But why you surprised? Hawks showed everyone they were coming after that hawks vs pacers series
This ain't no fluke bruh
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But why you surprised? Hawks showed everyone they were coming after that hawks vs pacers series
This ain't no fluke bruh
Didn't think they were a fluke, but they are much tougher than I imagined.
Playoffs are about adjustments. I believe when they meet, the Cavs will make the right adjustments. Atlanta is a jump shooting team that doesn't have the room for error that the Cavs do. Also, Lebron played like shit. That ain't happened too often.
LeBron James turns the ball over at alarming rate, but is calm about Cavaliers' playoff prospects
ATLANTA -- To say the Cavaliers were carefree following their third loss in four tries this season to the East-leading Atlanta Hawks would be a little steep.
There were issues aplenty in the Hawks' 106-97 triumph Friday night, in a game where the Hawks seemed to prove that, at least for this moment, Cleveland still had work to do to be the conference's best team when it matters this spring.
The Hawks dazzled the Cavs with their ball movement early and confused them with a different kind of pressure on the pick-and-roll, which busted up Cleveland's offense.
Atlanta wasted away a 17-point lead and actually trailed momentarily in the third quarter, but a 17-4 run to open the fourth iced the game. Cleveland hoisted 38 three-pointers, which drew the ire of coach David Blatt.
LeBron James scored 18 points, but committed nine turnovers. That tied a season high for the third time in this the most turnover-plagued campaign of James' 12-year career.
"I suck. As far as turnovers I suck. I suck," James said. "Tonight was another one of those nights."
OK, that reads like concern. But James was speaking more matter of factly than with worry, as though he was grounded by the reality that turnovers are a part of his game and on most nights he is more than good enough to overcome them.
But James seemed calm because of a deeper, and more important belief that the Cavs' struggles against the Hawks -- both last night and this season -- do not portend bad things come playoff time.
Cleveland destroyed the Hawks 127-94 back on Nov. 15. About a month later, Atlanta returned the favor with a 127-98 thumping at The Q. And on Dec. 30, the Hawks didn't have Al Horford and Cleveland was without James when Atlanta scored a 109-101 victory.
So this was one was supposed to be the litmus test. The Hawks had their best players. The Cavs not only had James, but they overhauled their roster with the additions of J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, and Timofey Mozgov. It was Cleveland, not the Hawks, that had been the NBA's hottest team since Jan. 13.
It was the Hawks who answered on Friday.
"There's a lot of (progress) from the start of the year to where we are now, but I think tonight was a great night for us to play at a higher level and have a little better focus and a little better effort," said Mike Budenholzer, Atlanta's coach. "Hopefully we can build off of this and play like this more."
The Hawks were happy about their three good quarters of defense (they allowed 36 points in the third when the Cavs climbed back into it), and thrilled with how they defended James.
Atlanta pressured the Cavs at the point of attack on the pick-and-roll, and often swarmed both James and Kyrie Irving (20 points) with two defenders.
DeMarre Carroll was primarily responsible for defending James, who shot just 5-of-13 in addition to committing those nine turnovers.
"I just want to be a gnat," Carroll said. "When you're outside in the summer and you just can't get that gnat away from you -- that's all I want to be."
Carroll transformed from gnat to sledgehammer in the fourth quarter, when he crushed James on a drive. It's the second hard foul James has suffered in a week.
Though James declared Carroll's play to be "a good, hard foul," unlike the neck tackle he endured from Toronto's Jonas Valanciunas on Wednesday, James also said such hard fouls are "taking a little toll."
That's an area of concern for him and for Blatt, who sees a trend.
James' turnovers and the hard fouls he bears were linked on Friday night. A James turnover -- which came when he was whistled for an offensive foul in the second quarter -- enraged Blatt, who drew his first technical of the season.
"I just think LeBron's getting hit," Blatt said about the technical. "He's getting hit every time he's goes to the basket and half of them are ignored because of, you know, I said this the other night, because of the strength and the power he brings to his drives."
