Official Game Thread: Hawks - Cavaliers

[lethalweapon3]

“…featuring one layer for each time a referee swallowed his/her whistle…”

For LeBron James, today begins the second of many years of telling people he’s 29 years old.

The Atlanta Hawks look to be party-poopers as LeBron celebrates his 30^th birthday in the ATL with his Cleveland Cavaliers (7:30 PM, SportSouth, Fox Sports Ohio, NBATV).

You’ll forgive the Cavs for not being in the most festive of moods, especially after getting deluged by a free-at-last-feeling Pistons squad during a déjà-vu blowout loss at home just two nights ago. Cleveland could have been on a three-game slide were in not for Tobias Harris (c’mon, Tobias, help us out for once!) trolling LeBron out of “chill mode” hibernation on Friday.

After that Pistons loss, plus after his team fell flat on Christmas Day against the Miami team he left behind, James comes into tonight’s affair more interested in avoiding another blowout than blowing out candles. Poppin’ Cris at a pregame party at Vanquish nightclub probably wouldn’t go over so well this time.

The bad news, for anyone entering your fourth decade of life on Earth: there are things you cannot do as effortlessly as you once did. The good news is it usually takes until you’re halfway through your 30s before you begin to figure that out. In James’ case, his 25.2 PPG is already the second-lowest mark of his career. The presence of Kevin Love (17.1 PPG) and Kyrie Irving (20.2 PPG) serve as partial explanations, but LeBron’s 48.8 FG% and 74.3 FT% are his lowest shot percentages since 2007-08.

He’s been satisfying himself with the return to a small forward role, shooting 4.5 three-point attempts per game (2^nd most in his career). And while embracing his role as the premier passing forward in the game (7.6 APG, 9^th in NBA), James’ 3.8 TOs per game represents a career-high.

Most noteworthy to the naked eye is LeBron’s diminished ability to truck his way to the rim in the halfcourt. Deadspin dissected his game to note that he’s shooting 47 percent on drives to the hoop, down from 63 percent last season with Miami. Dunks represent a career-low 5.7% of his scoring diet, down from 10.1% just last season and a career-high 10.9% the season before that.

His 0.6 offensive rebounds per-36 are also a career-low, but with the pec-ripping Anderson Varejao out of action for the season after an Achilles injury, James will be pressed to help replacement starter Tristan Thompson (16.2 O-Reb%, 2^nd in NBA) create second chance opportunities and putback points on the board for his club. James had just his third double-digit rebound tally, and first in over a month, on Sunday (10 boards, 9 defensive) versus Detroit. He’s also gone his past 19 games without grabbing at least two offensive rebounds.

Atlanta’s Big Payback in Cleveland on December 17 (16 three-pointers made against the Cavs, eclipsed by the Pistons with 17 last Sunday; 127 points, 64.5 FG%, and 36 assists) compelled LeBron to engage Kyrie Irving in a postgame tutorial on how to impede the likes of Dennis Schröder (10 points, 10 assists, 1 turnover) and Shelvin Mack (6-for-6 3FGs, career-high 24 points). Kyrie’s effort to keep up on Christmas Day with Dwyane Wade (31 points on 33 combined shots, 1 turnover) proved futile. Irving returns to action tonight after missing the past two games with a bruised knee, but in addition to Schröder and Mack, on this occasion he’ll have the Hawks’ leading scorer and passer to deal with.

Jeff Teague (25 points at Milwaukee) took Saturday’s game by the antlers, grabbing five rebounds (four in the final 90 seconds) and sinking eight free throws in the fourth quarter while forcing three Bucks turnovers, including a crucial steal just as Milwaukee was making their final stand.

The Hawks are hoping to reward the packed Philips Arena crowd (the fans cheering on Atlanta, anyway) with a stronger effort than their egg nog-fueled flop against the Bucks last Friday night. A victory tonight would conclude Atlanta’s December with a 14-2 mark, the winningest full month of Atlanta Hawks basketball since… well, since almost ever. Smitty (the employed one) and Deke led Atlanta to a 14-2 record during January 1997 and 13-2 in November 1997, while Nique’s Hawks went 13-2 in March and December 1987.

Since people are doling out season-trimester awards these days, why not add on the calendar-year honor of Atlanta Sports’ Man of the Year, and hand it to Mike Budenholzer? The Hawks’ head coach refuses to allow untimely injuries, blowout losses, rough losing streaks, postseason shortfalls, brutal PR snafus, and/or intra-office strife to define his ballclub.

