Cavs Vs. Hawks: Who’s Going To Win?
Joe Johnson (photo. Zach Wolfe)
Tonight, two of the Eastern Conference’s heavyweights will square off in the ATL. The Cavs, who are riding a four-game winning streak including a huge Christmas day road win against the Lakers, come into Philips Arena to face the up-and-coming Hawks.
This is the first meeting of the season between the two teams. They last met in the second round of last year’s playoffs, where the Cavs not only swept them, but defeated them by double digits in each game. The domination doesn’t stop there. In the regular season last year, the Cavs took down three of their four contests. The Cavs are also playing their best basketball of the year, winning nine of their last 10 games (five of which were on the road). They are 24-8 and just one game out of the top spot in the Conference.
The Hawks are also on a little streak. They have won eight of their last 10 and are 12-2 at home. At 21-8, the Hawks are in fourth place in the East and have been getting All-Star caliber years out of Joe Johnson and Josh Smith. The Cavs, on the other hand have caught their stride since their slow start. As they proved on their recent road trip, they can win big games on the road and they can take their defense up another level.
Although this is an away game for the Cavs, they are favored to win. But don’t count out the Hawks. This is a statement game, and if the Hawks want to prove they belong in the conversation for the best team in the East, then they have to beat the best teams in the East. They already went into Boston’s home back in November and stole a game.
It won’t be easy for them, considering the Cavs have been known to lock down the Hawks. In their playoff series last season, Cleveland held Atlanta to under 80 ppg and under 40 percent shooting. This Hawks are a lot more confident this season. With new addition, Jamal Crawford, providing extra firing power and Smith playing his best ball of his career, don’t expect a repeat of last spring’s postseason.
On top of trying to shut down LeBron James, who has been on a tear as of late, the Hawks must really lock down Mo Williams. Williams tends to have huge games against the Hawks. If Smith can provide help off the weak side on James and Atlanta can keep Cleveland under 100 points (they are 4-7 when held to under 100 ppg), it’s possible the Hawks can come out with a win. Unfortunately, they caught this Cavs team at a bad time, so we don’t see that happening. Cleveland takes this one in a close 107-103 win.
What are your predictions for tonight’s game?
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December 29th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Cavs..
No reason why Shaq shouldnt BEAST Horfords ass.. But the Hawks match up well besides the C spot so we’ll c..
December 29th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
hawk says:
hawks gon win dis one!!!! jamal goes off for 50!!!
December 29th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Orange says:
can’t wait to see what the end of this game has in store. i’m hoping for the Hawks to walk away with the win.
December 29th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
POPPI GEE says:
The battle of to horrible coaches lol.
I will say Hawks will win because they have more weapons offensively.
Both coaches need to be downed to assistant coaches.
As head coaches they suck and they are stunting the growth of some of the players and the team as a whole.
I see neither gaining a championship.
Course I could be wrong but even if 1 was to get a championship, it won’t be to strategic coaching lol.
December 29th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Chris Ballz says:
Hawks
j smoove, 26-11-6 and 6 blocks. 4 on lebrons a$$
December 29th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Dan Dickau says:
Cavs win.
Good article but the Cavs aren’t favored to win, they’re actually 2 points dawgs.
December 29th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
kevin k says:
nice article. about time you guys mention the Hawks WITHOUT SCRUB BIBBY.
@4 Poppi Gee : you are a genius. Mike Woodson and Mike Brown look a like, both names are Mike, and are two of the worst coaches in the league. Another one is MIKE Dunleavy…
December 29th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Gabriel Brogden says:
CAVALIERS win tonight by 10.
Their bench is deeper. Besides Jamal, who definitely gets it poppin, Cavs too much for ‘em.
Andy, Z, Jamario and Delonte > Crawford, Mo Evans, ZaZa, and Teague
December 29th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Bizz says:
Shaq has scored 20 points only once this season, hit double digit boards 5 times, and he’s played 26 games. How the hell can he be expected to dominate a potential all-star in Horford when he hasn’t even handled half of the sub-par centers of the league?
December 29th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
Dan Dickau says:
Boom goes the dynamite. If the Cavs beat em again tomorrow are we gonna officially put this “The Hawks are the real deal” talk to rest?
December 30th, 2009 at 7:33 am
jinx says:
If you look at the cavs closely they have everything they where to much and there coming out the east.
December 30th, 2009 at 9:22 am
Heckler says:
cavs won the game.
remove this post.
December 30th, 2009 at 11:31 am
eyes says:
If Mike Bibby & Marvin Williams start & are main cogs on your team. LOSER. It’s funny how Atlanta missed the boat on drafting a pg & they continue to blunder. Acie Law/Teague & whoever you guys have brought in. See Marion & RJ look what a pg can do for they career. Josh Smith is waiting. JJ ahhhh forget it? He is what he is. Horford has to get more involved. JJ & Crawford have no chemistry. They both have to get on the same page & Crawford has to look to score and facilitate to win or make a splash in playoffs. Just getting there isn’t good enough. It’s like going on a date with a dime. You want to SMASH