Blatt said he wasn't concerned about James' turnovers.
"What concerns me is when we're not moving the ball and putting the ball in easy positions to score, that's what concerns me," Blatt said.
James is averaging 4.3 turnovers this season, easily a career high. His previous high was 3.6 in his first season with the Miami Heat in 2010-11.
He's just missed his single-game high of 10 turnovers -- which he endured once, in 2005 -- on three separate occasions this season and committed eight turnovers in four other games.
It's a topic he's discussed throughout the year, and he tries to draw distinctions between the turnovers that come sometimes when he attacks and careless mistakes.
The latter is the kind he expects to avoid.
"Some of them I was attacking," James said last night. "I had a couple where I drove left hard, I thought Kev (Kevin Love) was going to be at a certain place, he cut, I threw it out of bounds.
"The first two turnovers I got my arm grabbed, I wasn't strong with the ball, I turned the ball over. My last turnover I seen Kyrie in the paint and I threw high, should've thrown low. Those are careless turnovers.
"That's a split, out of my nine I think five of them were unforced, four of them was attack turnovers. But I suck, as far as me turning the ball over. I've got to be better."
Again, James wasn't all bad. He contributed six rebounds and eight assists, and needs just nine more to pass Mark Price (4,206 assists) as the franchise's all-time leader. It could happen as early as tonight against the Phoenix Suns at The Q.
James also knows that regular-season success or failure against an opponent does not mean it will carry into the playoffs. His career is littered with examples.
Last season, for instance, the Brooklyn Nets swept the Heat in the regular season, only to be bounced by James' Miami squad 4-1 in the playoffs. In 2010-11, James went 1-6 against the Bulls and Celtics; the Heat dumped both on their way to the Finals.
"Going forward, we will be better ... if we happen to face them again," James said of the Hawks.
ATLANTA -- To say the Cavaliers were carefree following their third loss in four tries this season to the East-leading Atlanta Hawks would be a little steep.
There were issues aplenty in the Hawks' 106-97 triumph Friday night, in a game where the Hawks seemed to prove that, at least for this moment, Cleveland still had work to do to be the conference's best team when it matters this spring.
The Hawks dazzled the Cavs with their ball movement early and confused them with a different kind of pressure on the pick-and-roll, which busted up Cleveland's offense.
Atlanta wasted away a 17-point lead and actually trailed momentarily in the third quarter, but a 17-4 run to open the fourth iced the game. Cleveland hoisted 38 three-pointers, which drew the ire of coach David Blatt.
LeBron James scored 18 points, but committed nine turnovers. That tied a season high for the third time in this the most turnover-plagued campaign of James' 12-year career.
"I suck. As far as turnovers I suck. I suck," James said. "Tonight was another one of those nights."
OK, that reads like concern. But James was speaking more matter of factly than with worry, as though he was grounded by the reality that turnovers are a part of his game and on most nights he is more than good enough to overcome them.
But James seemed calm because of a deeper, and more important belief that the Cavs' struggles against the Hawks -- both last night and this season -- do not portend bad things come playoff time.
Cleveland destroyed the Hawks 127-94 back on Nov. 15. About a month later, Atlanta returned the favor with a 127-98 thumping at The Q. And on Dec. 30, the Hawks didn't have Al Horford and Cleveland was without James when Atlanta scored a 109-101 victory.
So this was one was supposed to be the litmus test. The Hawks had their best players. The Cavs not only had James, but they overhauled their roster with the additions of J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, and Timofey Mozgov. It was Cleveland, not the Hawks, that had been the NBA's hottest team since Jan. 13.
It was the Hawks who answered on Friday.
"There's a lot of (progress) from the start of the year to where we are now, but I think tonight was a great night for us to play at a higher level and have a little better focus and a little better effort," said Mike Budenholzer, Atlanta's coach. "Hopefully we can build off of this and play like this more."
The Hawks were happy about their three good quarters of defense (they allowed 36 points in the third when the Cavs climbed back into it), and thrilled with how they defended James.
