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.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
632 comments Add your comment
FRESH
December 30th, 2009
11:18 pm
Wow…ESPN has even taken notice of the “shot clock issue” :
http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/11907/the-short-shot-clock-in-cleveland
THE AJC SHOULD BE ASHAMED!!!!!!
JeJe
December 30th, 2009
11:20 pm
“During a timeout, Woodson protested to the officiating crew and had a few choice words for the clock operator.”
LOL I’d pay $50 to hear what he said to the clock operator
Big Mone
December 30th, 2009
11:21 pm
Just wanted to let everyone know that Ken updated his article and now talks about the shot clock “malfunction”. Maybe he read all of the complaints on the board here. lol
Alien in ATL
December 30th, 2009
11:21 pm
For all you non believers: even ESPN talks about a “gift-wrapped” 3-pointer
FRESH
December 30th, 2009
11:23 pm
AND HERE IS THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkMV2MnxQaM&feature=player_embedded
THE MORE I WATCH…THE MORE IM GETTING PISSED. THE NBA HAS TO DO SOMETHING. ONCE THIS VID START MAKING ROUNDS, ITS GONNA LOOK VERY BAD ON THE NBA. THEY CANT DENY IT!!
WOW KEN RODRIGES ON FOX FIVE IS ABOUT TO RANT ON THE SITUATION.
JeJe
December 30th, 2009
11:25 pm
The worst thing about that shot clock play was LBJ appeared to foul Josh as he drove the lane
Alien in ATL
December 30th, 2009
11:26 pm
hawks fan since 1985 :
I agree with you that we still have work to do, but if the officials keep working against us, it’s never going to happen. No matter what our record was before today’s game, we would have won if it wasn’t for the officiating making the game happen in Cleveland for LBJ. Why? Has he been whining with his good friend Stern that he had yet to win a game on his B-day? So let’s plan it against the Hawks and we can whack them without fear having to call a replay?
bigdave
December 30th, 2009
11:29 pm
clearly fouled him…
JeJe
December 30th, 2009
11:31 pm
Who cares if Varejao’s shot was a 2 or 3? We probably should’ve gone for a quick 2 anyway. We had our chance to score but didn’t
Grow up, people
bigdave
December 30th, 2009
11:34 pm
the foul almost looks intentional to send Josh to the line… Josh brings the ball to the right side of his body to protect it from the defender. james rakes through… no call.
Alien in ATL
December 30th, 2009
11:35 pm
JD – take a look at the video link posted by Fresh and you will notice MIke Woodson was already protesting before the Cav’s basket. But if the leading ref doesn’t seem to understand English ( in other replays you can read his lips when the crew comes together: “I don’t know what he’s talking about!” he says to the other two and then quickly shuts up the one who had seen the clock “malfunction”), it can take a while until they stop the game. Iust outrageous!
Jeje – Thank you for finally coming to your senses in your latest posts.
Alien in ATL
December 30th, 2009
11:39 pm
And indeed – not taking in account the short shot clock, it was a clear intentional foul, as so many LBJ makes, without a call. He can drive into defenders standing still, outside the restricted area, arms up, and it will always be a blocking foul – almost never an offensive foul. Poor LBJ – he wouldn’t be half the star he is today if the referees would call honest games.
Alien in ATL
December 30th, 2009
11:42 pm
JeJe
December 30th, 2009
11:31 pm
“Who cares if Varejao’s shot was a 2 or 3? We probably should’ve gone for a quick 2 anyway. We had our chance to score but didn’t
Grow up, people”
1/ It makes a world of difference if it was ruled a 2 or a 3 with a handful of seconds left in the game!
2/ your “quick 2″ wouldn’t have done it so it would have given you another reason to complain about the coach and’or the players.
Obviously, I was too early with my comment in my previous post.
payo2010
December 30th, 2009
11:43 pm
ALL I CAN SAY IS TIM DONAGHY WAS RIGHT!!
JeJe
December 30th, 2009
11:44 pm
” . . . It can get frustrating at times when you continue to just get beat up and you don’t get the attention of the refs,” he said.”
-LBJ from the Orlando series in May. When was the last time a hawks player said something like this?
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
December 30th, 2009
11:46 pm
JeJe…most of the Hawks players dont really have balls when it comes to speaking out…..just Josh Smith…and he goes about it in the wrong way…..no real leaders.
cosmo
December 30th, 2009
11:49 pm
Alien in ATL:
I agree that we did not get the benefit of the calls. When teams come to our house, they generally don’t get the benefit of the calls. Are you familiar with home court advantage? It has generally been an NBA “custom” for at least 40 years.
