Cleveland, Cleveland
Greetings, all-
What to make of Tuesday night?
Jamal Crawford’s take: “We had a rough stretch scoring the ball and that hasn’t been the case all year. We look at it as a fluke, laying an egg, and hopefully come out tomorrow and get a win.”
I don’t know if I entirely agree with him, but I don’t think he’s so far off. I don’t know what happened in the fourth quarter. Crawford said that pressure built with each failed possession. Al Horford said that Cleveland defended the transition differently and caught the Hawks by surprise. After a sizzling start, Joe Johnson might have been as ineffective as I’ve seen him. Obviously, Cleveland had something to do with it. The Cavs are one of the best defensive teams in the league – first in points in the paint allowed, second in defensive field goal percentage and fourth in points allowed per game. Earlier this season, they held Milwaukee scoreless for more than 11 minutes.
Mike Brown, before Tuesday’s game: “Guys are doing a nice job limiting teams to one shot. There were stretches (in the season) where we were getting hurt on the offensive glass, there were stretches where we got hurt in transition. There was a stretch where we were turning the ball over and our floor balance wasn’t great and we were getting hurt real bad with some easy baskets. We’ve kind of done a decent job of trying to clean that up. Our guys have been focusing on those areas and done a better job of not letting those easy buckets happen to us.”
But, it did seem fluky. I (and you, I imagine) have grown accustomed to the Hawks making good decisions with the ball – or at least not turning it over – and they were just haphazard, particularly in the fourth quarter. I guess the tougher part is teasing out how much pressure and defense had to do with it, and how much was the Hawks just imploding.
Some links:
Jeff Schultz’s column from the game.
“I think we put too much pressure on ourselves to go win a game instead of just playing the way we know how to play,” Josh Smith said. “We definitely thought about this game too hard.”
Hawks pre-game?
Cleveland Plain-Dealer’s game story.
(The Cavaliers) have never done what they enforced on the Hawks in this one, stuffing them for nearly nine minutes in the fourth quarter.
espn.com’s Daily Dime.
qualitatively it was shocking how little had changed from the playoff series nearly eight months ago.
Anyway, going forward.
Why the Hawks will win
1. Few gave them much of a chance in Boston and Dallas, and they won there. (The Dallas game, you’ll remember, followed the New York loss, one of the worst of the season. Josh Smith got tossed, the starters played extended minutes and it looked for all the world like Dallas would run the Hawks out of the gym. Interestingly, Crawford said pretty much the same thing following that New York game that he did Tuesday. This is a pretty confident group, and I didn’t sense any self-doubt in the locker room after the game.)
2. I think the Hawks think or know they can play with Cleveland, and I don’t think they’re scared. As poorly as the Hawks played offensively at times, they did a pretty solid job on Cleveland defensively, particularly in the second half. Marvin Williams defended admirably against LeBron James (and had a solid night overall), although I’m not sure where to draw the Marvin played well/LeBron played poorly line.
I think LeBron's the one on the left
3. I don’t think the Hawks will have a stretch like they did Tuesday night, at least not of their own doing.
4. The Hawks were a little miffed with the chirping that some of the Cavaliers were doing, which may make them all the more eager for payback (if they need any more reasons). Without naming him, they were particularly unimpressed with the woofing that Jamario Moon was doing.
5. Despite their many incompetence issues, the Hawks had 23 fast-break points against Cleveland, 10 more than the Cavs’ average. There’s no reason the Hawks can’t do better if they handle the ball better in transition than Tuesday.
Why they won’t
1. Again with James – even if Williams had a lot to do with his 6-for-20, there’s no way he plays like that two nights in a row.
2. When the Hawks won in Boston, they were helped by Boston shooting 1 for 15 from 3-point range. In Dallas, Josh Howard was out.
3. Besides James, I don’t think Cleveland played all that well. There were a number of turnovers that were just bad, bad plays that I wouldn’t expect that team to make. The Hawks will likely face a better team Wednesday.
4. One of the Hawks’ pillars is rebounding. Cleveland neutralized the Hawks Tuesday, outrebounding the Hawks 43-30 and holding them to five offensive boards, and there’s no reason to think the Cavaliers can’t do it again.