Atlanta pressured the Cavs at the point of attack on the pick-and-roll, and often swarmed both James and Kyrie Irving (20 points) with two defenders.
DeMarre Carroll was primarily responsible for defending James, who shot just 5-of-13 in addition to committing those nine turnovers.
"I just want to be a gnat," Carroll said. "When you're outside in the summer and you just can't get that gnat away from you -- that's all I want to be."
Carroll transformed from gnat to sledgehammer in the fourth quarter, when he crushed James on a drive. It's the second hard foul James has suffered in a week.
Though James declared Carroll's play to be "a good, hard foul," unlike the neck tackle he endured from Toronto's Jonas Valanciunas on Wednesday, James also said such hard fouls are "taking a little toll."
That's an area of concern for him and for Blatt, who sees a trend.
James' turnovers and the hard fouls he bears were linked on Friday night. A James turnover -- which came when he was whistled for an offensive foul in the second quarter -- enraged Blatt, who drew his first technical of the season.
"I just think LeBron's getting hit," Blatt said about the technical. "He's getting hit every time he's goes to the basket and half of them are ignored because of, you know, I said this the other night, because of the strength and the power he brings to his drives."
Blatt said he wasn't concerned about James' turnovers.
"What concerns me is when we're not moving the ball and putting the ball in easy positions to score, that's what concerns me," Blatt said.
James is averaging 4.3 turnovers this season, easily a career high. His previous high was 3.6 in his first season with the Miami Heat in 2010-11.
He's just missed his single-game high of 10 turnovers -- which he endured once, in 2005 -- on three separate occasions this season and committed eight turnovers in four other games.
It's a topic he's discussed throughout the year, and he tries to draw distinctions between the turnovers that come sometimes when he attacks and careless mistakes.
The latter is the kind he expects to avoid.
"Some of them I was attacking," James said last night. "I had a couple where I drove left hard, I thought Kev (Kevin Love) was going to be at a certain place, he cut, I threw it out of bounds.
"The first two turnovers I got my arm grabbed, I wasn't strong with the ball, I turned the ball over. My last turnover I seen Kyrie in the paint and I threw high, should've thrown low. Those are careless turnovers.
"That's a split, out of my nine I think five of them were unforced, four of them was attack turnovers. But I suck, as far as me turning the ball over. I've got to be better."
Again, James wasn't all bad. He contributed six rebounds and eight assists, and needs just nine more to pass Mark Price (4,206 assists) as the franchise's all-time leader. It could happen as early as tonight against the Phoenix Suns at The Q.
James also knows that regular-season success or failure against an opponent does not mean it will carry into the playoffs. His career is littered with examples.
Last season, for instance, the Brooklyn Nets swept the Heat in the regular season, only to be bounced by James' Miami squad 4-1 in the playoffs. In 2010-11, James went 1-6 against the Bulls and Celtics; the Heat dumped both on their way to the Finals.
"Going forward, we will be better ... if we happen to face them again," James said of the Hawks.
Let's see how this Dallas game works out....
Cavaliers-Mavericks Preview
STATS LLC
The 2011 NBA Finals may have been the lowest point in LeBron James' career.
Though he's unable to erase the memories of his underwhelming play in that series, James has turned in spectacular performances against the Mavericks ever since.
The Cleveland Cavaliers hope James can provide another dominant showing Tuesday night when they visit Dallas.
James and the Miami Heat were heavily favored four years ago versus Dallas, and the series began as expected with James scoring 24 in a Game 1 victory. The Mavericks, though, took four of the next five and James' play was heavily scrutinized.
After averaging 26.0 points through the first three rounds, James was held to 14.0 points per game on 38.6 percent shooting in Games 3-5, and committed six turnovers in Dallas' championship-clinching Game 6 win. He was 7 for 21 in the fourth quarter for the series.
Dirk Nowitzki, named MVP of the finals, averaged 26.0 points and 9.7 rebounds over the six games.
That disappointment has stuck with James, who has averaged 32.2 points on 63.3 percent shooting while winning all six regular-season meetings with the Mavericks since.
