Post mortem:
You know what’s funny? I wrote a piece on Delonte West about 10 days ago about how well he’d been playing since coming back to the team. I saw him on a limited basis toward the end of last season and the playoffs last year. There’s a vast difference in who he is now and it’s definitely translated to the court. As is custom, someone just looked at the points he averaged per game and sneered. Tonight proved that it’s not just offense with West. It’s defense as well. What stands out most is the fact that with some help he held Joe Johnson to 4 points. The guy had been averaging 25. He plays on both sides of the ball and that’s why Mike Brown starts him at shooting guard.
The Cavaliers barely looked back in this one after going on an 11-0 run. They led by as many as 28 and the Hawks, at one point, chopped that to 11 in the fourth quarter. But unlike in Detroit (I’m beginning to think the team has a mental block when it comes to the Pistons), they regrouped and held firm. Crucial 3-pointers by LeBron, Delonte and Mo Williams helped down the stretch.
But the Cavs won this one because they protected the ball with only 9 turnovers, shot a blistering 51 percent from the floor and smashed the glass (barely) 41-37. Instead of collapsing in the third quarter, they won it, along with the first two. Still, the team didn’t put all four together as the Hawks outscored them 38-31 in the fourth.
Let’s face it, the likelihood that the Cavs would hold the Hawks to the pathetic 33 percent they shot for the entire game. Ultimately, it showed that the team possesses the resiliency to bounce back after a tough loss.
Quotable:
Mike Brown on the Hawks comeback:
Those are NBA players there and they’re just going to keep playing hard,’’ Coach Mike Brown said of the Hawks’ comeback. ‘’They found their rhythm a little bit. There was plenty of time left in the game. They scored a few points and the next thing you know, they, as a team, gained some confidence. They hit some shots and made some plays.
LeBron James on the same:
Every team will make runs and that happens. We did a good job of defending and executing on offense.
At the half:
I don’t know what happened after the Detroit Pistons game and won’t likely ever know, but the Cavaliers came out on fire tonight. Thus far they are shooting 51.3 percent from the floor and lead the Atlanta Hawks 49-32. The reason: defense. Right now, they own the boards 24-18. They’ve held the Hawks to 33 percent shooting – mind you, that could change because Atlanta got some pretty good looks and the shots just didn’t fall. So far they lead on fast break points and scoring in the paint 20-12. They’re playing with fire and intensity. Maybe it’s being at home where as of right now, they’re undefeated. Delonte West and Mo Williams lead the Cavs with 9 points each, while Mike Bibby leads the Hawks with 10.
Game: Cavaliers (9-3) vs. Atlanta Hawks (8-4)
I don’t know what happened after the Detroit Pistons game and won’t likely ever know, but the Cavaliers came out on fire tonight. Thus far they are shooting 51.3 percent from the floor and lead the Atlanta Hawks 49-32. The reason: defense. Right now, they own the boards 24-18. They’ve held the Hawks to 33 percent shooting – mind you, that could change because Atlanta got some pretty good looks and the shots just didn’t fall. So far they lead on fast break points and scoring in the paint 20-12. They’re playing with fire and intensity. Maybe it’s being at home where as of right now, they’re undefeated. Delonte West and Mo Williams lead the Cavs with 9 points each, while Mike Bibby leads the Hawks with 10.
Game: Cavaliers (9-3) vs. Atlanta Hawks (8-4)
Broadcast:
TV: FSOhio
WAKR (1590 AM); WTAM (1100 AM), WHBC (1480 AM)
Starters: Cavs: LeBron James (F); Ben Wallace (F); Zydrunas Ilgauskas (C); Delonte West (G); Mo Williams (G). Hawks: Marvin Williams (F); Al Horford (F); Zaza Pachulia (C); Joe Johnson (G); Mike Bibby (G).
Officials: Greg Willard, Brian Forte, Courtney Kirkland
Injuries: Speedy Claxton (left knee chonodromalacia), Josh Smith (sprain left ankle)
Streaking: Cavs have lost one; the Hawks have won two in a row.
What to watch:
- How the Cavs bounce back from that ugly loss against the Pistons, a game that they should have had in hand, but allowed to be stolen from them in the second half. Mike Brown said that he hopes it’s something that they could learn.
- The Atlanta Hawks’ Marvin Williams has been on a tear the past two games with consecutive double-doubles, including one game against the Charlotte Bobcats where he scored 22 points and pulled down 10 rebounds.
- The Cavs’ Mo Williams averaged more than 20 points per game in the past five contests. So far he’s as advertised.
Quotable:
From the coach’s office:
Mike Brown on firing of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s P.J. Carlesimo:
You feel bad for guys like P.J. especially the older guys. You understand that the same as you get hired, you get fired. To be Jerry Sloan, to be Gregg Popovich, to be Phil Jackson, to be Pat Riley is very hard to do.
