Atlanta Hawks: Cavaliers 99, Hawks 83 (updated)
Vivlamore reporting.
CLEVELAND — Once again the Hawks dug themselves too deep a hole.
This is becoming a bad trend – a very bad trend.
After falling behind by 19 points, the Hawks staggered home on a four-game losing streak following Wednesday’s 99-83 loss to the injury-riddled Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena.
The Hawks (20-14) have lost five of their past six. Their latest defeat came one day after the fell behind by 17 points at the Timberwolves before a furious comeback fell short. Their third-place standing in the Eastern Conference is gone. They have lost two games since having a team meeting aimed at resolving their issues of late.
Coach Larry Drew adjusted his lineup, starting Zaza Pachulia at center, but perhaps more changes are in store for the struggling Hawks.
“I’m a little concerned,” Drew said. “Anytime you go through a little bump in the road you have to look at your team, look at what you are doing and try to find some answers. We go home now and (Thursday) is a day where we are going to have to look for some answers. Maybe I need to shake up the lineup a little more. Maybe I need to do some things differently. I’ve got to do something to get this team jump started again and I will.”
The Cavaliers (9-28) won the season series against the Hawks (2-1) despite missing four players – Anderson Varejao (knee surgery), C.J. Miles (back), Daniel Gibson (concussion) and Luke Walton (personal). The margin of victory was easily the biggest of the season.
Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 33 points, 18 in the third quarter, to lead the Cavaliers. Cleveland now has just one home victory in each month of the season. Their last home victory came Dec. 11 against the Lakers.
“It’s just bad that on the streak we are going he had to have a game like that against us,” Josh Smith said of Irving.
Smith had 17 points and eight rebounds for the Hawks. He missed two free throws with five minutes remaining, one an air ball, that punctuated the loss for the Hawks. Jeff Teague finished with 15 points.
“Right now things are going too well for us,” Smith said. “We understand that. … It’s a marathon not a sprint. You are going to have stretches like this during the season. I’m just hope it’s earlier rather than later.”
The Hawks erased a nine-point halftime deficit by starting the third quarter on an 11-2 run to tie the game at 51-51. Teague scored seven of the points in the run. Up to that point, Teague had seven points and seven fouls in the past one and a half games. The rally was short-lived as the Cavaliers answered with an 11-2 run of their own.
By the end of the quarter the Cavaliers held a 14-point advantage thanks to Irving, who scored his team’s last 12.
The Cavaliers took a 49-40 into halftime as the Hawks struggled from the field in the second quarter. The Hawks shot just 22.7 percent (5 of 22) and scored just 12 points in the period. Smith and Al Horford were each 1 of 6.
“It’s hard to fall behind like that,” Horford said. “I think that for some reason or another we have really low energy as a team. I think we spend too much time trying to fight back. I don’t think it has anything to do with anything that we are doing wrong. I just think the energy is not all there. It has to be all there. All of us have to be doing it together and that’s not the case.”
The Hawks shot 68.4 percent (13 of 19) in the opening quarter. They still trailed by a point, 29-28, as seven of the Cavaliers’ 11 field goals were 3-pointers. The final long-range shot from Irving came at the first-quarter buzzer.
The Hawks attempted just five free throws in the game, making two. Drew said once again his team settled for too many jump shots.
- Chris Vivlamore
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134 comments Add your comment
Mr Sarcastic
January 9th, 2013
11:52 pm
Irvin absolutely had his way with Lou tonight but that does not matter because it is Teague’s fault. Lou was playing stellar defense tonight but was trumped by better O. When Lou didn’t put his hands up on those jumpers it was because he was playing mind games with Irving daring him to shoot and score all those buckets. I’m with Grandad on this one. Let Lou start at pg because the offense flows so much better with Lou at the point and lets not forget his Gary Payton type defense he brings……Grandad I can tell by your player assessments that you were once a great coach. Dare I say a Dean Smith Jr?
Danny Ferry stop playing game and get rid of Teague and Josh Smith. Clearly they are the reason the Hawks are so bad this year. Al would be unstoppable at the 4 with his great team defense and vast array of post moves. And this team would definitely be in the ECF with Lou or Devin Harris at the point. They run the offense better and play the type of lockdown defense we need at the position.