"It brings back memories for sure," James said. "Memories that I try to forget, that I will probably never be able to forget. But it's built me into who I am today."
James hasn't played against Dallas as a member of the Cavaliers in more than five years, however. He sat out a 109-90 home loss to the Mavericks on Jan. 4 due to knee and back soreness as Dallas shot 56.4 percent. Kyrie Irving was held to a season-low six points before leaving in the third quarter with an injury, while Kevin Love scored 30.
The Cavaliers (40-25) likely needed some rest after beating Phoenix 89-79 on Saturday to go 3-1 in a five-day stretch. James, in particular, seemed to be showing signs of fatigue, shooting 11 for 29 and committing 13 turnovers in his last two games.
Cleveland relished the rare opportunity to practice Monday, however.
"We came in and got great work in," said James, who tied Mark Price for the franchise assists record with 4,206. " ... We have no room to waste an opportunity and today we didn't do that. We got better, so this is great for us."
Nowitzki is stuck in a rough stretch for the Mavericks (41-24), averaging 12.8 points on 39.9 percent shooting over his last 11 games. Monta Ellis had been struggling too, scoring 12.5 per game and shooting 27.5 percent during a four-game span before scoring 31 in a 100-93 road win over the Lakers on Sunday.
Dallas had lost four of five while scoring 89 or fewer three times before Ellis' big night.
"Sometimes I can be my own enemy when I go to the basket and don't get the foul. Then I get frustrated and lose my game a little bit," said Ellis, who was 5 of 7 from 3-point range after going 5 for 32 in his previous 11. "Tonight the biggest thing for me was just to get back to being aggressive -- and if they call it, they call it. If they don't, I continue to attack."
The Mavericks have won 11 of the last 13 meetings in Dallas.
STATS LLC
The 2011 NBA Finals may have been the lowest point in LeBron James' career.
Though he's unable to erase the memories of his underwhelming play in that series, James has turned in spectacular performances against the Mavericks ever since.
The Cleveland Cavaliers hope James can provide another dominant showing Tuesday night when they visit Dallas.
James and the Miami Heat were heavily favored four years ago versus Dallas, and the series began as expected with James scoring 24 in a Game 1 victory. The Mavericks, though, took four of the next five and James' play was heavily scrutinized.
After averaging 26.0 points through the first three rounds, James was held to 14.0 points per game on 38.6 percent shooting in Games 3-5, and committed six turnovers in Dallas' championship-clinching Game 6 win. He was 7 for 21 in the fourth quarter for the series.
Dirk Nowitzki, named MVP of the finals, averaged 26.0 points and 9.7 rebounds over the six games.
That disappointment has stuck with James, who has averaged 32.2 points on 63.3 percent shooting while winning all six regular-season meetings with the Mavericks since.
"It brings back memories for sure," James said. "Memories that I try to forget, that I will probably never be able to forget. But it's built me into who I am today."
James hasn't played against Dallas as a member of the Cavaliers in more than five years, however. He sat out a 109-90 home loss to the Mavericks on Jan. 4 due to knee and back soreness as Dallas shot 56.4 percent. Kyrie Irving was held to a season-low six points before leaving in the third quarter with an injury, while Kevin Love scored 30.
The Cavaliers (40-25) likely needed some rest after beating Phoenix 89-79 on Saturday to go 3-1 in a five-day stretch. James, in particular, seemed to be showing signs of fatigue, shooting 11 for 29 and committing 13 turnovers in his last two games.
Cleveland relished the rare opportunity to practice Monday, however.
"We came in and got great work in," said James, who tied Mark Price for the franchise assists record with 4,206. " ... We have no room to waste an opportunity and today we didn't do that. We got better, so this is great for us."
Nowitzki is stuck in a rough stretch for the Mavericks (41-24), averaging 12.8 points on 39.9 percent shooting over his last 11 games. Monta Ellis had been struggling too, scoring 12.5 per game and shooting 27.5 percent during a four-game span before scoring 31 in a 100-93 road win over the Lakers on Sunday.
