Cavaliers at Atlanta Hawks: Sitting On It (UPDATE: Marvin to play, other starters to sit)
Cavs coach Mike Brown said today at shooataround that LeBron and Shaq
won’t play tonight. Woody said he hadn’t made up his mind: “Game-time decision.” But chances are Hawks starters won’t play or get only token minutes considering the Hawks can’t improve their playoff seeding and that’s the way Woody approached last season’s finale under similar circumstances.
(EDIT: In pregame, Woody said Marvin would start alongside Teague, Joe Smith, and Zaza.)
The consensus among Hawks players is they’re fine with sitting.
“If anything, it helps after such a long season, Al said.
These two will watch the game tonight. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
For Brown, the main motivation behind sitting LeBron and Shaq is to avoid injury. “That had a lot to do with it,” he said.
This will be the fourth healthy scratch in a row for LeBron. Shaq just recently was cleared to return after missing six weeks with a thumb injury.
The Cavs will enter the playoffs with their full lineup of LeBron, Shaq, Mo Williams, Antawn Jamison and Anthony Parker having played together for just three full games. Brown wasn’t ready to say that’s not a worry because his team is so veteran.
“You worry,” Brown said. “As a coach you worry about a lot of things. You hope your worries don’t come true.”
After the shootaround, LeBron joked about whether his Atlanta fans want to see him play. Yeah, they do, and by the way does he feel for fans who bought tickets to games to see him as the main attraction? He shook his head: “I’ve played in every arena this year.”
That’s true, though I doubt it’s much solace for his fans who picked the wrong game to buy tickets. Some advice for those fans: If you want to see a star player on a good team, and his final visit is scheduled within the last week or so, best to catch him the first time he comes to town.
– There’s a feeling among the Hawks that the Heat might not go all out to beat the Nets tonight because Miami would rather face the Hawks than the Celtics. That’s not hard to believe. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra says manipulating the seeding would be “messing with the basketball gods” but, depending on how many lines you want to read between, the Hawks’ suspicions can be confirmed by looking at this Miami Herald story by Izzy:
Jermaine O’Neal, who missed one game and started only five against the Hawks (in the playoffs) last year because of a concussion, said the difference between the Hawks and Celtics is predictability.
“[The Hawks] can put you in a tough situation, especially in Atlanta,” O’Neal said. “They play at another level. But you never really know what to expect with those guys. But with Boston, you know it’s going to be very physical, it’s going to be a grind-out type of a game, every-possession-counts type of a game. So it’s kind of like, pick your poison, really.”
Of course, even if the Heat tanked it would need the Bucks to beat Boston tonight to “secure” the No. 6 seed. That should happen since the Celtics are likely to rest their starters, too, but you never know. Maybe the Bucks want the Hawks, too.
MC
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543 comments Add your comment
Melvin
April 14th, 2010
10:40 pm
Lopez is not an All-Star. He was on the bench for the entire 4th. and Nets coach (not smart) decided to start him in the OT and the guy has committed 3 straight turnovers. That may have cost the Nets this game.
Big Ray
April 14th, 2010
10:40 pm
24 points and 15 assists. Must have been an accident, because I know Delonte West and Sebastian Telfair wouldn’t let themselves get punked like that.
It’s amazing what can happen if your offense for the eveing does not include pass the ball to Joe, failing that, give it to Jamal, and if Josh takes the rebound and goes on the break himself, just let him go.
J.J.M.
April 14th, 2010
10:42 pm
smh@the refs get this game over with
Big Ray
April 14th, 2010
10:42 pm
Teague’s performance does not mean he should be a starter. it just means that he has potential, and brings something different to the table that Bibby does not. Speed, defense, and the ability to get guys easy shots.
And it also suggests that he deserves more consistent PT, which will give him the chance to improve. owever, it also reinforces that he needs to work on his jumper.
Could not have said that any better. Now I wonder if people can understand the difference between naming the kid a starter automatically, and simply making him the backup pg who gets….oh, I don’t know…maybe 15 mpg?
J.J.M.
April 14th, 2010
10:43 pm
wow man this is annoying
808 Rob
April 14th, 2010
10:43 pm
Heat announcers want the heat to lose they get excited when the nets score. they want to see the hawks. Double OT for Nets Heat
VenomSpitter
April 14th, 2010
10:43 pm
OMG this is worse than a braves game
Melvin
April 14th, 2010
10:44 pm
Double OT in this nightmare of a game. I can understan why the Nets dont want this game to end….LOL
Big Ray
April 14th, 2010
10:44 pm
15 assists = aggressively endeavoring to get teammates the ball when and where they can do good things with it.
Najeh Davenpoop
April 14th, 2010
10:44 pm
Shavlik Randolph, what a douche bag. What a retarded foul. Double overtime.