Home teams get the benefit of the calls. The expression is called “getting homered”. “Superstars” have gotten the benefit of the calls for the last 40 years, too. Finally, when a top team, record wise, plays a sub-500 team, guess who gets the benefit of the calls? This has been the way of the NBA for as long as I have been alive. I’m not saying it’s right or wrong, just the way it is.
One of the ways a road team should deal with this is to make the precious free throws that they get. To their credit, the Hawks made 14 of 15. Other than that, you have to not let the refs get you down. You have to “play through” poor officiating. Complaining only gets a player distracted.
Alien in ATL, are you saying one play decided the game, the overall officiating decided the game, the players decided the game, David Stern decided the game, all of the above, none of the above, or what?
I still say that, in any sport, if one play decides the game, then you have to wonder why the game was that close to begin with. We had the Cavs beat and we let them back in the game. When you do that, you become vulnerable to one play deciding the game.
Of course I don’t like it, but we have to look forward. We have to make sure that the next time we have a team down (especially one of the top teams) we finish them off. Let’s start with the Knicks on New Years.
Alien in ATL
December 30th, 2009
11:54 pm
JeJe – are you a Hawks fan or a LBJ fan?
Based on your posts, you seem the latter to me. Only LBJ can say something like that without being fined by Mr. Stern. But who would fine his most loved player. It’s pathetic how Stern fixes the NBA to hand LBJ his ring. I’m pretty sure he will wet his pants (as it seems so will you!) when he will finally be able to hand the ring and MVP award to his love interest LBJ. If that ever happens, James getting the MVP, they should rename it to the MF(avored by Stern)P Award.
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
December 30th, 2009
11:59 pm
Really” …….I agree 500%
Alien in ATL
December 31st, 2009
12:01 am
Really
Get real! The officiating in the NBA is biased but I have to admit, it is not only the ref’s fault. It starts in minor and HS leagues, where bad officiating isn’t sanctioned (and trust me, I know what I’m talking about!). It seems you have to get a certain number of league officials behind your name so you can move up. And an extra penny on the side never hurts, does it? Certainly not when it is handed to you (through intermediates) from your “CEO”, is it!
I agree with grandad on this one: the NBA is disgusting!
Alien in ATL
December 31st, 2009
12:02 am
Mac-Town – of course you agree: your team got the cherry on the cake!
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
December 31st, 2009
12:09 am
lol@Alien in ATL thinks the ONLY reason the Hawks lost is because of the refs.
How about putting your foot on the throat of your enemy while they are down???
LAST NIGHT refs werent an issue…..our size was. Tons and Tons of put backs by the CLE Bigs.
Also, we went cold in the 4th. Again all of that was ON US, due to lack of personnel and just flat out not playing good late WHEN IT MATTERED DOWN THE STRETCH.
TONIGHT, the refs screwed up bad in the 4th…..but anybody who watched the game and knows basketball saw the real problems. WE LIVED AND DIED BY THE JUMP SHOT.
The jump shot got us up by 17, and the jump shot killed us…while CLE was driving it to the basket.
We reply too much on the jump shot.
Some of us argue that it’s strategy, some that it’s lack of personnel, and some say it’s both. Either way you put it, those things are bigger enemies to us than the refs.
Stop crying over this one one regular season game, I’m talking about things that effect the ball club on a general basis.
We know we are going to the playoffs right along with the other “elite” east teams, and these are things we need corrected.
Blown calls by refs on Dec. 30th mean nothing on the grand scope of things.
Alien in ATL
December 31st, 2009
12:10 am
One last comment: usually, the referees can kind of mask their “favorable” calls by trying to distribute a fairly even count in personal fouls. Usually, the favorable team gets the free throws on those calls, the other team doesn’t. Tonight, they were so stupid that they couldn’t even mask that:
Atlanta: 24 PF vs Cleveland: 15
Additionally, the 24 Atlanta PF resulted in 38 FTA vs only 15 for Atlanta on 15 PFs.
Talking about not being biased? It makes me puke!
I will continue to support our Hawks, but the NBA is a joke!
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
December 31st, 2009
12:14 am
The Bottom Line is both yesterday and tonight, the Hawks had a chance to win. ELITE teams FINISH games.
We didnt score in like the first 9 mins of the 4th last night, blame that on the refs too???
We had CLE down by 17 and could (should) have buried them. We didnt, then were put in position where those wacky calls by the refs cost us THIS game. We shouldnt have been in that situation in the first place, which wont change until the problems I listed are corrected.