Dallas had lost four of five while scoring 89 or fewer three times before Ellis' big night.
"Sometimes I can be my own enemy when I go to the basket and don't get the foul. Then I get frustrated and lose my game a little bit," said Ellis, who was 5 of 7 from 3-point range after going 5 for 32 in his previous 11. "Tonight the biggest thing for me was just to get back to being aggressive -- and if they call it, they call it. If they don't, I continue to attack."
The Mavericks have won 11 of the last 13 meetings in Dallas.
I'll say they need this game...it would keep them two games ahead of the Bulls
The minute Lebron sits this team goes to hell in a hand basket. 11-0 Run.
That's one thing I didn't like in the past, but that's kinda on Lebron and staff also. He wants to dominate the ball/game so much, that's the down side even when you have nice players aside him.
Damn...Cavs won by 33...
Cavaliers-Spurs Preview
STATS LLC
LeBron James guided the Cleveland Cavaliers to five straight postseasons and the 2007 NBA Finals before helping Miami win two titles during four consecutive Finals appearances.
The four-time MVP, however, has never had a great deal of success in San Antonio.
Making his first trip back since last season's Finals, James will get an opportunity to see where his surging Cavaliers stand Thursday night when they try to stop the Spurs' six-game winning streak.
James has come up short 12 times in 17 career games at the AT&T Center after his Heat fell 104-87 in Game 5 of last year's Finals. His 25.2 scoring average in nine regular-season games there is also his worst versus any Western Conference foe.
Defensive wiz Kawhi Leonard, the 2014 Finals MVP, has contributed to San Antonio's success against James.
"He's very sound," James confessed. "I think what also helps him is the anchors that he has behind him in Timmy (Duncan), (Tiago) Splitter and the rest of those guys."
If James can reverse his fortunes in San Antonio, the Cavs will move to 2-0 on a four-game trip. He had 27 points and eight assists to take over sole possession of the team's career assist record in Tuesday's 127-94 rout in Dallas.
After a slow start in James' second stint, Cleveland (41-25) has gone a league-best 22-5 while scoring an East-high 107.4 per game since Jan. 15. The Central Division leaders also have a slight edge in the race for the conference's second seed.
"(The Cavs are) playing at a high level," Spurs guard Danny Green said. "They've got some great guys and great players. And they're playing well together. They're starting to mesh at a key time. It's going to be a good matchup."
The defending champions went through a rough patch of their own, dropping four straight on their nine-game Rodeo trip before getting on track with their longest streak since an eight-game run from Nov. 17-Dec. 1.
San Antonio (40-23), sixth in the loaded West, is averaging 112.2 points on 48.0 percent shooting in the six games. The club built a 26-point lead Tuesday before holding on for a 117-107 home win over Toronto.
Leonard finished with 24 points, 11 rebounds and five steals, while Tony Parker had 23 points and nine assists. Parker has averaged 24.5 points in four games since scoring 6.8 per game on 26.0 percent shooting over his previous five.
Coach Gregg Popovich said he thought Duncan would be fine despite hyperextending his left elbow in the contest. Manu Ginobili is also expected to play after sitting out due to gastroenteritis.
"They're going to have a high motor and share the ball," James said. "It's a team that has so much chemistry because they've spent so much time together and they have championship DNA. It should be a good one."
San Antonio has won 10 straight in the series dating to James' first stint in Cleveland. Duncan finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Boris Diaw added 19 points, seven assists and six boards in a 92-90 road win Nov. 19.
James was limited to 15 points on 6-of-17 shooting and made a costly turnover with 1.9 seconds left. Kevin Love was held to 10 while going 4 for 12 from the field.
After starting Tuesday's game without a headband for the first time since the 2003 preseason as a rookie, James joked with reporters that the headband would be a game-time decision.
STATS LLC
LeBron James guided the Cleveland Cavaliers to five straight postseasons and the 2007 NBA Finals before helping Miami win two titles during four consecutive Finals appearances.
