHERE ARE ALL THE WOODY SUPPORTERS
hock
December 29th, 2009
9:35 pm
This game looked like the junior high playing a college team. How many years will it take before mgmt gets a true center?
Clyde
December 29th, 2009
9:38 pm
WOODY = COY? ———————> EPIC FAIL
d.carter
December 29th, 2009
9:38 pm
This is the very reason why i dnt believe in jj or woody… how can yo keep running plays for a guy who isnt getting it done… jamal crawford has heart and the killer instinct… Rick sund please trade mo, mike and marvin an get us another killer in here who isnt afraid to compete!!!!! hell bring bak al harrington or some1 who isnt afraid when its crunch time… Joe just doesnt have the testicles to compete and force the contact!!! Jamal is a stud!!!!! Mike bibby is useless
Wabe
December 29th, 2009
9:39 pm
Guy on NBATV is bashing the Hawks heads.