From the locker room:
LeBron James on his name being the first one mentioned after the New York Knicks made two trades to clear salary cap room:
They didn’t care about the guys that was coming to them. It doesn’t bother me; it’s funny, but at the same time people need something to write about some times.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
West is still going to be a weakness against the best teams, unless it’s fixed by the trade deadline. Unless he was on Oklahoma City or a similarly lousy team, he should be coming off the bench.
This is what came from the Atlanta beat writer’s keyboard. I suppose the underlying truth of why Joe Johnson really sucked last night lies somewhere between these two paragraphs and George’s praise of West’s greatness.
“First quarter, we came out of the box very lethargic, and you could tell we played last night,” Woodson said. “But I’m not going to use it as an excuse. Everybody plays back-to-backs. We’ve got a number of them as we continue our season. We’ve got get ready to play on back-to-backs.
The Hawks labored just trying to stay in the game after the first few minutes, the fatigue showing most on captain and All-Star Joe Johnson (season-low four points on 1-for-8 shooting), who played on a sore toe on his right foot that required extra attention in the training room before the game.”
Why on earth would you be starting to think the team has a ‘mental block’ when it comes to the Pistons, George? They lost by seven in an early season second game of a road back-to-back.
Damn those Cavs suck! Any other team probably would have been able to hold Joe Johnson scoreless on the 2nd of his back to back nights. Heck, why does ATL even bother playing him on the 2nd of back to back nights – its obvious he’s not a pro ball player and can’t handle such a rigorous NBA schedule. Especially on a sore toe requiring extra attention! Extra attention not only on the court but in the training room prior to the game. Poor guy.
In fact, I read somewhere that in his next contract he’s going to be asking for that 2nd night off because (paraphrasing here now) “Any moron off the street can make me look bad when I play 2 nights in a row.” (Nevermind he scored 28 on the AWESOME Boston Celtics playing back to back). Lucky that the Cavs are healthy and nobody needs extra attention before, during or after games so losers like alant has to make such excuses for them.
Hey Comaguy, still not giving credit to any thing remotely related to the Cavs huh? Yet, when the Cavs have a poor back to back night, you’re the first one out here flaming them. Heck, when they have a good game, you’re still flaming. How can we get it so comaguy here replaces Ferry as GM – dude, we’d be solid. First thing is to trade Lebron right – probably for Rodney Stuckey or perhaps a 3-way with Paul Millsap. Doh, freudian slip there – hehe sorry. Didn’t mean to imply that this 3-way is alan t’s lifelong fantasy as he clicks away with one hand on this blog. Anyone with a basketball IQ knows that a trade like that would never fly in the NBA (salaries not matching up ya know).
So, anyways, if tradition holds true, we’re about 5 months away from a coma emergency of epic proportions aren’t we alant? Who’s it gonna be this time to fall? Ah, sweet wonderful memories!
Stalker alert!
Regardless, Rick the Stalking Prick (you’ve been promoted from Rick the Stalking Dick), I was just pointing out the difference in perception between two beat writers from two different cities who saw the exact same thing. Besides, if you think West should be starting at shooting guard and playing 35 minutes a game in a seven-game series against the Lakers or whoever, then you’re not only an obsessive-compulsive stalking loser, but you also really ain’t too smart.
Pot, meet kettle.
Is kettle a new type of marijuana? Why would pot want to meet kettle? I’m confused.
lol rick and mick. Rick’s absolutely right though…Alan would be the first to point out how inane a ’sore toe on back-to-backs’ excuse is if it was mentioned by a Cavs writer. Yet when it’s mentioned by a writer for the opponent, it suddenly becomes a rationalizing source of enlightenment for all. Ah well, I suppose all we can do is wait for the stars to align for a neurological misfortune to grace our future. Oh and of course most certainly I am the exact same person as Rick and JoeHoops, because in Alan’s narcisstic world/basement there can be only one person who would have the audacity to dislike him.
I’m not saying it’s inane or not. All I’m saying is there is 180 degrees between two beat writers who saw the exact same thing. And all I’m saying is West should not be starting at shooting guard on a championship team, I don’t care how much of a defensive whippersnapper he supposedly is. Loved the basement reference and your psychological analysis, though. Deep.
alan – whats wrong with delonte starting at SG? its clearly a strong team. sure they can be better if Kobe was the starting SG, but you can’t have an all-star at every starting position. by comparison, the Lakers are one of the favorites and they have Radmanovic in their starting lineup. not to mention, derek fisher started last night and jordan farmar starts every now and then for them. the celtics are the defending champs and they have rajon rondo in the starting lineup.