5. Bottom line, it’s hard not to say that the Cavaliers are a better team. The Hawks’ chance to take one was Tuesday.
Why do you think the Hawks will win/lose tonight? Feel free to use my reasons, as each of them rates a 10 for insight.*
This one goes to 11.
Also, I’m planning on figuring out who won the prediction contest in my hotel in Cleveland this afternoon. Looking forward to it.
* Sarcasm.
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632 comments Add your comment
RA
December 30th, 2009
10:04 pm
I’m sorry Anthony Parker, but that play had a profound effect on the rest of the game. If it hadn’t forced the Hawks into a fast shot that led directly to a Cleveland score, I might agree with you, and i’m not one to blame officiating or time-keeping for a loss, but good grief!
Old skool
December 30th, 2009
10:04 pm
Je je you must be a Clevland fan there is know way you could have watched that game and say the refs were not cheating.
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
December 30th, 2009
10:05 pm
Big Ray, yea strategy is a big part of it too….but talent and personnel is also a problem when the other teams have a guy (or guys) willing to take it strong to the hole for the finish or foul call.
Crawford is the only guy with the balls AND TALENT to do it…..maybe Teague too…but he doesnt get PT….which can go back to coaching.
We cant get to the strike shooting jumpers all day. We live and die by jump shooting.
Horford is decent post player, Josh Smith..not so much.
lol if we’re expecting to “bang it out” with that tandem…it’s going to be an EPIC FAIL.
We’ll just have to go as far as we can off shooting jumpers again this year.
JeJe
December 30th, 2009
10:05 pm
JD, they did not give TJ Ford 2 points on a bucket for Toronto a few years ago…A game we won by 4 points. Why don’t you go look that up, you !@#$ing piece of !@#$?
RA
December 30th, 2009
10:06 pm
JeJe, I’m feeling your pain, but kids read this blog too. Again, I’m sorry, it would be too easy to blame the Hawks for this. They were well prepared and they played a good game. It’s a crying shame what happened.
JeJe
December 30th, 2009
10:06 pm
PEOPLE, THE REFS SUCKED. WE ALL KNOW THAT. BUT WE UNDERACHIEVED A LOT TOO. WE GAVE UP A 17 POINT LEAD FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. THE REFS HAVE HELPED US IN GAMES TOO. THEY HELPED US WIN THAT ROAD PORTLAND GAME. DOES NO ONE REMEMBER THAT GAME? WE CHOKED AT HOME AND WE LOST TO A SUPERIOR TEAM ON THE ROAD ON THE BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD’ BIRTHDAY
vava74
December 30th, 2009
10:06 pm
just for the record:
Josh Smith was averaging 58% from the field until he got ejected from that game…
now, all of the sudden he can’t buy a bucket around the rim if he is not dunking it…
go figure…
Old skool
December 30th, 2009
10:06 pm
JeJe you are right Ken is a sorry piece of crap and should be fired.
Art Vandelay
December 30th, 2009
10:07 pm
Man, I miss Sekou.
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
December 30th, 2009
10:07 pm
my bad…shooting jumpers and Joe Johnson going 1 on 5 with floaters in the lane…..which amazingly seem to go in at a much lower percent in the 4th quarter during big games
JD
December 30th, 2009
10:07 pm
That did not steal the game anymore than sending Shaq to the bench had anything to do woth Miami losing the game the same year.
Wrong again, you spineless wimp
FRESH
December 30th, 2009
10:09 pm
My God I thought Jeff Schultz was bad…
FIRE KEN SUGIURA NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DUDE DID YOU EVEN WATCH…
BOYCOTT THE AJC…
HELL FIRE THE REFS AND KEN SUGIURA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111
IM PISSED THE HELL OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alien in ATL
December 30th, 2009
10:10 pm
Tim Donaghy – Kudo’s – I am with you!!!
Mac-Town’z Finest 478 – KEEP SMOKING WHATEVER FINE STUFF YOU HAVE!! If you think the Hawks lost this game fair and square – go back to whatever planet you came from!!
RA – my point!! – Couldn’t agree more!!
Chuck – I really believe he actuually did what you were suggesting (I can do a little bit of lip reading and he wasn’t nice to them – but they were too afraid to eject him in addition to all what they did!)
welikebaseball2 : agree with your first point. Have to disagree with your 2nd: When the refs don’t call anything against the opponent, you have to find a way to get some points – unfortunately, that involves iso play and long jump shooting for guys that have fought a battle during the whole night. But it is your best option.