Ree Roe
April 14th, 2010
10:44 pm
@ o’Brien, no doubt man. I think people think I hate Teague or think he’s garbage. Honestly I think he does have potential, but I still don’t think he’s ready to play significant minutes for us. I don’t think he’s aggressive enough on offense or assertive enough on D. One game won’t change my mind (even tho I didn’t see this game), but I’m glad he got some action & got a chance to succeed. Wasn’t tonight his first start at home?
-REEticulate it for Roe!!!
Wabe
April 14th, 2010
10:44 pm
I’m not tryin to come at anybody here right now, but it took you guys this long to notice what the kid can do? Just forget about the points and assists and even the turnovers right now. Throw all the stats out of the window.
From a PURE PG PERSPECTIVE, JT0 offers us more today and has offered us more ALL SEASON then Mike Bibby. Bibby’s a seasoned-vet who is no doubt smarter than the rook at this point, but the quickness and ability to penetrate/set up others that JT0 brings to the table instantly makes him a more viable option to run POINT! NOT BRING THE BALL UP AND HAND IT OFF TO JJ/JAMAL.
I know it’s foolish to take this one performance and use it to justify a need for more minutes. But, you’d also be foolish to ignore the kid’s potential. All of the BS arguments that some try to sway others with on this blog (”JT0 would get more PT if he was any good) are proving to be more ignorant with every extra minute JT0 clocks. It’s not the kid’s talent that’s holding him back at this point…
pinoy hawk
April 14th, 2010
10:46 pm
Can the nba sanction the heat for obviously trying to lose a game?!?! d-wade sucks!
Wabe
April 14th, 2010
10:46 pm
Please don’t take the 2nd paragraph of my post and assume that I want JT0 starting over Bibby. I’m not that far-gone.
What I am trying to say is that although some maybe content with letting the kid takeover the reigns in the future, he COULD HAVE PLAYED an important role on this team THIS SEASON!
Najeh Davenpoop
April 14th, 2010
10:47 pm
Heat put Yakhouba Diawara in the game to start double overtime even though he’s been sitting all game.
David Stern should take away their draft pick.
BirdDawg
April 14th, 2010
10:47 pm
This is just sad. The Heat are trying to avoid the Celtics and the Nets are trying not to hurt their draft standing. David Stern should suspend Dwyane Wade for the first round of the playoffs, award the Nets a meritorious 15 wins, and refund all of the fans at this game their money.
Big Ray
April 14th, 2010
10:47 pm
Brook Lopez:
3 for 12 from the field in a scrub game, 6 turnovers, 12 points, 7 rebounds.
The brilliant work of a franchise center.
Here’s what’s funny:
Lose this game, and the Nets, with their franchise center and near all-star pg, will have a worse season than the 13-69 season the Hawks had 6 years ago.
L…M…F….A….O !!!!!!!!!!
J.J.M.
April 14th, 2010
10:48 pm
how was that a foul?
Melvin
April 14th, 2010
10:48 pm
Oh my gosh… Lopez with 4 straight turnovers…
tiger woo
April 14th, 2010
10:48 pm
If the Heat are trying to lose so bad, how did we get to double overtime?
VenomSpitter
April 14th, 2010
10:48 pm
man the refs suck in this game
Melvin
April 14th, 2010
10:49 pm
This game is awful…. double OT and neither team has scored 90pts
bigdave
April 14th, 2010
10:50 pm
frenchy for 3… heat up 5..
Najeh Davenpoop
April 14th, 2010
10:50 pm
Diawara banks in a 3. Heat up by 5. This game is atrocious.
Brook Lopez carried my fantasy team’s front court this season, but watching him in this game, I can’t for the life of me figure out how. He looks terrible.
Melvin
April 14th, 2010
10:51 pm
Heat up 5. ballgame. The Nets need a whole qtr to score 5pts.
BirdDawg
April 14th, 2010
10:52 pm
That three is going to earn Yakhouba Diawara an @$$ whipping from his teammates after the game. lol
O'Brien
April 14th, 2010
10:52 pm
Ree Roe,
I think this was his first start at home. And we know that bench players play better at home.
However, if you had a chance to watch the game, you would see that he was aggressive on offense and defense. And he was a one man fast break. He got guys easy shots (should have probably had 20 assists tonight).
I think the main issue is when he is on the court, he defers to the other guys (which is understandable). How aggressive can he be when Jamal is on the court? And we know the offense is designed for JJ and Crawford to be the main ball handler.
But he showed lots of potential, and I think consistent PT will help him improve faster.
Miami up by 5. It looks we will get the Bucks.
tiger woo
April 14th, 2010
10:52 pm
Najeh,
The Nets have 12 wins this season – they are all terrible, obviously.
BirdDawg
April 14th, 2010
10:53 pm
Tiger Woo,
Because the Nets suck and don’t seem very interested in victory either.
J.J.M.
April 14th, 2010
10:53 pm
man id ratha watch the braves
Melvin
April 14th, 2010
10:54 pm
Lopez is terrible…. but hey, at least he’s in the top 20 in blockshots for centers.
Big Ray
April 14th, 2010
10:54 pm
Ree Roe ,
What is your definition of significant minutes?
