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Home > Jeff Schultz > Archives > 2008 > December > 13 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USHawks forgot to roll out King’s welcome
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When LeBron James walked into Madison Square Garden two-and-a-half weeks ago and introduced the deranged, $140 sneaker-buying corner of the world to his new candy apple red, Big Apple Nike Zoom LeBron 6’s, most viewed it as foreshadowing.
The shoes arrived in 2008.
The rest of him gets there in 2010.
“Funny — everybody knows what I’m going to do except me,” James said Saturday.
OK, so maybe this obsession with where James will earn his next max contract is a bit much. Even online sports books have posted odds. Cleveland is a slight favorite at 6-5 over New York (5-2). The Hawks are 50-1. The odds would have dropped Saturday, but, alas, he didn’t show up at Philips Arena with the Big Peach Zoom 7s.
“Maybe next time,” he said, laughing.
Next time, maybe all the buildup won’t be for James and the visitors. We saw the good Hawks Saturday, the ones that can defend and play under control and, most importantly, play with the NBA’s elite.
This is how you open a homestand. After showing signs of backsliding following a 6-0 start, the Hawks — the initial roadkill in Cleveland’s 11-game winning streak — knocked the Cavaliers back a step with a 97-92 win. It doesn’t mean they’re nearly at the level of the Cavs, who at 20-4 can live with a setback. But this game did illustrate the Hawks’ upside.
“It was definitely a big win for us, especially coming against one of the top teams in the league,” said Mike Bibby, whose three-pointer with 2:19 left gave Atlanta a 92-90 lead. “I think this just showed how good we can be when we help each other defensively.”
James. He wore normal shoes and finished with a relatively pedestrian (for him) 33 points. Fans expecting him to take over the game instead saw a strong defensive effort from several Hawks, including Marvin Williams, who played against James in high school in AAU tournaments.
“Just physically, he’s a tough dude to stop,” Williams said. “You take someone like Dwyane Wade, who’s 6-4 and can run and jump and dunk. But LeBron is 6-9, 250, 260 doing the same thing. It’s scary.”
The Cavaliers are where the Hawks want to be. They started the season 1-2, then won 19 of their next 20. They suddenly defend as well as anybody. They have added Mo Williams.
But James is remains the centerpiece, of this team and this league. He is redefining the game. He is the youngest and fastest player ever to 10,000 points, 2,500 rebounds, 2,500 assists, 700 steals, 300 blocks. Michael Jordan had been the fastest. Kobe Bryant had been the youngest.
“This is the most fun I’ve had since being a part of the Cavs organization,” James said before the game.
It hasn’t all been fun. The Knicks/free agency speculation has spun out of control, and James is partly to blame. No, he couldn’t control what people thought when New York cleared salary cap space, and fans and media immediately projected him as a Knick in 2010. But it was James who chose to crash Gotham like a blowtorch. He landed in New York, launched the red shoes and said nothing in press conferences to defuse the situation.
Charles Barkley, the former player turned free-speaking analyst, didn’t like it. “If I was LeBron James, I would shut the hell up,” Barkley blasted, saying James disrespected the game, his teammates and Cleveland fans.
Barkley had a point.
James didn’t think so. His response: “He’s stupid.”
Didn’t even use the whole 24 seconds.
“My teammates know I have to go through so much talking about free agency and everything,” James said. “I think they get tired of hearing that and they want to go out and prove people wrong. I just go out and do my job. I don’t care what people say about me or what they think my future is before I even know what it is.”
For now, he’s with the Cavs, who remain at a level the Hawks aspire to. For one night, James was just north of mortal, and the Hawks looked like Cleveland’s equal.
Permalink | Comments (32) | Post your comment | Categories: Hawks/NBA
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By crystal
December 13, 2008 11:54 PM | Link to this
I love lebron like everyone else but I Loved the look on his face when he left the atl 2nite. GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!
By SUPERIOR
December 14, 2008 12:53 AM | Link to this
I like how you consider the hawks were “backsliding” while completely discounting the fact they were w/o j-smoove for a month.