Big Ray: I follow your shout-out to Clyde and totally agree!!
Fort Valley Chevy Rider
December 30th, 2009
10:12 pm
make Ken SUGARGAYra walk back from Cleveland!!!!
JeJe
December 30th, 2009
10:12 pm
JD,
STFU. We DIDN’T score on the play where we had the rigged shot clock. We GOT a shot off. We DIDN’T execute down the stretch
jerrywest
December 30th, 2009
10:13 pm
Ken – you are insulting the players by calling this a flop. This game is under protest.
ignition
December 30th, 2009
10:13 pm
I sent this to the Mayheam Team on 790 The Zone.. We Need to Make Noise on This !!!!!
Or Somebody to explain to me WTF was that during the Hawks game Tonight… Are You Serious ..
You Can’t Tell Me this was not Rigged … Its not be jobbed when the Shot Clock is short by over 10 SECONDS… !!!!
The No Calls FOR Lebron The Calls On Josh and Marvin…
NO WAY !!!!
I Need and Explanation… I need ANSWERS and what They gonna do about it for the Hawks and the NBA fan that Follow The Hawks here in the city of ATL.
JeJe
December 30th, 2009
10:15 pm
How the hell do they reset the shot clock to 15? Isn’t it set to 14 when a player is fouled anyway?
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
December 30th, 2009
10:15 pm
Alien in ATL, I’m not merely talking about this one game. I’m talking about the Hawks overall as a ball club. It’s funny as hell how some of you are acting like the refs are the only thing keeping this team from being elite. The Hawks have alot of holes that must be fixed. Can they be fixed? Probably, Hopefully. I dont see them being fixed right now though.
lol we arent going anywhere if we think we’re going to win against top teams in a series only off shooting jump shots though, I know that.
FRESH
December 30th, 2009
10:15 pm
Fort Valley Chevy Rider,
I AGREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MAKE KEN WALK BACK FROM CLEVELAND NOW!!!!!!!
Big Ray
December 30th, 2009
10:16 pm
Mac Town ,
I agree, we live and die by the jumper. What I’m saying is that Josh and Al can score on a lot of people. Al has some quickness and a decent move or two (nothing unstoppable, but decent). Josh is not a post player, but he is VERY hard to stop when he drives to the basket.
The “other” team has a heavily favored superstar who plows through people on his way to the bucket, and gets a foul call every time if an opposing player so much as breathes on him. If you notice, no one else drives, they all get theirs on back-cuts to the basket.
Teague would drive, but as you say he gets no PT. Personnel can be a problem, but USE Of personnel is just as bad of a problem.
I still say you can get points against Lebron and Varejao. Neither is an intimidating post defender by any stretch of the imagination, and Varejao can actually be a little foul prone. We got jobbed on the calls, Josh Smith should have been to the line at least twice more than he did, as should have JJ.
But like you say, we live and die at the stripe. I’m sorry, but that’s on the coach. Al and Josh have shown they can score.
Grandad
December 30th, 2009
10:16 pm
I’m considering never watching another NBA game. They have destroyed the game I love. If the games are not fixed, @ the very least the league has such a bias toward it’s stars that there can be no competitive balance.
*Case in point: [2] block/charge calls both involving LbJ. Josh cannot be more perfectly set [block]; the other Marvin, no way LbJ was set or even in pos. [charge].
*Shot clock violation: you have until the next dead ball for a correctable error. Woodson should protest.[Pat Riley set precedent in Atl. when he protested clock malfunction]
*Also, his foot very much appeared to be on the line.[Verajao]sp.
But, the main point is there is no reason to believe it’s about competition anymore. It’s about show. The pre-game carnival complete with party hats made me sick.
And ‘James’ even though he gets every call, he still whines about the ones that don’t go his way. He barks at the ref. as much as Josh
(if thats pos.) yet ‘Bibby of all people gets T’d up. On top of all this he [James] shows no humility. He’s 25 now. He’s a grown-up. I must give Josh an enormous amount of credit, for the maturation he’s showing.
