Preview: Hawks at Cavaliers, April 2nd
2010-04-02
Relevant Statistics:
Pace: Atlanta 92.7 (27th) vs. Cleveland 93.3 (25th)
Offensive Efficiency: Atlanta 109.0 (4th) vs. Cleveland 109.1 (2nd)
Defensive Efficiency: Atlanta 104.1 (15th) vs. Cleveland 100.9 (8th)
Notes:
Josh Smith/Al Horford going up against the Cavs without Shaq or Varejao is a scary notion.
Beating the Hawks is all about winning the possession battle. They succeed by getting offensive rebounds and not turning it over.
Late in the game, I actually feel better about LeBron being able to control Joe Johnson than I do about any Cav being able to control Jamaal Crawford.
Recommended Reading:
Yeah I haven’t heard anything about the Jawad Jent scuffle. I imagine there are a lot of guys struggling with not getting minutes. Hopefully nothing comes of it.
“Cavs F Jawad Williams and Cleveland assistant Chris Jent had an animated conversation during a timeout in the second quarter. It wasn’t clear what Williams was upset about. …”- espns post game article. Minutes possibly?
@A. Awesome tip, I already bookmarked the site, and I’m inclined to use it tonight at 7PM for the Raps – Sixers game (I know, I know, I’m just really missing watching NBA games…).
My fiance is from NE Ohio, so when we move there next year I can finally go to a game at the Q again. Which would be the first time since Cavs – Lakers in December 2007. I feel so deprived… But, if there’s a chance that there will parade this June, I’m hoping to be around. *Fingers crossed*
@Isaac: Hooray for national TV games in general … the grad school budget does not allow for league pass unfortunately
@A. Hooray for ATDHE… easily the most reliable streaming site. Also hooray for sunday afternoon games…
My favorite Mo play in this game was in the 2nd half, when he got run into a brick wall of a pick, and still recovered to catch up to his man and contest the shot from behind (and I think partially blocked it as well). I can’t remember ever seeing him play D like last night.
@Dutchboy: You can watch th games live on ATDHE.net. I live in Paris, so I know how it’s like to not have games on TV. Also, you must be willing to have outrageous sleeping habits. Hope that helps for future games. And yes, Mo did have 4 blocks. He was on a mission.
Long time listener, first time caller here. First, I love reading this blog and the thoughtful comment section. There’s not a lot of angry posting and rambling about how Kobe Rulzzz!!!1 here (as fun as that can be on DDL), which is always a good thing. I live in Holland, and can’t see any games here (have to rely on ESPN GameCast if I’m up late enough to follow a game), but there was something I couldn’t believe when I saw it in the boxscore: Mo lead the team with 4 blocks?! Really? Are there eye witnesses to confirm that?… Read more »
I was thoroughly impressed with the Cavs tonight. Honestly I thought they would lose. Anytime you lose 8 straight games to a team, you are going to be hungry. I knew the Hawks (Totally healthy) were going to come in with something to prove on Natl TV. No Anderson FROGS Varejao and no Shaq to punish them in the interior, it just felt like the cards were in the Hawks favor. And yet the Cavs DESTROYED the hawks on the glass! I mean, WOW. They really couldn’t handle the Hawks frontcourt players in the post but DANG! They were all… Read more »
Oh, and I say just rest Varejao till the end of the season. Who cares at this point and no reason to make the injury any worse.
Atlanta is a pretty solid defensive team..and w/o Shaq or Varejao we can’t really take advantage of their lack of size like Orlando always does. I’m ok with the offense struggling cause it’s been that way in the other two games. It isn’t by accident..just the way the matchup plays out.
I think when Shaq comes back that will help the offensive lulls, because it will give the team another option on offense to get easier buckets against teams with weak front courts. That said, that wouldn’t necessarily help much against Orlando.
Team looked fine. Just getting tired of Delonte coming in and thinking he is LeBron number 2.
I’m starting to get worried, this team looks exactly like the team that “closed” out the season last year. Poor half court offense, mental lapses, bad habits. What the hell.
Someone else has to see it. We give Delonte West to much love here. The guy takes an insane amount of jumpshots after passing the ball 0 times in an offensive possession. At least three times he’s brough the ball down the court, dribbled around, and then went 1on1 taking a step back jumper and the ball wasn’t passed once. We kill LeBron for it…should do the same to Delonte.
Mike Woodson’s face reminds me of a 70’s Playboy. Good coach, though.