Rusty
January 10th, 2013
12:01 am
Hey JT haters at least Harris showed signs of greatness ,HA HA. With about 2 minutes in the game one of the Hawks took a 3 pointer which he missed the rest of his teamates were at least 15 feet away from the basket,this is a funny account of LD ‘ offense.
HueyFreeman
January 10th, 2013
12:02 am
This was a pathetic effort. Hawks shot themselves out of this game and gave up alot of 3’s. C-Viv, what’s LD’s excuse tonight? Effort? Energy? Execution? Rebounding intensity and defense need to be improved and consistent for the whole game.
Also I would love to see Lou pass to Jenkins for 3, I always see him calling for the ball wide open and Lou forces up a contested shot. Others do this but nobody as much as Lou.
The only player LD ever tries to put in check is Teague. Hmmm…
joe
January 10th, 2013
12:03 am
I would trade Josh Smith for DeMarcus Cousins,and put Horford at the power forward spot and start Ivan Johnson to complete the frontcourt. That would improve our rebounding and scoring in the paint tremendously,instead of a guy who thinks he can shoot the 3ball and cant rebound. Plus I hope Ferry will bring in a coach like Jerry Sloan,who would instill a sense of discipline and is a proven winner.
Rusty
January 10th, 2013
12:15 am
Al is not moving right,he looks like he is injured.
Rusty
January 10th, 2013
12:19 am
There is many times that JT penetrates & kicks the ball out to Al at the free throw line for an easy jumper,how come we can’t do this to get easy shots for JJ or LW.
The Truth
January 10th, 2013
12:26 am
As I predicted, the losing streak will continue. In the meantime, let’s talk winning fundamentals:
When they score, the Hawks must score. When they miss, the Hawks must be aggressive and go for the higher percentage shots preferably in the paint instead of settling for the home-run long 3-ball. That’s the wrong time to have a “heat-check”. If they must shoot on the perimeter, at least get the ball in the hands of your best outside shooters.
The last thing the Hawks need that will surely spoil a comeback is to attempt low percentage shots from the 3-point line by the must inconsistent perimeter shooters. That’s exactly what happened in this game.
Because of the idiotic way the Hawks played on offense, they spent most of the game swimming upstream failing to take advantage of the Cavs offensive slumps. Untimely long misses from Al from pop plays, kick-out passes to Josh at the 3-line when the passer was in the paint for an easy lay-up really explained why they loss.
LD publicly throwing this team under the bus by calling them “soft” has been mentally damaging to them, as it has manifested itself in these losses. Their body language shows that the frustration is mounting. He could have chosen other words to describe their setback instead of embarrassing them in front of their family calling them “soft”. Call them “laid-back” or call them “non-aggressive” or even call them “lackadaisical” but Larry you shouldn’t use the “S” word.
As the Phillip announcer would say “THAT PLAY WAS OFFENSIVE, LARRY DREW!!!!!!!”
2 FOR JOHN DREW
January 10th, 2013
12:31 am
BILL LAIMBEER FOR COACH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Peter
January 10th, 2013
12:41 am
Josh is not coach-able…. how many power forwards in the leagues hang out at the 3 point line and shoot 3 to 5 a game ?
Center is way too small………. Al is a power forward playing the center spot………. we are getting killed on the glass, he is a jump shooter, who is our go to post up guy ?
Rusty
January 10th, 2013
12:46 am
Yea LD you have to demand perfection,don’t you know that,HA,HA.
2 FOR JOHN DREW
January 10th, 2013
12:48 am
Coach Laimbeer 2 Time NBA Champ …. 4 Time NBA All-Star …. 3 Time WNBA Champ (coach) 6′11 Tough, Smart …. He’ll look Josh right in his face & coach him up….. Phil Jackson had to get his opportunity ….. Just Sayin’
Rusty
January 10th, 2013
12:58 am
Ld brings nothing to the game but stupidity fire his dumb azz.
Peter
January 10th, 2013
1:00 am
Al at 6′ 9″ is too small …… not a center…… in the words of Hubie Brown…. he is a guy with the body of a power forward playing center.
Too bad Josh can’t be consistent at the free throw line, or get there consistently……too mush jump shooting as of late…… 1-5 tonight at the 3 point line is useless.
Nate ArchiBALL
January 10th, 2013
1:06 am
Watching Chris Paul against the Mavericks – such a huge difference between any of the Hawks PG’s and Chris – 17 points 16 assists and 5 turnovers – complete control of his team.
