Live Thread: Cavs @ Hawks
2015-03-06Fresh off of outscoring the Raptors in an old-fashioned barn-burner, the Cavs roll into the ATL looking to ground the high-flying birds and show them exactly who the EC is going to run through in the playoffs. But Atlanta has had a couple of days off to figure out the best ways to hard foul LeBron in the paint stop LeBron from scoring.
LBJ says he’s “mad as hell… and he’s not going to take it anymore!” (or at least is going to do more to protect himself from now on).
The Cavs dealt Atlanta their worst loss of the season back on Nov. 15, 127-94, but the Hawks rose up less than a month later to even the score by giving the Cavs their worst defeat, 127-98. Atlanta won the next one too (109-101 in a more competitive matchup on the King’s birthday), although neither LBJ nor Al Horford played in that one (but neither did JR Smith, Iman Shumpert or Timofey Mozgov since they weren’t on the team yet).
If the Cavs want to even the season series, they will need to do a better job tightening up their perimeter defense to prevail in what is sure to be another high-scoring affair. If they allow the Hawks to get supernova from the outside… in the words of Han Solo… “that’d end your trip real quick, wouldn’t it?”
This feels like another playoff-style tilt to me, somewhere between the Houston and Toronto game in terms of intensity. I don’t think it will be quite as physical, but I do think there will be a fair amount of scoring… Prediction: Cavs fly high to edge the Hawks in the end… 113-111… Commentariat… Rise Up!
Delly Trey!!!!!
GREAT PASSING GREAT OFFENSE!!! THERE WE GO!
71% shooting is unacceptable. This isn’t a High school game.
Kyrie needs to be the primary ballhandler the rest of the game. Put LeBron in the post and have Love screen and role for Kyrie.
Otherwise just go home, because LeBron is playing ugly basketball tonight.
KI should always be the primary ball handler – he needs to learn more how to execute and recognize the offense, but he needs to be taking that role over soon. LBJ is devastating off ball.
The Hawks look well prepared to defend a team that doesn’t move the ball.
Hawks are shooting lights out but the Cavs aren’t contesting shots either.
It doesn’t help that everyone on the Hawks can shoot. All of them.
Well it can’t get any worse. I hope!
worst quarter of basketball in a long time. Hawks have the best record in the NBA for a reason.
But Cols says they have no one that scares him.
That was some ugly Cavs offense and defense…. need professional pride to kick in.
Best worst-case scenario: A Hawks/Spurs finals. They play exactly the same.
Just a horribly executed end to a horribly executed quarter…
Go home Cavs, you’re drunk.
Turning this one off soon if we don’t come out strong in the 2nd.
that was as bad a qtr I’ve seen in quite some time
Hawks are for real folks and they are exposing the Cavs offense. This is why you can run your offense with one guy only.
TT was wide open in the paint…. Shumpert tried to dribble into the middle and travelled instead.
Kyrie and Delly don’t have a prayer against their PGs so far, which makes defending the PnR impossible.
Horford with his feet all messed up still makes the 18-footer. Sheesh.
They just aren’t missing on that high PnR…
AC is exactly right… need to move the ball quickly and attack the middle of court.
gotta think hawks cool off but cavs have to make them earn all the shots…..offense really struggling to get anything
Really just hoping the Cavs don’t give up 40 in the first…
Only 36! Moral victory.
At least TT is moving and cutting out there…
These Hawks announcers are the worst.
Hawks very aggressive all over the court on D. Cavs can use that against them if they get some of their motion going.
Bigger problem is the Cavs’ D…
Definitely…. we have an advantage if we move the ball…. totally agree… bigger concern is a lack of defensive intensity.
They are so good at the PnR…
When you don’t play defense you don’t win. We need to make a few plays and get back into this game. Otherwise I can see us mailing this one in.
Atlanta getting whatever they want. Scary team
They play a beautiful brand of basketball… very much like the Spurs in the playoffs last year.
Come on Blatt – give em hell!
this is starting out a disaster cavs have zero energy and hawks running circles around them…sorta like spurs-heat from last year
Nobody is playing much D inside for the Cavs… need some Canadian Dynamite to blow the Hawks up with…
LBJ moved the ball… Shumpert with a wide open shot.
That’s the only way to play these guys. They have excellent team defense and smart movement offense. They can’t be simply overwhelmed most nights – you have to methodically capitalize on their mistakes, which are few.
Good point Joey B… they’re just a smart team in general from the looks of it.
If Cavs dont’ stop the bleeding in the next five or so minutes, this game may already be over. Hawks offense is too good to get down big. They won’t stop scoring.
Have some faith Joey B…
Hawks are running a track meet… Cavs are stuck in the mud…
Kyrie trying to dribble out of trouble again…. didn’t work again.