Through it all, the best indicator for NBA players second-guessing whether Atlanta Hawks basketball is right for them is a fully content roster playing unselfishly and above even optimists’ expectations, and Coach Bud’s staff has been instrumental in making that happen. Budenholzer’s Hawks Cycle schema has his team in better shape for the foreseeable future than any of the other professional franchises in town. No new-stadia hype necessary.

The top shooting team in the Eastern Conference (52.4 eFG%, 56.3 TS%, 4^th in NBA) doesn’t even need to shoot well every night just to win games. The Hawks went from a season-low 46.9 true shooting percentage during a blowout loss to the Bucks in Atlanta to an even worse shooting performance (45.8 TS%) the next night in Milwaukee. Yet the Hawks pulled out another road victory, their fourth-straight and eighth in their past nine away from home. What changed?

One difference was that the Hawks, the league’s least proficient offensive rebounders (20.9 O-Reb%), effectively crashed the boards once they recognized the iron was still unkind. The 33.3 O-Reb% at Milwaukee was the 2^nd highest percentage by the Hawks this season. The other factor was that they didn’t compound their problems with sloppy execution (season-high 21.1 TO% vs. Milwaukee in ATL; 10.1 TO% at Milwaukee). Teague’s command of the offense (7 assists, 2 TOs) had a little to do with that. So was the sound passing from post men Al Horford and Paul Millsap (7 combined assists, zero TOs).

Shaq likes calling it “Barbeque Chicken!” whenever he spots an exploitable advantage in the post. Horford (10-for-14 FGs) and Millsap (7-for-11 FGs) thoroughly enjoyed the savory, tender defensive efforts of Love and Varejao two weeks ago, allowing the Hawks to blow the Cavs game wide open.

Opponents shoot 60.9 FG% against the Cavs on shots at the rim when Love is in the vicinity, the highest against any NBA player watching six or more at-rim shots go up. To be a contender going forward with this roster, Cavs coach David Blatt needs LeBron to be a full-court player, crashing not only the offensive glass but helping Love and Thompson disrupt the Hawks as their skilled bigs mill about the paint.

Like Love, Millsap cedes a lot of buckets at the rim (57.2 opponent at-rim FG%, 5^th most w/ min. six opponent FGAs per game), but at least Mayhem PM is active with his hands (career-high 2.0 SPG). Cleveland’s Thompson (team-high 0.9 BPG) will be occupied between coming out of the lane to deal with Horford’s mid-range majesty (47.3 mid-range FG%, 4^th in NBA w/ min. 6.0 FG attempts) while scurrying back for help defense. Unless LeBron sags off the perimeter to help inside, Love may find himself stuck on Millsap Island once again.

One guy who may not have received the “You’re in Your 30s!” memo is Kyle Korver, now “down” to an NBA-high 51.5 3FG% while also contributing career-highs of 3.1 APG and 93.8 FT%. Just 1-for-4 on FGs in two games against the Cavs, Korver is likely thrilled not having to deal with the long arms of the Bucks for awhile (3-for-13 3FGs in his last two games) and is a probable beneficiary of James’ need to shift back toward the paint tonight.

Cleveland will try to Kounter Korver with Mike Miller, who went 7-for-8 on threes in his first start of the season against Brooklyn following the Cavaliers’ disastrous loss to Atlanta, but has gone just 6-for-19 in the five games since. Matthew Dellavedova and Shawn Marion will be sprung from the bench to try and keep up with Korver weaving through screens.

Dion Waiters (21 points off the bench vs. ATL on December 17) remains a defensive detriment (106.7 opponent points per 100 possessions; 3^rd most among non-Knick Eastern guards; Kyrie’s 4^th at 106.3) and a wayward long-range shooter (10-for-29 3FGs in his last 10 games), limiting his ability to play with the first unit. He’s been most dangerous against the Hawks when he is helping distribute the ball (12 assists and one turnover in two games vs. ATL), but whatever successes he’s had shooting the ball have been empty calories.

As usual, the Hawks must limit Cleveland’s trips to the free throw line, and not just Birthday Boy, but also Irving, Love and Thompson, the latter with a free throw rate that exceeds James’. Atlanta is 16-2 when the ratio of made free throws to field goal attempts for opponents falls below 20 percent. As is typical of a LeBron-led team, Cavs’ opponents draw an NBA-low 18.1 personal fouls and 18.2 free throw attempts per game, giving Cleveland a decided advantage. Only once this season have the Cavs won a game without taking more shots than their foes from the charity stripe.

Teague and the Hawks must dictate a high tempo and compel LeBron (playing with a sore quad) and the Cavs to run end-to-end for 48 minutes. The Hawks can maximize their chances for victory by playing sound perimeter defense (Cavs 8-for-30 3FGs vs. Atlanta in December; 19-for-31 in November) without fouling, keeping their scorers off the free throw line, and sealing off the runout transition plays that are the Cavs All-Star trio’s bread-and-butter. If all that works out, Hawks fans can conclude the game by serenading LeBron off the floor with the second stanza of the “Happy Birthday” song: “How Old Are You?”

