Game 33 | Cleveland @ Atlanta | December 29, 2009 | 7:00 EST

[djlofi]

Starters

Bench Bunch

Boobie Gibson | Danny Green | Zydrunas Ilgauskas | Darnell Jackson | Jamario Moon | Anderson Varejao | Delonte West | Jawad Williams

ATL Starters

Joe Johnson -SG

Josh Smith - PF

Mike Bibby - PG

Al Horford - C

Marvin Williams - SF

ATL Bench

Jeff Teague | Jamal Crawford | Maurice Evans | Joe Smith | Zaza Pachulia | Othello Hunter | Jason Collins | Randolph Morris

Coaches

INJURIES
Cavaliers:
Leon Powe

Hawks:
Joe Smith
​

Keys to the Game:

Welcome to Atlanta: TUesday will be the first of a home and home series with the Cavs and Hawks. The Hawks have established themselves, winning 11 of their first 13 games, which included a seven-game win streak and posting a 9-3 record in December. From the Hawks' media guide, "For the season, Atlanta sits at 4th in the league in scoring (105.6 ppg), is 7th in FG% (.474) and 8th in FT% (after finishing 28th last year) at .768, while committing only 12.1 turnovers per game (best in the NBA)"

Expect the Hawks to come out tomorrow with the same swagger the Cavs brought to Los Angeles - an upstart team looking to establish itself among the elite.

Milestone: Z needs 5 points to move into 2nd place on the Cavs all-time scoring list, passing Brad Daugherty. Let's hope Mike Brown finds some PT for the Big Lithuanian tomorrow.

Hotlanta: Both of these teams are playing solid basketball right now. Cleveland has won nine of 10, includinge four straight. In those 10 games, the Cavs have averaged 102.9 ppg while holding opponents to 92.7 ppg (+10.2 pt differential), while shooting .499 from the field compared to .418 for opponents.

The Hawks have won 8 of their last 10, with a point differential of 14.8 points.

Jams of the Game:

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Two Dope Boys in a Cadillac

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Baby gotta eeeat...

 

[Walter White]

It would be huge if we could come out here and sweep this team and allow us some seperation from them. I would be happy if we at least split though. Lets see how good we really are.

Also, you gotta really watch Horford. He has been playing outstanding lately. Lets see if Shaq can shut him down. Mo's D on Bibby will be interesting too but we will probably see alot more of Delonte on him these next two games. Delonte actually handles Joe pretty well though but now we have AP and Moon to guard him. LeBron may have to switch onto Josh Smith.

We can't get caught up and allow them to run. This is a VERY dangerous team if we allow them to run. We got to play our style and play defense and we should be fine.

P.S. that is Josh Smith not Jeff Green

 

[All Day Cavs]

Nice preview but when did Jeff Green get traded to the Hawks, and for Josh Smith? Woah!



 

[Powerslave]

Automatic ban for not posting Brandy Blair

"Most people don't know this about me: I'll be doing porn in 6 months"

 

[MikeSwim07]

Automatic ban for not posting Brandy Blair

"Most people don't know this about me: I'll be doing porn in 6 months"

"Most unusual job: washing cars" :chuckles:

 

[Three6Pavia]

I'll be sitting right behind LeBron during this game. Heres to the NBA for making the bench players stay seated!

I'll be the big blond guy wearing the ACL brace if anyone cares to look. I'll be sure to report anything interesting I hear during any huddles.

 

[The Shoulder]

I have a feeling this game will come down to the wire

 

[Radar]

I have a bad feeling about this.......seriously though

We can beat them but we may be a little of this game since we're on the road...Hopefully we can have own the paint and everyone contribute on both sides

Interesting game though

 

[JJ Smooth]

Well done Djolfi, as usual.

Atlanta will be hungry, a broom job in the playoffs will have them super-charged as it is. The Cavs will need to be dominant from the start and fluster the Hawks, once that happens I see Smith or Johnson try to take over and play Iso ball, thus shooting themselves right out of a victory.

I'm not worried in the slightest about Josh Smith, Andy or Lebron will pester him like nobody's business (JJ, sorry young man but this isn't for you). I'm also not worried about Bibby, because we have the better version in Mo Williams. The only guy we need to worry about is Joe Johnson, shut him down (helllooo Delonte!) and let the Hawks roleplayers try to beat us. The Hawks are a dangerous team, but only if we let them be. Time to send these pretenders back to the kiddie table.

 

[Silky Smooth]

Shaq is going to make Horford his little b!tch in this game.

 

[GoGetta]

If we lose this, I will be disappoint.

 

[djlofi]

Well done Djolfi, as usual.

Atlanta will be hungry, a broom job in the playoffs will have them super-charged as it is. The Cavs will need to be dominant from the start and fluster the Hawks, once that happens I see Smith or Johnson try to take over and play Iso ball, thus shooting themselves right out of a victory.

I'm not worried in the slightest about Josh Smith, Andy or Lebron will pester him like nobody's business (JJ, sorry young man but this isn't for you). I'm also not worried about Bibby, because we have the better version in Mo Williams. The only guy we need to worry about is Joe Johnson, shut him down (helllooo Delonte!) and let the Hawks roleplayers try to beat us. The Hawks are a dangerous team, but only if we let them be. Time to send these pretenders back to the kiddie table.

I think the dynamic of this Hawks team has changed since they've brought in Jamal Crawford. He and Mo Evans make a nice scoring punch of the bench. I would pay attention to the frontcourt matchup early. If Josh Smith commits himself to not hoisting jumpers, he could make JJ's night very short. I'm not sure what my read is on the Horford and Shaq matchup. Al is beasting this year, but Shaq has been able to handle the other team's centers and protect the paint. Could go either way (although I have a suspicion Horford will have one big night in the next two). Marvin Williams isn't a slouch on defense either and the added depth allows him to be a glue guy for that team. All in all, I think the Cavs get all the Hawks can give them tomorrow. They're a young team with something to prove. Whether or not the Cavs feel like they need to prove something against the Hawks will be deciding factor.

 

[TheNewEra]

We match up well with them at every position besides PF. Josh Smith is realizing he cant shoot and is taking it to hoop more instead of chucking up 3's. When Crawford comes in we can shut him down with Delonte and he is pretty much their only scoring option on bench.

Just letting you know that for cavs bench, their are two pics of Danny Green.

 

[Glenechocreek]

After having the Lakers and Celtics get stunned like this, the Cavs must capitalize, and move up on them.

I'm convinced that, if the Cavs have home court throughout the playoffs, they'll win it all. No more letting up.

 

[Earl]

Force Josh Smith into the jumpers.. end of story.