I don’t like when the Cavs play in their wine unis…
Not a good game for the Cavs to play with low energy. Did they expected the Hawks to just gave them the W?
Hawks can’t miss right now… that will change…
There we go… K Love came to play… follow his lead!
Good inside move by KLove… but he’s got to hit the freebies… he’s been as inconsistent as LBJ from the stripe lately…
Defensive intensity needs to pick up. Need to start moving the ball on offense.. I think Joey B’s right, need to attack inside.
Defense will be key – if the hawks get in the flow they’ll eviscerate us. May be too late already.
Blatt is smart enough to adjust and exploit their game plan. I think he waits for opposing coaches to show their hand first.
Still early guys… it’s all about how the Cavs respond here… Need to stop settling for threes…
Yeah, we’ve got to work inside, particularly with our size advantage. A 3pt shootout isn’t going to work against these guys.
The biggest difference I see is that ATL really moves the ball well. Kyrie tried to dribble out of that last double team off the pick…. then threw it away.
ATL is a well-oiled machine right now in the early going.
We’re not on their level yet. we’re awesome against crappy teams, but not against teams that know what they’re doing. We’ll get there.
They have great chemistry for sure…. Glad we do as well, but there’s still some rough patches.
We destroyed GSW and should have beaten Houston without Kyrie. I’m pretty sure we’re right there. Atlanta is playing at home and with something to prove.
That’s true about ATL playing @ home and with something to prove… still think their chemistry’s better than CLE’s however, just given the time they’ve been together as opposed to CLE.
kyrie’s head is so far up his ass he is killing cavs right now can’t even keep teauge in front of him then dribbling in circles…hawks play smart and hustle cavs are just going thru motions
Hawks are attacking. We’re settling.
Weather their home court storm for the first quarter or so and we’ll be fine.
Moz needed to close out Horford on that three…
Cavs don’t have it tonight.
Millsap is too fast for Moz inside… might have to go to TT early
Cavs just firing away from three…
Man it’s frustrating when we just shoot a bunch of threes and brick all of them.
Hawks have 12 points in the paint already…
And we’re nearing 12 three point attempts
(not really)
WOW!!! LBJ with the DRIVING DUNK!
Refs don’t call the hold on Moz… wonder if it will take the usual five minutes for them to start calling fouls…
True Love! 2-2 from 3.
Looooooooooooooooooooooooooove
Heat check brick
KLOVE AGAIN!!!!
Cavs seem a step slow so far…
Moz gets in the way of a dunk, but Horford follows.
KLove!!! Staying hot from the last game!
Pick and pop and the Love three to start us off!
Hawks miss twice and LBJ gets blocked to start…
Cleveland is favored by 1.5…. over/under is set @ 206.5 …. Smart money’s on Atlanta and the under… GO CAVS!
I’ll take the Cavs 103-102!
I want to take us, I really do, but something tells me we’ve just “this much” to go farther before we’re ready to take a team that’s 1) the best in the league 2) have a chip on their shoulder and 3) are hitting their prime in chemistry and health.
If you really wanted to make money…. you’d be foolish to take the Cavs HAHA!!! Sharps would definitely take ATL.
Forgot to mention in the preview that it’s apparently Dominique Wilkins night… so lots of dunks in his honor probably…
In the “uniformity” theme… the Hawks are wearing throwbacks to Nique’s era…
Gordon and Danny, we’ll do our best to keep the thread informative… sorry about the visual
I’ll be watching, just not in the highest quality.
I’ll be checking the stats at work, reading the comments, and complaining about what I can glean from the play by play, as per usual.
Thanks, EG. The game is on the Fox Sports Go App, so I’m watching it there now.
My heart is broken because I just found out the game isn’t on TV in Chicago. Now I’m relegated to my laptop.
So Fox Sports Ohio is showing World Poker Tour and NHL instead of the Cavs game, at least for me, in Dayton, Ohio. Is anyone else without NBA TV having a problem watching the game?
That sucks! Can’t believe this game isn’t on national TV given the matchup…
I’m getting Phoenix/Brooklyn. Give me a break!
Hey! I had to use my Ipad using the FOX SPORTS GO app!!! It works!!!
You have to log in with your cable/TV provider to get the app to work properly though.
Just downloaded this for my laptop and am watching the game in HD now (instead of the crappy online feed I was using). Thanks!!!!! :D
You’re welcome Danny!!! Happy to be of service!
EG and I are ready to roll haha
Way to be Leo!
this will be another big game and a fun one to watch….cavs need to rebound play tight defense and most importantly make free throws…go cavs!
…crickets…
Everyone must just be too amped up for this one to comment…