(not to mention the restraint)
To all of our guys, no matter how much myself and others get on here and bitch and moan…you guys, our guys, are 1st class in every respect. I’m proud to be a Hawks fan.
Youngstown Transplant in Gwinnett
December 30th, 2009
10:17 pm
ATL Sports is a joke, Hawks are chokers.
FRESH
December 30th, 2009
10:18 pm
KEN SHOW YOUR FACE YOU BUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
COME TELL EVERYONE YOUR REASONING BEHIND THAT ARTICLE!!!!!!
IM WAITING….
Alien in ATL
December 30th, 2009
10:18 pm
Ken Sugiura : I’ve had your back a lot of times but this time your are way off, dude!! Didn’t you see our Hawks were playing 48 minutes against 8? (5 players and 3 officials for your understanding, because after your post, I seriously doubt your knowledge of the game! – or do you have an equal opportunity as your predecessor?)
JD
December 30th, 2009
10:19 pm
JeJe,
As usual, you are wrong again – the short clock resulted in a fumbled drive by Josh as the shot clock ran down. You did not even see the game did you?
You come here posting all your negative, senseless rants making false charges and claims and then want someone to shut up? You are the classic example of a FOOL.
Selah (A tribute to F. Bisher)
PD
December 30th, 2009
10:19 pm
Youngstown Transplant in Gwinnett. You are funny!!!!!! But seriously what has Cleveland won lately.
Fort Valley Chevy Rider
December 30th, 2009
10:19 pm
Hey!! Screw what you guys are talking about!!!! Screw the refs and all of that!!!
I want Ken SUGARGAYra FIRED ASAP..WHERE’S THE PETITION ….I’LL BE THE FIRST TO SIGN!!!!$@#$#@w#$@
Alien in ATL
December 30th, 2009
10:20 pm
Grandad – I have often disagreed with you, but couldn’t agree with you more on this one! Keep it up, grandad – I might come to respect you after all!!
JeJe
December 30th, 2009
10:20 pm
Atlanta sports are officially a joke
Falcons suck. No defense and didn’t win 1 big game this year
People still think Braves are good because they have Bobby Cox and Chipper Jones–LOL.
Thrashers no one talks about
Hawks are a tease and will not contend
Big Ray
December 30th, 2009
10:20 pm
Meant to say, “we live and die on the perimeter.”
As far as the officials, I never said that is what keeps us from being an elite ballclub. Clearly our philosophy does. If it was just our personnel, then why was Woody so adamant during the offseason about “bringing everybody back” and just adding a piece or two here and there? He didn’t want his formula changed. Not once do you ever hear from him about wanting a big-time low post scorer. NOT ONCE. EVER. He wants to win the game with guards.
I’m mad about the officiating for THIS GAME. The officials kept us from winning THIS GAME. I also don’t think that beating Cleveland one time in the regular season (or even sweeping them in the regular season) makes us an elite team. It takes more than that. You have to beat more than one of the best teams, and you have to do it more than once. Better yet, you have to beat them in the playoffs.
Many people say we’ll never become an elite team with the personnel we have.
I say we also will never become an elite team without making the best use of the personnel we have.
Youngstown Transplant in Gwinnett
December 30th, 2009
10:21 pm
CLE 2
ATL 0
seems to be going in the same direction as the playoff series last season, huh
ignition
December 30th, 2009
10:21 pm
KEN, JEFF, Bradley EVERYONE needs to MAKE Noise About the BS… ATL can’t keep getting the worse of EVERYTHING…
JD
December 30th, 2009
10:22 pm
Granddad,
A correctable error must be discovered within 24 seconds. At that point the game goes back to the time of the error and all play from the error is erased. After 24 seconds nothing can be changed.
Big Ray
December 30th, 2009
10:22 pm
I’m out. Nothing but bad vibes right now. Mad enough as it is….
Wabe
December 30th, 2009
10:23 pm
When NBATV doesn’t even mention anything about the shotclock debacle during their highlight, I’m wondering why they’re not?
JeJe
December 30th, 2009
10:24 pm
JD, would we have gotten off a better shot than that Smoove drive? Highly unlikely
JeJe
December 30th, 2009
10:24 pm
AND WHY THE HELL DOES HORFORD GET STRIPPED EVERY TIME HE DRIVES?
