We’re live from Hawks-Cavaliers: Will it be a new story?
The Hawks are hoping to control LeBron James and the Cavaliers better than in their playoff series. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
If you’re wondering whether tonight’s game between the Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers will play out any differently than last year’s playoff series, you’re not alone. LeBron James isn’t sure what to make of the Hawks yet, either.
“We controlled the playoff series the whole way through,” James said moments ago in the Cavaliers’ locker room. “They’re a talented a talented team, but we controlled them and did what we wanted to do.”
When asked if the Hawks seem like a significantly different team now, James said, “I’ll tell you tonight after we play them. … I’ve watched tape. But you can’t just watch tape . When you play them, that’s when you can really tell about a team.”
The Hawks view tonight’s game as a measuring stick. They’re 21-8 but for the first time face the team that bounced them from the playoffs last season in four straight games. The Hawks are more versatile, deeper and better defensively than they were a year ago. They’re probably also a little tougher mentally. But James is right: You never really know about a team until games like this.
Josh Smith echoed those sentiments a little while ago, saying, “Any time we play against a marquee team in the East, let alone the NBA, we’ve got to gauge ourselves. We’ll definitely face adversity throughout the game. So we’ll just see how we’ll deal with that, too.”
It should be interesting. These are the fun games to watch and I’m here to chat about it, so let me know what you think.
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296 comments Add your comment
J.J.M.
December 29th, 2009
7:32 pm
man i just knew josh was going to get in foul trouble
atmdawg
December 29th, 2009
7:33 pm
Woody PLEASE use the bench! Starters foul more often when they are tired.
Meek
December 29th, 2009
7:35 pm
Joe must score his quota (25 points), the bench must be solid (Jamal always does his thing), and Josh needs to keep his cool and the Hawks should win easy.
Jerry
December 29th, 2009
7:37 pm
easy? these are the hawks
Jeff Schultz
December 29th, 2009
7:37 pm
Here comes Joe Smith . . .
J.J.M.
December 29th, 2009
7:37 pm
playing sloppy now
Time
December 29th, 2009
7:37 pm
Welcome back Joe Smith. Nice to have another big back off the bench.
Jeff Schultz
December 29th, 2009
7:38 pm
One quarter down. Hawks 26-23. …Started strong, crisp. Finished kinda sloppy.
willie martinez
December 29th, 2009
7:38 pm
Jeff, is this as dull as the first half of the independence bowl?
atmdawg
December 29th, 2009
7:39 pm
Pass the d… ball Joe!
J.J.M.
December 29th, 2009
7:39 pm
just saw the pro bowl players….curtis lofton didnt get invited
willie martinez
December 29th, 2009
7:39 pm
i thought the home team in basketball was supposed to win every time. No?
willie martinez
December 29th, 2009
7:40 pm
jjm, are you that guy that was on the show too close for comfort?
John Konkak
December 29th, 2009
7:40 pm
Was I a bust..???? hope not I played hard…played really good D….
Jeff Schultz
December 29th, 2009
7:40 pm
Joe leads all scorers with 11 … LeBron only 1 for 4 from floor. … Hawks have taken eight more shots (11 for 23) than the Cavs (9 for 15).
Blair Rasmussen
December 29th, 2009
7:41 pm
I’m still getting paid by the Hawks……
willie martinez
December 29th, 2009
7:41 pm
Lyndon Baines Johnson?
Time
December 29th, 2009
7:41 pm
Wow, all the luminaries are out tonight….Willie Martinez, John Konkak. I’m oto be posting with such local sports hero’s.
Jeff Schultz
December 29th, 2009
7:42 pm
Jerious Norwood is here. Let’s see if he can make it through this game without another injury.
Jerry
December 29th, 2009
7:42 pm
are we booing king James? sounds like it
willie martinez
December 29th, 2009
7:42 pm
Jeff, is LeBron that good or overrated?