By ms
December 14, 2008 1:23 AM | Link to this
Who would have THUNK IT! The Hawks over the Cavs. I think we will continue to see this type of play all season. Win the big games against the good teams that we get up for and lose other games to the not so good teams. It appears that we are in for a roller coaster system. I really hope not but I think we are. Anyway, good win tonight!
By TJ
December 14, 2008 1:52 AM | Link to this
this game is another stepping stone in proving these hawks are for real….Good teams win games against other good teams and just check out some of the other wins we have so far this season…i cant wait to see what the season holds for this team
By Rock Preston
December 14, 2008 1:54 AM | Link to this
These Hawks are hard to figure out!!!! We see signs, but when Josh plays under control, they win. When he plays outta control, they lose! Why can’t they overcome an inconsistent 3 point shooting wannabe 2 guard’s performance to show they belong with the best ALL THE TIME???? As Josh goes, so goes the HAWKS.
By RA
December 14, 2008 3:09 AM | Link to this
I’m with Superior. The one thing that people forget when they think about the Hawks start is that they were w/o Josh Smith for a while and Horford got hurt. Za Za was playing with one good arm. Other teams under that type of adversity might not have stayed afloat. Now it’s true that even since the Hawks got Smith back, they’re only 4-3, but those three loses were all during that nightmarish Texas swing to teams much stronger than themselves, and they had a chance to win each of those games, yea win.
Here’s the thing about Boston and Cleveland. Those teams are playing at the tops of their games right now. Hang on to your forks where this Hawks team is concerned folks. The best is yet to come.
By merbert moover
December 14, 2008 4:47 AM | Link to this
yeah i think hawks really cool tonite bros….they lit it up homies! yeah j smooooooooveeeeee mmmmhmmm you go girl…..beat that pit baby!!!!!!
By bob
December 14, 2008 5:29 AM | Link to this
A weight clause needs to be put in the A Town Dancer’s contracts. Some of those girls are getting pretty porky.
By deja vu
December 14, 2008 6:25 AM | Link to this
When will Josh Smith realize he’s not Larry Bird and stop killing runs with ill-advised threes? On the flip side, his hustle saved the game at the end. He’s young, but could be an elite player by acknowleging his limitations. Why not take the advice Dominique Wilkins gives him every single night?
By tony
December 14, 2008 7:07 AM | Link to this
i’ve been saying 2yrs now that josh smith needs to focuss more on rebounding, shot blocking, steals and leave the shooting to the guards. if he would do that he will have a bigger impact in games than dennis rodman because of his ability to score points in the paint.
we need a center bad! i know it will be a long shot, but if we can somehow draft hasheem thabeet(7’3 260lbs) this team will be hard to beat. he plays good defense and he can score down low. i also like stephen curry because he doesn’t shy away from the big stage and he wants the ball in his hands at crunch time.
in all likelihood, we probably will take another forward since there won’t be a quality center available. if we take another forward i hope we draft tyler hansbrough because this kid plays good defense and he lives around the basket.
By baracked the vote!
December 14, 2008 7:48 AM | Link to this
So, Jerk Schultz, after downplaying the hawks before the season began and then waiting for them to fade, you can actually look beyond your idiotic posts of the past and recognize the team has improved. amazing. as far as deranged people paying $140 for a pair of sneakers, maybe you should quit shopping the JCPenny outlets and step up.
By one66soul
December 14, 2008 8:13 AM | Link to this
Game should have never got that close. Hawks were leading big most of the night.
By Eric
December 14, 2008 8:32 AM | Link to this
Is Jeff Schultz competing with Terrance Moore for worst sports journalist in Atlanta??? The Hawks are currently 4th in the conference, and have the 9th best record in a 30 team league. That means the Atlanta Hawks are better than 21 teams in the N.B.A. you idiot!!! But to you they’re backsliding, and they are not on the same level as Cleveland, WOW!!!