Peter
January 10th, 2013
1:09 am
Buddy………. perhaps Hubie Brown doesn’t know what he is talking about ?
Peter
January 10th, 2013
1:14 am
Buddy…… Al can barely jump……
Peter
January 10th, 2013
1:15 am
6 10 in sneakers maybe……
Nate ArchiBALL
January 10th, 2013
1:17 am
2 for John Drew – Bill Laimbeer is now the GM and Head Coach of the WNBA’s New York Liberty.
Rusty
January 10th, 2013
1:18 am
Ha,I would love to see cp3 trying to take complete control of the hawks,would never happen.
bbfan
January 10th, 2013
1:23 am
So if P Jackson came out of retirement to coach this team with the exact players, the Hawks would be______________________? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Until this year, you had a second round playoff team at best and you ship out the best player but you replace him with a less talented player. You don’t see anything wrong with that picture??
Jay Dubu
January 10th, 2013
1:32 am
The Hawks are 2.5 games out of 8th place in the east.
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
January 10th, 2013
1:56 am
I see a lot of Fire LD’s on the blog tonight. Guess the meeting didn’t work.
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
January 10th, 2013
1:57 am
We live and die by the three.
2 FOR JOHN DREW
January 10th, 2013
2:14 am
Thanks Nate ArchiBALL ….. didn’t know that ….. well we can’t just say FIRE LD ….. w/o having an upgrade of a coach in mind !!!!!
EmirS.
January 10th, 2013
2:36 am
Oh well….
Buddy Grizzard
January 10th, 2013
3:44 am
You’ve got to give it to LD. It takes balls to entrust his future as an NBA head coach to Mike Scott.
vava74
January 10th, 2013
3:59 am
Najeh Davenpoop
January 9th, 2013
11:49 pm
““Al (-2) Josh (-13)
Yep this one’s on Al.”
Nearly that entire difference comes from the end of the 3rd quarter, when the Cavs went on a run after LD took Al out in favor of Jenkins (who didn’t play well today). Plus/minus numbers can say a lot of things if you take them out of context (kind of like every other stat).”
Co-sign. ± stats are useful in certain situations but you need to watch the games to know what they say.
And in this occasion, it says that LD had Josh on the floor during a period in which the Hawks were -10 with Irving burning Lou for 12 consecutive points to close the quarter.
By the way, the ± stat is also not an indictment of JJ2 since those -10 occurred ALL with Irving scoring on Lou on the defensive end and on the offensive end with Lou NOT PASSING a freaking ball to the kid.
Only a profoundly idiotic coach places a shooter, or 2 shooters as he did precisely during that period when JJ2 and KK were on the floor at the same time with a “PG” (loosely designated) who HAS NIGHTS, LIKE YESTERDAY IN WHICH HE DOES NOT MAKE A SINGLE PASS TO AN OPEN SHOOTER.
Before that -10 period, JJ2 was -3.
How can LD expect to win a game when he has Lou (defensively challenged), JJ2 (defensively challenged) and Korver (defensively challenged) on the floor at the same time if the two shooters are not getting any shots???
Was he expecting that the presence of JJ2 and KK would provide a decoy for Lou to operate?
The guy is an IDIOT.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
January 10th, 2013
4:33 am
FIRE LD
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
January 10th, 2013
4:43 am
I guarantee you if you asked Levenson right now about this team’s struggles, he’d immediately bring up the Lakers’ struggles and act like we’re fine
Ray
January 10th, 2013
5:52 am
I told you guys back when the season began we’re on track to where I feel like we were going to finish only winning minimum of 40-44 games no more than 48 games max.
I’m not the least bit surprised we’ve lost some of these games. Here is the thing though at 20-14 this team currently contrusted did you expect any more when you only have 2 centers 1 that is a true center?
Ray
January 10th, 2013
5:54 am
Typo Constructed my bad
Still I’m going to say this need to make up your mind what you’d do with Devin Harris or Lou Williams one must go and one must stay for something better if you know what I mean.
Plus looking at the way things are now as in the Big Picture people like Petro are all but gone, and if you find an upgrade people like Morrow might be gone.
myrak43
January 10th, 2013
6:59 am
O’brien @ 9:35 pm
“If LD wants to turn around the team’s fortunes, he needs to shave his eyebrows ”
this post had me crying I was laughing so hard.
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