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

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[lethalweapon3]

Oh, by the way... HAPPY BIRTHDAY to this guy!

 

 

Coach Bud turned 43 yesterday. Doesn't look a day younger! 

 

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

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~lw3

[Guest]

Great game thread lw3! Lets ruin Lebron's bday! I heard his hairline is now at the middle of his head. Thank god for headbands :-) I'd also like to see T.I. present on the sidelines and heckling L blow jab. Tired of Drake acting like he's the best rapper fan. GO HAWKS!!!!

Ps I just got a new pillow for my bed and named it Love. It's soft, cuddly, and just an all around lil Bia..my bad

HAWKS!!!!!!

[macdaddy]

 

~lw3

 

Damn.  I want one of those.   Let's do this.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

L3br0n

 

Let's play spoiler tonight. lol

[Guest]

~lw3

Those are nice - wish I was going to the game.

[benhillboy]

Damn LeBrons birthday. I'd feel a lot better if Irving weren't playing, still this 8 or 9 point win will be a belated gift for Buddy. A blowout would be better and get Larry Drew that much closer to the chair he should've been in from jump.

Edited December 30, 2014 by benhillboy

[Gray Mule]

The ageless one, baseball's Sachel Page had a very famous saying,

"Don't look back.  Something may be gaining on you!"

 

While we look forward to meeting The King and his merry men and hope

to keep up with Toronto and Washington, who are our closest rivals, there

is a team coming up fast on all three of the leaders.

 

Keep one eye on the Bears.  They are hot.

 

It sure would be nice to give the birthday boy a spanking, say one point

for each year.  Yeah, I'd love a thirty point victory tonight.

 

GO ATL HAWKS !!

[benhillboy]

The ageless one, baseball's Sachel Page had a very famous saying,

"Don't look back. Something may be gaining on you!"

While we look forward to meeting The King and his merry men and hope

to keep up with Toronto and Washington, who are our closest rivals, there

is a team coming up fast on all three of the leaders.

Keep one eye on the Bears. They are hot.

It sure would be nice to give the birthday boy a spanking, say one point

for each year. Yeah, I'd love a thirty point victory tonight.

GO ATL HAWKS !!

You never have typos, so I'm privileged to say I think you meant Bulls instead of Bears. I have to admit even as a Rose Hater they are balling, but I'm sticking to my prediction that they won't stay healthy.

[macdaddy]

The ageless one, baseball's Sachel Page had a very famous saying,

"Don't look back.  Something may be gaining on you!"

 

While we look forward to meeting The King and his merry men and hope

to keep up with Toronto and Washington, who are our closest rivals, there

is a team coming up fast on all three of the leaders.

 

Keep one eye on the Bears.  They are hot.

 

It sure would be nice to give the birthday boy a spanking, say one point

for each year.  Yeah, I'd love a thirty point victory tonight.

 

GO ATL HAWKS !!

 

Da Bulls?   They are hot.  4 east teams over .700 is amazing.

 

I'd love a one point victory frankly.  A game winner from Korver or Horf at the buzzer would be sweet.  But i'll take any victory over lebron at 'home'.

[pimp]

The last time the Hawks played against  Lebron on his birthday, he dropped 48 points on us.  

[Gray Mule]

Bears?  Bulls?

 

At least, they both begin with "B"

 

Guess I shoulda said, "Chicago" and not messed it up.

 

Any how, they're hot!  But, so are we, the Atlanta team.

 

[lethalweapon3]

The last time the Hawks played against  Lebron on his birthday, he dropped 48 points on us.  

 

"Boo, schedulers!" lol

 

~lw3

[IheartVolt]

The last time the Hawks played against Lebron on his birthday, he dropped 48 points on us.

That Lebron does not play this year. He has taken a pretty hefty step backwards imo

[IheartVolt]

Now I am worried.. these clowns on NBA radio are starting to pick us to win games.... kiss of death!

[IheartVolt]

Leflop out tonight with a boo boo knee

[Dnice]

You gotta be fn kidding me lebrawn!!

Edited December 30, 2014 by Dnice

[lethalweapon3]

There goes half the crowd! lol

 

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Oh, and... dare I say it?... TRAP GAME!

 

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

To make up for LeBruised's absence, I'm expecting a good heaping of James Jones, Cap'n Lou Amundson, and Brendan Haywoodyouretirealready.

 

The Matrix won't be reloaded, either.

 

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~lw3