By Eric Sajovie
December 14, 2008 8:32 AM | Link to this
Just a little reminder Atlanta fans, you barely beat a Cavs team that had two of its top six players out with injury, which you all failed to mention in your little hype. Cavs all the way…
By Eric
December 14, 2008 8:41 AM | Link to this
The first time Atlanta played Cleveland they didn’t have their second best player, and was coming off a back to back. Lets not play that game, it’s the N.B.A.
By Hawksfan
December 14, 2008 8:41 AM | Link to this
I was extremely excited to see the Hawks “step up” against prime time competition. Here is my only concern…Coach has to play/use his bench. If you watched Cleveland, they made use of 10 almost 11 players throghout the game. The Hawks have the starting five to match up with every team in the NBA, but will be undone because of fatigue. Case in point, the first three games of this last road trip, the Hawks played well enough to win but came up short at the end. The reason…fatigue. Coach Woodson, I am pleading with you, USE YOUR BENCH! It will pay dividends in the end not matter what the short term outcome maybe.
By Eric Sajovie
December 14, 2008 8:54 AM | Link to this
Hey Eric , remove 24 points and 10 rebounds (Ilgauskis/Gibson average), from your Hawks, I guarantee you your team would have been blown out…nine times out of ten, both teams healthy , Cavs win
By Eric
December 14, 2008 9:09 AM | Link to this
Jeff, How can you say the Hawks are not “nearly” on the Cav’s level? What NBA do you watch???
By Eric Sajovie
December 14, 2008 9:17 AM | Link to this
Hey Eric, thats why Jeff is a professional journalist, and you are a overzealous fanatic (fan)…someday you will see the light, when you take off the red and gold blinders…go Cavs!
By Eric
December 14, 2008 9:22 AM | Link to this
This is not about the Cav’s…it’s about Jeff not being a very good judge of talent and team direction. By the way I don’t think you can call anybody an “overzealous fan”…you embody the term!!!
By Eric Sajovie
December 14, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this
No Eric, I am a realist, I would love to continue this conversation, But, I unlike yourself, have a life, away from the computer. I must go now and work, but I hope you find a friend, no one should have to turn to the internet for solace, during the holiday season….Merry Christmas!
By Hawksfan
December 14, 2008 9:31 AM | Link to this
Eric Sajovie “Hey Eric , remove 24 points and 10 rebounds (Ilgauskis/Gibson average), from your Hawks, I guarantee you your team would have been blown out…nine times out of ten, both teams healthy , Cavs win”
Dude, are you on something??? To compare Ilgauskis & Debbie Gibson to the importance of Josh Smith (to the Hawks) is insanity. Ilgauskis is a solid center at best, but he doesn’t change the complexity of other teams game plan(s). Debbie Gibson is not worth mentioning in your arguement. Josh Smith creates havoc for opposing teams (like your Cavs last night). He may not score a ton of points, but he is an inside presence that ALL teams have to account for. Without Josh Smith the Hawks are below .500 team that gives up over 100 pts per game. I believe that your Cavs are abundantly better off even without your “boy” Ilgauskis.
By J
December 14, 2008 11:08 AM | Link to this
right on hawksfan … Sajovie, its obvious when you’re on the computer at 9:30am in the morning, trying to bash hawks fans, you have no life. You are also an overzealous fanatic fan yourself, if you have to come on this blog to talk about the Cavs. You don’t see us going over to the Cavs blog to bash them. Hawks won this game, fair and square. If the Hawks had Josh Smith during their last meeting, it probably would have been another win. Both the Cavs and Hawks were the only teams to take the Celtics to 7 games in the playoffs, so lay off the low blows and who’s better. That will be determined once playoffs are here.
By bigeasy830
December 14, 2008 12:26 PM | Link to this
I still say the Hawks win 50+ and the Southeast, a 3 seed and at least the Eastern COnference Semi’s or Finals. But, we need to play more inside out basketball. J-Smoove and Al are beast down low not to many teams can match up with them, both are great passers and will hit the wide open shooters, Joe, Bibby or Marvin if they are doubled. I think i saw the Hawks actually run an offensive play last night. Looked like the old wheel offense. The Hawks must get a more defined identity on offense or we will be continue to be inconsistent but talented enough to win 45. Coach Woodson is lucky for the fast start, he may have been one of those axed if they started slowly. The NBA don’t play I can’t believe the 76ers fired Mo Cheeks.
