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

[Chardon]

Whats up with all these road games. 9 of them this Month.

 

[chiefwahoo]

Some good game notes from Windy's blog:

Cleveland Cavaliers at Atlanta Hawks: Windhorst Beat Blog
By Brian Windhorst
December 29, 2009, 3:23PM

ATLANTA -- Pregame from Philips Arena:

Starting lineups

Cavs: Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, LeBron James, JJ Hickson, Shaquille O'Neal

Hawks: Mike Bibby, Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams, Josh Smith, Al Horford

Officials

Bob Delaney, Rodney Mott, Leroy Richardson

* This is setting up to be an excellent test. Both teams are fairly rested and healthy (Joe Smith has missed a few games with a thumb injury but is expected to play) and they'll be under the same travel and back-to-back circumstances on Wednesday when they play again. Atlanta's had one of the easiest schedules in the Eastern Conference this month while the Cavs have had the toughest. But the Hawks have some quality wins already and the Cavs are out on the road again playing their fourth game in the last five against teams over .500.

* Atlanta has become a juggernaut offensive team this season. They have six players that average nine points or more, they average 106 points a game, and they shoot nearly 48 percent. Those are remarkable. Their bench is much deeper than when the Cavs saw them in the playoffs, especially adding Jamal Crawford. So strength on strength, Cavs defense against that offense.

* Last season the Cavs went 7-1 against the Hawks but they did have some issues at times covering the Johnson/Bibby screen roll. Sort of like how teams have trouble with the Mo/LeBron same play. For this reason, Delonte West is going to be called on because he can guard both players and he'll probably be switching coverages with LeBron late in the game. This is also a game where Daniel Gibson could get some playing time because the Hawks often play small.

* Josh Smith has improved his game this season by giving up the 3-pointer. He's only taken three attempts all season. But he and the Cavs are still undersized with their bigs, especially dealing with Shaq. Zaza Pachulia is there for fouls and he's a rough defender. But the Hawks aren't as good when he's on the floor. So Shaq being Shaq, drawing fouls/causing havoc, will be especially helpful.

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2009/12/cleveland_cavaliers_at_atlanta.html

 

[rabman_gold]

.... with the Hawks being healthy, you just wonder if they'll be able to handle an injury to a key player as well as the Cavs.

Sorry guys, it's a table... again...

Center|Power Forward|Small Forward|Shooting Guard|Point Guard
Al Horford|Josh Smith|Marvin Williams|Joe Johnson|Mike Bibby
Zaza Pachulia|Joe Smith|Maurice Evans|Jamal Crawford|Jeff Teague

Where's the depth? They've been healthy all year and were saved when Bibby managed to avoid serious injury.

They probably could beat us both times, if I have to be honest. But us playing at our best... their best would probably not be enough, come playoff time. We now have more appropriate players to deal with their athletic lineups. They can switch but so can we. Who's the better defensive unit? Who's the better overall player? Who has the biggest set of centers? They couldn't even deal with Z. How would they expect to deal with Shaq? Isn't Bibby another year older? How does he expect to deal with a hot shooting Mo?

I need to see how this plays out for the next few games. Until seen otherwise, I have a hard time believing Atlanta a serious threat to our chances of winning it all...

 

[Walter White]

http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/video/2009/12/29/MOATLANTA-1167054/index.html

<object width="388" height="394" classid="clsid27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="ep"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="movie" value="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/swf/1.1/cvp/nba_embed_container.swf?context=cavaliers&videoId=teams/cavaliers/2009/12/29/MOATLANTA-1167054" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><embed src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/swf/1.1/cvp/nba_embed_container.swf?context=cavaliers&videoId=teams/cavaliers/2009/12/29/MOATLANTA-1167054" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="388" wmode="transparent" height="394"></embed></object>

 

[Andrew]

I think Shaq could have a good game since the Hawk's bigs can't really contain him in the paint...plus he has always gotten up to face the Hawk's bigs, Zaza and that Joel guy who is now injured in Portland.

 

[Andrew]

Damn, not only is Ernie, McHale and Webber gonna distract us during the game, they are the commentators live for the game. Play by play by Ernie and McHale, that sucks...

 

[The Enai Q]

Funny how Cavs have a shit load of road games

and lakers have hella home games

 

[moohead]

There is an RCF Postgame show after tonight's game

http://realcavsfans.com/showthread.php?t=25930


Moo

 

[Amherstcavsfan]

This is another statement game...hopefully the Cavaliers are up for it.

 

[Karma]

Back from the beach, daughter asleep, sadly dressed in Cavs merch given by Santa. Bring on game time!

 

[imshakheisshaq]

Hi all!!!!!! Go CAVS!!!!!!!! Let's get this SHOW on the ROAD!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Walter White]

http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nba_tv/2009/12/29/20091229_jump_shaq.nba/?ls=iref:nbahpt1

<object width="388" height="394" classid="clsid27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="ep"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="movie" value="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/swf/1.1/cvp/nba_embed_container.swf?context=nba&videoId=channels/nba_tv/2009/12/29/20091229_jump_shaq.nba" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><embed src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/swf/1.1/cvp/nba_embed_container.swf?context=nba&videoId=channels/nba_tv/2009/12/29/20091229_jump_shaq.nba" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="388" wmode="transparent" height="394"></embed></object>

 

[udilicious42584]

In the words of Delonte West, "It's about dat time!"

GO CAVS!

 

[imshakheisshaq]

I'm nervous! (I get a lil nervous every game but this, gahhhhhh!)

 

[Zog]

Horford has NO CHANCE at stopping Shaq. Keep going to it and then force them to double, and make it rain from deep.