The four-time MVP, however, has never had a great deal of success in San Antonio.
Making his first trip back since last season's Finals, James will get an opportunity to see where his surging Cavaliers stand Thursday night when they try to stop the Spurs' six-game winning streak.
James has come up short 12 times in 17 career games at the AT&T Center after his Heat fell 104-87 in Game 5 of last year's Finals. His 25.2 scoring average in nine regular-season games there is also his worst versus any Western Conference foe.
Defensive wiz Kawhi Leonard, the 2014 Finals MVP, has contributed to San Antonio's success against James.
"He's very sound," James confessed. "I think what also helps him is the anchors that he has behind him in Timmy (Duncan), (Tiago) Splitter and the rest of those guys."
If James can reverse his fortunes in San Antonio, the Cavs will move to 2-0 on a four-game trip. He had 27 points and eight assists to take over sole possession of the team's career assist record in Tuesday's 127-94 rout in Dallas.
After a slow start in James' second stint, Cleveland (41-25) has gone a league-best 22-5 while scoring an East-high 107.4 per game since Jan. 15. The Central Division leaders also have a slight edge in the race for the conference's second seed.
"(The Cavs are) playing at a high level," Spurs guard Danny Green said. "They've got some great guys and great players. And they're playing well together. They're starting to mesh at a key time. It's going to be a good matchup."
The defending champions went through a rough patch of their own, dropping four straight on their nine-game Rodeo trip before getting on track with their longest streak since an eight-game run from Nov. 17-Dec. 1.
San Antonio (40-23), sixth in the loaded West, is averaging 112.2 points on 48.0 percent shooting in the six games. The club built a 26-point lead Tuesday before holding on for a 117-107 home win over Toronto.
Leonard finished with 24 points, 11 rebounds and five steals, while Tony Parker had 23 points and nine assists. Parker has averaged 24.5 points in four games since scoring 6.8 per game on 26.0 percent shooting over his previous five.
Coach Gregg Popovich said he thought Duncan would be fine despite hyperextending his left elbow in the contest. Manu Ginobili is also expected to play after sitting out due to gastroenteritis.
"They're going to have a high motor and share the ball," James said. "It's a team that has so much chemistry because they've spent so much time together and they have championship DNA. It should be a good one."
San Antonio has won 10 straight in the series dating to James' first stint in Cleveland. Duncan finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Boris Diaw added 19 points, seven assists and six boards in a 92-90 road win Nov. 19.
James was limited to 15 points on 6-of-17 shooting and made a costly turnover with 1.9 seconds left. Kevin Love was held to 10 while going 4 for 12 from the field.
After starting Tuesday's game without a headband for the first time since the 2003 preseason as a rookie, James joked with reporters that the headband would be a game-time decision.
Good game so far....
Just turned on the game and the first thing I hear....
"Lebron James playing without his headband for the second consecutive game!"
"Lebron James playing without his headband for the second consecutive game!"
That shit falling out, mayne...
Malawi Leonard out there sonning folk
This shit is a war....
Leonard vs Bron....Irving vs Parker....
Kyrie is def one of the best shooting guards in the nba
He just catches instant heat likes it's a video game. If he continues to improve defensively, damn.....
From the stats look like these fuckers are going at it...This shit is a war....
Who have the edge?
Looks pretty even but if you ask me its San Antonio since they're at home.
The Cavs really need this game, well Lebron needs to get this win, if he really care about getting into that overall MVP talk, they missed out on keys wins last weeks against Atl and H-Town. Those victories would've been huge for his case.
Spurs. It's the middle of a road trip for the Cavs.
This shit is a war....
This a perfect game for JR to sho out, Lebron and Kevin have some tough matchups...
When you look at the schedule, JR should lick his chops at games like these...
Now you show up.... Ballscout1 has an Obama app. You have a Cavs are losing app.
Cavs should call the thunder and trade Love for Ibaka straight up
I mean.. what you think gone happen when you leave Green open
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