By SUPERIOR
December 14, 2008 12:39 PM | Link to this
I think Jeff Schultz has homosexual fantasies about Woody (no pun intended) and the Hawks, but the organization has made it clear they are not attracted to Schultz in that way and that makes Schultz angry so he writes mean things about the Hawks.
By Eric Sajovie
December 14, 2008 3:57 PM | Link to this
This is for hawksfan,,,do not even mention your hawks in the same breath with the Cavs, you guys are a couple of years away…pray you do not make the playoffs and save yourself the embarrassment, but, if you do make the playoffs, you better start trying to sell those tickets now, as Atlanta (city of transplants), will play in front of thousands of empty seats, your track record shows empty baseball playoffs , basketball, and footballalso….hockey , who cares, obviously not Atlantans. You guys do not deserve a winning team, because you do not support them. We would die for the winners you had through the years…so keep drinking the kool-aid hawksfan….you have a mediocre team that has to go through Cleveland….later…
By Craig Ehlo Sayer
December 14, 2008 5:15 PM | Link to this
Unfortunately Smoove’s offensive game seems to have diminished ever since he started spending his summers in Houston. He needs to take it to the rack and play above the rim. He has to work on his dribbling. He remains arguably the best defender in the NBA, yet since his injury he has been playing at a lower level on the defensive side of the ball as well. Even though he made a classic Smoove block at the end, there were several shots that Smoove would usually have blocked in last night’s game that he missed. Most likely that is just a conditioning issue as Woody said, and once he gets back into basketball shape we will be tough to stop. Lebron is a monster. The fact that he is 23 is mind-boggling. Bibby was the leader and the best player out there for us last night. Marvin “Duck” Williams and that uber:trendish Frohawk need to finish around the basket better, he gets blocked by smaller guys in the paint. He does have a nice shot though. Horford was great last night, he was actually our best defender out there last night. Great win, let’s take care of the Bobcats, We can’t sleep on them, because we need to go into the next game on a roll and ready to win OUR ONLY NATIONALLY TELEVISED GAME OF THE YEAR against our rivals the Boston Celtics.
By CLEVELAND SUCKS, CLEVELAND SUCKS!
December 14, 2008 11:41 PM | Link to this
Eric, had fun watching the Hawks beat your only decent team in that crappy town. Then watching the ‘95 world series. Then watching the Browns and LAUGHINGGGGGGGG, HAHAHA! Hawks won! Cleveland sucks! James to NY in ‘10! HAHAHA!
By PD
December 15, 2008 10:10 AM | Link to this
January 13 vote on nba.com to get the Hawks vs Suns on NBATV
By ATLDunkadelics
December 16, 2008 12:54 AM | Link to this
The Atlanta Hawks are looking to be giant killers for the 2 second time in a week as they gear up for a wednesday night showdown with the defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics. The game is so big that rap-superstar Ludacris will perform at half-time. The Celtics vs. Hawks dunkadelic-rumble at the “Highlight Factory”
By WH
December 16, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this
The Hawks are a very good team. This team can be a great NBA team and contend if they played smart basketball by playing to their strength and elimnate their weaknesses. For example, Josh is a great athelete, but he continues to put up the three rather than use his abilities to get reboundS and play tough defense. When he’s doing these things he makes his teammates better and put more points on the board. He hadn’t figure this out yet, but Big AL has. Josh has Allstar abilities, but he won’t get there if he’s not playing to his strength. Josh can be a big star. Like someone wrote before, Rodman did it on rebounds and defense, but Josh can be the best ever, if he rebounds and play defense. His scoring will rise, as well. Keep up the good work Josh. Just some advise.
Acie & Solo need more playing time.
By the way, where’s the leadership on the court coming from? GO HAWKS!!
By Kelli
December 22, 2008 12:30 PM | Link to this
I love the Hawks but everytime JSmoove shoots a three, I die a little inside.