Wabe ,
Some of us have seen the potential the kid has, including Mike Woodson and the entire Hawks organization. What I don’t understand is how in one breath a person can say they see the potential, but then also say he shouldn’t play anymore than he does. How exactly does the potential get brought to bear, then?
What I can’t understand is that people just don’t believe that Woody never intended to play the rook anymore than he did because he didn’t want to do it in a pivotal year like this one, sacrificing team goals for the development of one player. I still thought the kid should have played more minutes, but 53 wins has me shut up. Now if Bibby goes down in a heap in the playoffs due to injury and Teague ain’t ready to step in, then we have a valid argument (should have played the kid more). Until then, I have to roll with Woody’s decision.
And it’s a good thing you clarified “increased minutes” over “must start immediately”. I have NEVER seen a bunch of people get the wrong idea so blatantly in my life. Wait, yes I have. Politics….
Big Ray
April 14th, 2010
10:56 pm
“Lopez is terrible…. but hey, at least he’s in the top 20 in blockshots for centers.”
J.J.M.
April 14th, 2010
10:56 pm
see the bucks round 1
Najeh Davenpoop
April 14th, 2010
10:56 pm
James Jones for 3. Heat up 7 with 23 seconds left. Looks like the Hawks get the Bucks.
bigdave
April 14th, 2010
10:56 pm
HAWKS V BUCKS
808 Rob
April 14th, 2010
10:57 pm
Hawks-Bucks
Bill
April 14th, 2010
10:57 pm
Looks like we are going to see the Bucks this weekend.
tiger woo
April 14th, 2010
10:57 pm
Chris Quinn with a 3 !! I guess he’s not in on the fix?
VenomSpitter
April 14th, 2010
10:57 pm
yes we get the bucks
tiger woo
April 14th, 2010
10:58 pm
Looks like all of you conspiracy theorists were wrong after all !!
Big Ray
April 14th, 2010
10:59 pm
O’brien ,
Exactly. Let Teague (or any rookie for that matter) start taking shots from JJ and Jamal (or even Josh and Al) and see how quickly his butt gets yanked from the game. Doesn’t matter if those guys are shooting a collective 12 for 60, and we’ve seen games where they were doing just that.
Big Ray
April 14th, 2010
11:00 pm
Tiger Woo,
Heh. Chris Quinn wants/needs a job. Tanking can’t get in the way of that, LOL.
tiger woo
April 14th, 2010
11:01 pm
Good point Big Ray – LOL !!
Big Ray
April 14th, 2010
11:02 pm
53 wins and we meet the Bucks in the playoffs, first round. Let’s stomp these guys.
Go Hawks!
tiger woo
April 14th, 2010
11:04 pm
What ! Chris Quinn is on N.J. now? – I guess he was traded from Miami – that’s too bad.
Teaged
April 14th, 2010
11:05 pm
LOL IM CALLING IT EARLY…………..SWEEEEEEEEEEP
Ken Strickland
April 14th, 2010
11:08 pm
CP-If you’ll remember, Teague had that jumpshot down and working throughout training camp and preseason, but both he and his jumpshot got all but ignore by Woodson when the season started. I believe he was either the Hawks leading or 2nd leading preseason scorer. I can remember Sekou Smith making numerous comments about him having such an outstanding midrange gm and shot. We saw that tonight.
A PG with speed, quickness, penetrating ability and DEF will do more to advance the Hawks than a very limited and inconsistent 3pt shooting PG that does none of those things. Let’s hope Woodson recognizes that during the playoffs and gives Teague more mins, instead of riding Bibby into the ground no matter how he’s performing.
We’ve all started to see a trend where Bibby starts out on fire, then does very little after the 1st quarter. His 2nd half scoring is almost nonexistent, along with his DEF, which makes him a total liability. Replacing him with JCrawford does wonders for our OFF, but it doesn’t improve our DEF significantly. That’s where Teague can make his biggest difference, and Woodson has to get over himself and start realizing that.
How in the hell can a so called DEF minded HC keep relying on his 2 worst DEF guards(Bibby & Crawford), when DEF is needed, while completely ignoring his best on the ball defender(Teague), especially in the 2nd half? Here is an example of the backward though process Woodson often displays.
He waits until the last gm of the season to test his backup rookie PG and see if he can give him anything during the playoffs. Wouldn’t early in the regular season have been a better time to find that out, so he’d have time to work with him on developing his skills and confidence? A$$ backward thinking.
Lacsho
April 14th, 2010
11:09 pm
Rotation set: Woodson has settled on a rotation that includes reserves Crawford, Evans and Zaza Pachulia. Beyond those three, Woodson said the rotation for the playoffs is “up in the air.” Teague, Joe Smith, Jason Collins, and Mario West might play “in certain situations.”
SOME PEOPLE NEVER LEARN. BIBBY WILL GET MURDERED THIS YEAR IN THE PLAYOFFS!!!
bigdave
April 14th, 2010
11:09 pm
SWEEP!