Youngstown Transplant in Gwinnett
December 30th, 2009
10:24 pm
Cant wait to get out of this pathetic town, no culture. Artificial town, no originality. Just one big sprawling mess.
ATL = a sprawling suburb, not a real american city.
ATL is like a town that pretends to be an elite world class, american city…but really is nothing but a joke.
Hawks are perfect representation of Atlanta.
The Cavs would sweep the hawks in any series.
Wabe
December 30th, 2009
10:24 pm
You guys honestly can’t take anything positive from this mini-series with the Cavs? Sure, we lost both games, but clean up some things here and there and see them a little later down the road, I’d like our chances.
Time
December 30th, 2009
10:25 pm
I agree, AJC writers, start acting like you actually care about ATLANTA sports. You should get together with Sportsouth and put together a video montage of just how bad the Hawks got jobbed in this game. You should write feature articles on Tim Donaghy and how Stern was able to sweep the whole thing under the rug. BE REPORTERS. EXPOSE THE SHAM THAT IS THE OFFICIATING IN THE NBA.
And Woody, if you happen to read this. You should immediately start calling every coach in this league that doesn’t have a LeBron or D-Wade playing for them. Rally the troops and stand as one. It is the ONLY way this can ever truly change. Stern can bully a single coach. But he can’t bully a large group of coaches.
northcyde
December 30th, 2009
10:26 pm
2nd half Free throw shooting:
Cavaliers: 16 attempts ( Lebron 11 )
Hawks: 3 attempts ( and one was from an illegal defense call )
And here’s a reference point, concerning the timekeeper not resetting the shot clock:
Hawks are up 99 – 98 . . with 1:54 to go . . . and the ball.
How about you sackless Atlanta sportswriters write about that, instead of talking about how the Hawks “FLOPPED”. What a bull-syht headline.
PD
December 30th, 2009
10:26 pm
Youngstown Transplant in Gwinnett……Atlanta is a bad sports town because you live here. Think about it. Thank me when you go back to Cleveland
cp
December 30th, 2009
10:27 pm
It was a winnable game but to ignore the number of no calls and favorable calls for Cleveland would be silly. Might be the one of the worst officiated games I have seen in some time.
JeJe
December 30th, 2009
10:27 pm
STFU about the ATL writers for crying out loud. They suck. They’ve always sucked.
Mark Bradley is on VACATION. Everything he writes is in 5th grade English anyway.
No one even knew who Sugiura was before he got here. Sekou’s writing had ubiquitous errors. Furman Bisher is old, even tohugh I think he retired.
AJC IS A 3RD RATE PAPER
doc
December 30th, 2009
10:28 pm
ra i see you saw the same game i did, exact same plays but bron bron ran over him twice.
Alien in ATL
December 30th, 2009
10:28 pm
Big Ray
December 30th, 2009
10:16 pm
There you go again! For a moment I really thought you were finally taking a stance for our team, but no, it’s the coach’s fault again!. Can you please be a bit more specific what he did wrong? His guys driving to the rim got fouled but didn’t get the call, so it was a turnover – what other offense is there left than at least trying to get some shots from our hot guys, who unfortunately got burned because of how the game was decided by the refs. Waiting for your reply!
northcyde
December 30th, 2009
10:28 pm
That’s a great Idea @ Time . . . they should do a damn documentary on what happened tonight, even if they have to post the ish on Youtube or something. Do some in-depth reporting on what happened tonight.
The league actually made us replay a damn game 2 years ago, because of a time issue. Let’s see if you Atlanta sportswriters will even reference that, in regards to this game.
FRESH
December 30th, 2009
10:29 pm
Youngstown Transplant in Gwinnett,
DUDE YOU MIGHT WANNA FALL BACK BECAUSE WHEN LEBRON LEAVES CLEVELAND THIS SUMMER…THAT WILL BE THE LAST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE TO THROW THAT TOWN INTO ECONOMIC AND MORAL CATASTROPHE!!!!!
LOL
December 30th, 2009
10:29 pm
I could have swore Youngstown, Ohio was yet another one of the deteriorating, rust belt cities lined throughout the midwest that looks like a bomb was dropped on it. You have no room to talk about Atlanta.