Jeff Schultz
December 29th, 2009
7:43 pm
Time — Koncak was a hero?
Jerry
December 29th, 2009
7:43 pm
jerous will be ok just put a fishing pole in his hands
Time
December 29th, 2009
7:43 pm
Mo Evans might be the most underrated bench player in the league.
John Konkak
December 29th, 2009
7:43 pm
Time…my vertical leap was 18 inches…..and I played like a girl….
Jeff Schultz
December 29th, 2009
7:44 pm
That’s already 4 more points for Hawks’ bench this quarter than in first.
Jeff Schultz
December 29th, 2009
7:45 pm
Willie Martinez — Yes, he is that good, but not this game so far.
J.J.M.
December 29th, 2009
7:45 pm
Have our point guard scored yet?
willie martinez
December 29th, 2009
7:46 pm
the water girl says overrated.
John Konkak
December 29th, 2009
7:47 pm
J.J.M. good question…that’s the ONLY weakness with these Hawks….
willie martinez
December 29th, 2009
7:47 pm
well, Jeff, nobody’s great all the time.
Time
December 29th, 2009
7:47 pm
John Konkak, no matter how slow and generally bad you were, you were still a thousand times better than Danny Manning.
willie martinez
December 29th, 2009
7:48 pm
Jeff, did you every see Pete Maravich play in person?
willie martinez
December 29th, 2009
7:49 pm
i was at georgia with the Human Highlight Film. he was the best i ever saw.
Not Disappointed
December 29th, 2009
7:50 pm
Evening Jeff! what’s the score?
John Konkak
December 29th, 2009
7:50 pm
willie…jeff was young jewish boy getting picked on when Pete was playing……look at him now…what a recovery….
Jeff Schultz
December 29th, 2009
7:51 pm
Willie — only remember seeing Maravich on TV a few times, never in person.
John Konkak
December 29th, 2009
7:53 pm
willie martinez …I got Nique’s autograph at the UGA vs Kentucky football game…1981 or 1982…(too lazy to google…) he’s a class act….and YES..he could throw it down…
willie martinez
December 29th, 2009
7:58 pm
Jeff, Maravich was several years older than me and my dad (the cynic) said, while Pete was very talented, it was the fact that his father was his college head coach that made him look to be a finer player than he really was.
Mahdi
December 29th, 2009
7:58 pm
Hawks will overcome the Caveliers once they learn to get what Cleveland has: a number one option. We all know that Joe Johnson is a perfect Scottie Pippen who needs a Jordan by his side. Unless Joe starts showing some aggression and leadership, it’s going to be kind of hard to see us surpassing Cleveland, or the other dominant teams in the east.
J.J.M.
December 29th, 2009
7:59 pm
lol somebody is yelling at lebron from the srowd
willie martinez
December 29th, 2009
7:59 pm
konkak, Nique was a great player and person. very approachable on campus when i occasionally saw him.
J.J.M.
December 29th, 2009
7:59 pm
crowd^
J.J.M.
December 29th, 2009
8:00 pm
I wish the hawks would drive more
Jeff Schultz
December 29th, 2009
8:00 pm
Mahdi — That’s always been the question about JJ. He’s a great player but is he a great No. 1 option, esp. in big games and playoffs. This post-season will tell a lot, but so will games like tonight.
Jeff Schultz
December 29th, 2009
8:01 pm
Crawford is the acquisition of the decade.
ronjc in columbia, sc
December 29th, 2009
8:01 pm
Jeff, do you think im crazy for wanting to get Tracy McGrady if Joe Johnson leaves?
John Konkak
December 29th, 2009
8:02 pm
willie martinez …was I a bust..?????? a big white stiff…..tell me..??
willie martinez
December 29th, 2009
8:02 pm
now Hugh Durham was a different story. He seemed ambivalant to the student body.
J.J.M.
December 29th, 2009
8:02 pm
no D