According to some of you, Horford, Smoove, JJ, and Crawford are all all stars. Get off the high horse this team has problems, but I guess its ok……we can go back to beating up on the sub .500 east teams and patting the Hawks on the back.
JeJe
December 31st, 2009
12:14 am
LOL. If it is so fixed, why didn’t the Cavs beat the Magic in the playoffs last year and go to the Finals? Why didn’t they beat the boring Spurs in 2007? You are clearly an idiot, Alien.
Post of the month goes to cosmo. Right on, my brother.
We let this team get back in the game. We had a tied game, +1 -1 or whatever, and we had to face LeBron and the crowd on the road.
STFU People with this “one play” determined the game.
We lost to a far superior, deeper, and much better defensive team.
Now we get to play Boston and Orlando 210 times this month
yay
JeJe
December 31st, 2009
12:18 am
We will not compete in the NBA for a title or the conference with the roster as is. We are the same team as is with a slightly better 6th man. We will win 53 games and lose in the 2nd round, to Cleveland in 4 or 5 games.
We need to hope for Boston in Round 2. And we need to trade deadweight Bibby and Marvin for true talent. Bibby will follow up tonight’s performance with 6 points on Friday
Alien in ATL
December 31st, 2009
12:21 am
Mac-Town:
We couldn’t drive the ball to the rim anymore because we were fouled every single time without getting the call, resulting in a turnover. Our play in the paint was killed by the refs not calling fouls, so as a team, you have to look for other options = jump shots. Yes, our jump shots didn’t go in at the end of the game, as didn’t those of the Cavs. But the difference was that the Cavs got the refs support in the paint where we didn’t! See the PF and the FTA stats!
And this is not the only night where we have this problem.
Yes, yesterday’s game was ugly, especially in the 4th, But if you review the stats, the Cavs weren’t playing any better! The score at the end of the 3rd was the same 3 to 4 minutes into the 4th, so both teams were struggling. The difference came when Josh Smith was called for (again) an arguable foul, followed by a T on the coach for rightfully arguing the call. That was the game changer!
Yes, our Hawks should have held their composure and not gone ice-cold in the 4th, but if the refs hadn’t given the psychological advantage to LBJ and his Cavs, our Hawks could have won. The officiating was not as bad as in today’s game – I agree – but don’t tell me the Hawks got a many favorable calls as the Cavs did tonight!
Alien in ATL
December 31st, 2009
12:28 am
Jeje – I don’t think I called you an idiot in any of my posts, just asked you to shut up if the only thing you can say as a fan is against the team you say to support. Fair criticism should not be disregarded, but your comments only seem to be against the Hawks, nothing positive.
A real fan will and should acknowledge the good things and the shortcomings. But some so called fans only seem to be happy when they can over expose certain shortcomings, while not recognizing the good.
CDawg
December 31st, 2009
1:40 am
Oh and btw to all the pessimistic Hawks fans and the Cav fans, the reason we can’t win games against the big name teams ex. Lakers, Nuggets, Cavs, is because of the refs. It’s just so damn obvious of who the favor and they make SURE that the team they want to win does. Oh and just an fyi, we DID beat the Celtics earlier this year. That proves that we can play with the big boys if the NBA wasn’t so freaking biased.
Hawk Fan In New Orleans
December 31st, 2009
3:10 am
Right on Alien in ATL!
I was at the Hornets/Heat game (an evenly officiated one I might add) while following the game on my phone and wonder wtf was happening to make us lose that 17 pt lead and I saw later that it was 8 on 5 no doubt. The last 2 minutes of the game should be replayed and yes Donaghy, no matter how shady a character he is, most likely is telling the truth – remember Conseco and Rafael Palmeiro testing positive after vehemently denying the fact.SMH
Let’s get it we still can right the ship and win the southeast.
Mac-Town'z Finest 478
December 31st, 2009
3:55 am
LOL listen to how some of yall sound, if the game is as rigged and as fake as you say..and EVERYTHING is the refs fault for ALL hawks shortcomings, then why even watch the games??? Why watch any NBA games???
The Hawks didnt have calls go there way in the fourth tonight, I’m aware of that but that wasnt the ONLY reason we lost…and it d-a-m-n sure isnt the biggest of the hawks problems.
People are acting like the Hawks are such a well balanced and effective team that the only thing holding us back from a title is the refs, lol pathetic.
Paul
December 31st, 2009
1:06 pm
@Melvin I am not suggesting they cheer for him But BOO’ing him EVERYTIME he TOUCHES the ball seems senseless. Boo him Once or twice but EVERYTIME Hmmm!