| 2009/2010 NBA Regular Season | ||
|---|---|---|
 | VS |  |
| 21-9 | 25-8 | |
| December 30, 2009 | ||
| Quicken Loans Arena | ||
| 7:00 PM et | ||
| Radio - WTAM 1100 / FOXSports HD | ||
| Probable starters: | ||
| Mike Bibby | PG | Mo Williams |
| Joe Johnson | SG | Anthony Parker |
| Marvin Williams | SF | LeBron James |
| Josh Smith | PF | J.J. Hickson |
| Al Horford | C | Shaquille O'Neal |
First, a huge Happy 25th Birthday to LeBron James, who can now walk in to any Hertz or Avis and rent a car. That is a big step in a young man's life!
As for the game, it's the same tonight as last night - the Hawks like to score, the Cavaliers stop people from scoring. Whichever team does what it does well, better, will win.
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GAME NOTES -->
- The Cavaliers have won 10 consecutive games at The Q and are 12-2 (.857), which is tied for 2nd best in the NBA. This streak is thelongest home winning streak in the NBA as the Cavaliers ended the streaks of Phoenix (19 games) and L.A. (10 games) with wins on their Western road trip. In those 10 games at home, the team has averaged 103.3 ppg on .517 shooting while opponents have only scored 92.7 ppg on .424 shooting. Since the 2005-06 season, the Cavaliers are 139-39 (.781) at home and only the Dallas Mavericks at 147-33 (.817) have a better home record in that span.
- Against the Hawks last night, Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored 15 points in 20 minutes off the bench. With his fifth point made on arebound and putback, Ilgauskas surpassed Brad Daugherty for second place on the Cavaliers' all-time scoring list with 10,390points. He now has 10,400 points on his career. Earlier this season, he also became the team's all-time leader in games played andlast season, became the franchise leader in rebounds and blocks.
- LeBron James will celebrate his 25th birthday tonight versus the Hawks. James' 13,927 points is by far the highest by any playerbefore turning 25 and his 3,419 assists is second to Isiah Thomas' 4,066. James ranks 16th in rebounds. In three games that theCavaliers have played on his birthday, he has averaged 31.0 points, on 36-70 (.514) shooting, 6.3 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.0block and steal each. James' average on his birthday is the 3rd highest in NBA history (D. Wilkins - 32.7 ppg, M. Jordan - 31.5ppg). Shaquille O'Neal has the NBA record for the most points scored on his birthday with 61 in Mar. 6, 2000. Last night, James tallied 14 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists and a season-high five steals in Atlanta. (Elias)
- With the 95-84 defeat of Atlanta, Cleveland has now won five straight games, the longest current streak in the NBA, and 10 of their last 11 contests. In those 11 games, the team has averaged 102.2 ppg while holding opponents to 91.9 ppg (+10.3 point differential),while shooting .499 from the field compared to .420 for opponents. The Cavaliers are 15-3 (.833) against teams that had at least a.500-record the day of the game. The Hawks are the Eastern Conference's highest scoring team at 104.9 ppg and the Cavaliers held them to 84 points last night, including holding them scoreless on 0-10 shooting for the first 8:49 of the fourthquarter and to only 10 points for the period. The Hawks have not scored 100 points versus the Cavaliers in 15 overall contestsdating back to Nov. 7, 2006. The Cavs haven't allowed an opponent to score + 100 points in 12 of 19 road games this season,which is tied for 3rd. It was the third consecutive (L.A. Lakers, Houston) +.500 opponent the team has held under 90 points.
- The Cavaliers have now won three straight regular season games over the Hawks and four straight at The Q. Since 2003-04, theCavaliers have the second highest winning percentage at 18-5, .783 against the Hawks (San Antonio - 10-2, .833). (STATS, Inc.)
- Cleveland has held opponents under .400 from the field in three straight games at home (New Jersey .390, Milwaukee .364, Houston.329) and is 7-0 this season when holding team's that low. The Cavaliers haven't allowed an opponent to shoot at or above .500percent from the field in 23 games, the NBA's longest active streak. (STATS, Inc.)
- Against Atlanta, Mo Williams scored 20 points and had his fifth consecutive game of at least 20 points (four of them in roadgames), the longest streak in his career, to go along with five assists and three rebounds. Williams made 3-6 (.500) from behind thearc, which also marked his fifth game of making at least three three-pointers and is shooting 16-27 (.593) from behind the arc in thosegames. Over the last five games, he is averaging 23.8 points on .527 shooting and 25-26 (.962) from the free throw line, 4.4 rebounds,5.0 rebounds. Williams ranks 5th in three-point accuracy at .459 and is tied for 2nd in three-point field goals made with 78.
- The Cavaliers "Defensive Triangle" continues to be one of the NBA's best. The team ranks 4th in points allowed at 93.6 ppg, rank 1stin defensive field goal percentage at .430 and rank 5th in defensive three-point field goal percentage at .323. Cleveland is joined bythe Celtics as the only teams that rank in the Top 5 in each of those three major defensive categories.
- Offensively, Cleveland is the second best three-point shooting team at .418 (Phoenix - .422) and ranks 5th in the NBA in field goalpercentage at .482. The Cavaliers are 23-2 (.920) when they shoot at least .450 from the field, 13-0 when shooting at least .420from the behind the arc and 19-1 (.950) when hitting the century mark.